Amazon Business Q&A: Transforming the Search for Top Talent

Procurement is undergoing a radical transformation, moving from manual back-office tasks to high-impact strategic leadership. 

However, as competition for talent intensifies, organisations must do more than just hire, they must inspire. 

By showcasing the field’s capacity for genuine influence and social impact, leaders can turn procurement into a destination of choice. Learn how to design career pathways that ensure fresh talent feels seen, supported and empowered to lead.

Speaking to Procurement Magazine, Amy Worth, Director Amazon Business UK and Public Sector Customers EU explores how businesses can bridge the skills gap by leveraging automation to free up human creativity, fostering inclusive cultures through mentorship and attracting diverse professionals from finance and operations.

Amazon Business research shows that attracting and retaining high quality procurement talent is a high priority for senior leaders. How can organisations help turn this priority into a reality?

People want to do work that matters and procurement genuinely delivers that. But we haven't always been great at telling that story. Whether someone is new in their career or looking to change trajectory, the industry needs to showcase how their transferrable skills and knowledge can open doors in this field.

New talent needs opportunities to build their experience and confidence, but they also need to see clear routes to progression in their roles. Business leaders are under pressure to close skills gaps across the board, and fresh talent is the best way to address that and deliver innovation and impact. 

Once someone is in a role and learning from it, a mentor can make a real difference - helping them navigate ways of working and build new skills with more intention. For women entering the profession, it’s especially important to see themselves reflected at senior leadership level. 

This is something I've benefited from experiencing first-hand at Amazon Business, which has female representation at a senior level and is reflective of our inclusive working environment. Skills-sharing programmes and initiatives enable people from diverse backgrounds to recognise the abilities they already have and how to apply them in new roles across the business. For employees from other underrepresented groups, this opens a wider range of roles, projects and progression paths that might otherwise feel out of reach. 

How can we design roles, development paths and team cultures that are genuinely exciting and centre growth - so that fresh talent entering procurement feel seen, supported and able to progress?

Procurement can sometimes be seen as a ‘behind the scenes’ function when, in reality, it’s often the engine room of many organisations. 

That perception is starting to shift, as more organisations invest in digital analytics and automated procurement - and with nearly a third (31%) of decision-makers facing increased competition. This creates a real opportunity for both leaders and employees to redefine what procurement roles look like.

With more repetitive and manual tasks being handled by AI, people can spend more of their time where it’s needed, whether that’s strategic decision-making or growing and nurturing supplier relationships. Essentially, using their judgement to manage risk in ways that technology cannot. 

Meanwhile, structured learning pathways – such as beginning with fundamental skills like data literacy and using digital tools before building into more advanced, AI-enabled skills - lower the barriers to entry for those less traditionally drawn to procurement, while supporting smoother transitions from sectors such as finance or operations. 

Many in finance already have skills that translate well into procurement. If you were advising a finance professional or someone returning-to-work and considering procurement, what transferable skills could they lean on and what learning experiences best bridge any knowledge gaps quickly?

People in management, finance and logistics roles, or with experience of them, have strong numerical and commercial judgement can transfer these skills to procurement with ease. Budgets, forecasting and assessing ROI and financial risk all sit in the day-to-day of procurement teams.

Those in the public sector are well suited too – experience of governance, audit frameworks and regulatory requirements is exactly what procurement teams are looking for. Being able to translate budgets and make recommendations based on data-led insights will immediately help new talent make an impact in the sector. 

What would you say to a student or early-careers professional who might not see procurement as a viable career path?

My advice would be not to overlook it. Many of us have highly transferrable skills that can easily be developed into strengths for work such as negotiations with suppliers, managing complex stakeholder needs and supporting decision-making.

To progress in the sector, you need to show strong judgement, curiosity, communication skills and impact alongside technical expertise. There is no single ‘right’ route into procurement, which makes the field genuinely inclusive and dynamic.

What I find most compelling is the opportunity to shape a business from within. Beyond profitability, procurement can directly influence how employees experience their day‑to‑day roles and how engaged they feel at work. If you care about how your work impacts others — and you want to see that impact clearly, you could make a real difference in this space

How important are partnerships and outreach programmes in widening access to procurement roles - and what should companies do to ensure interns from non-traditional backgrounds get real sponsorship and visibility?

Paid internships and structured placements can help remove the financial barriers that often exclude people from non-traditional backgrounds, giving them a real taste of life inside the profession and opportunities to grow.

However, partnerships can be just as important. One example is Amazon's Women of the World initiative, which partners with academic institutions to support emerging talent through skills development, networking, mentoring and early-career pathways.

The programme connects women students with Amazon leaders and technologists, a great example of how the right partnerships can open doors, demystify career paths and empower the next generation to build strong, successful careers.