Scottish procurement and commercial competency framework

Foreword

Foreword from Nikki Archer, Head of Procurement Profession, Scottish Government:

I am pleased to present the latest Procurement and Commercial Competency Framework from the Scottish Government.

The competency framework sets out the evolving skills, knowledge and competencies expected of procurement professionals at all levels to meet the challenges of the future. It is designed to help individuals and organisations identify their strengths and address development areas in technical skills as well as leadership, collaboration and innovation, whether through targeted capability-building or recruitment.

Procurement plays a pivotal role in achieving our national priorities in Scotland – whether tackling climate change, advancing social justice, or supporting local businesses and communities. As the demands on procurement professionals in the public sector continue to grow and diversify, so must our capabilities and ambitions.

The framework was established in 2008 as part of the Procurement Reform programme and was subsequently refreshed in 2016 and 2019. The latest version is the result of extensive engagement with colleagues across the public sector and reflects best practice. The number of competencies has been reduced from 37 to 35 and the Sustainable Procurement competency has been revised to reflect that sustainability is now fully embedded in procurement practice since it was introduced a decade ago.

The competencies are mapped to the equivalent relevant professional bodies’ global standards and accreditations at each level. These are the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply; the Association for Project Management; and the Chartered Management Institute.

Please refer to the user guides and example scorecards provided for information about how to use the framework in conjunction with the National Procurement Development Framework Tool. This is an assessment tool to help you score yourself against custom job profiles to enable you to identify areas for improvement. It has also been updated to incorporate the refreshed framework competencies.

I encourage all procurement professionals to use the framework as part of your continuing professional development. And, I would encourage organisations to use the framework to inform their job descriptions, vacancy notices and recruitment and performance assessment criteria. Whether you are starting your career in procurement or leading a procurement function, I hope the framework will support your journey and inspire you to drive positive change, contributing to a prosperous, sustainable, and inclusive Scotland.

Nikki Archer. Date: October 2025