Role-Based Programme
RB1353

AI for Category Management

Smarter Spend Analysis, Supplier Strategy & Category Performance

IMAGE REQUIRED
Duration
8 Hours
Level
Basic
Delivery
Instructor-Led
Format
Workshop

Programme Objectives

  • Understand how AI can support Category Management across spend analysis, market intelligence, supplier strategy, sourcing, and performance management.
  • Apply AI to analyse category spend, supplier concentration, demand patterns, cost drivers, market trends, and supply risks.
  • Use AI to improve category plans, supplier segmentation, sourcing strategies, stakeholder communication, and performance reporting.
  • Develop practical skills for opportunity identification, category prioritisation, supplier evaluation, risk analysis, and value-improvement planning.
  • Understand responsible AI use, commercial confidentiality, supplier information, pricing sensitivity, bias, and human oversight in category decisions.

Tools covered

Generative AI AssistantsSpend AnalysisSupplier Market ResearchCategory IntelligenceCost Driver AnalysisSupplier Performance AnalysisDemand & Requirement AnalysisSourcing Strategy SupportRisk AnalysisCategory Performance Reporting

Who should attend

  • Category Managers
  • Senior Category Managers
  • Procurement Managers
  • Strategic Sourcing Managers
  • Sourcing Specialists
  • Procurement Analysts
  • Category Analysts
  • Purchasing Managers
  • Vendor Management Professionals
  • Supply Chain Professionals
  • Commercial Managers
  • Supplier Relationship Managers
  • Procurement Strategy Professionals
  • Procurement & Vendor Management Team Leads

Prerequisites & Participant Readiness

  • Basic understanding of procurement, sourcing, purchasing, or supplier management
  • Familiarity with spend data, suppliers, categories, sourcing, or commercial analysis is helpful
  • Basic spreadsheet, analytical, and digital-tool skills
  • No programming or technical AI knowledge required
  • Prior AI-tool experience is helpful but not mandatory

TOC Modules

Concepts
  • Understanding Generative AI and its relevance to Category Management
  • Exploring AI support across spend analysis, market intelligence, sourcing, supplier strategy, and reporting
  • Distinguishing AI assistance from procurement, ERP, spend-analytics, and supplier-management platforms
  • Understanding AI limitations, hallucinations, bias, and commercial decision risks
Practical activities
  • Identifying recurring Category Management activities suitable for AI assistance
  • Comparing traditional and AI-assisted category-management workflows
  • Mapping AI opportunities across the category-management lifecycle

Scenarios

Category Spend to Strategic Category Plan

Spend Data → Category Segmentation → Supply Market Research → Cost Drivers → Supplier Analysis → Sourcing Levers → Category Strategy → Stakeholder Review

Participants use AI to analyse a sample procurement category, identify value and risk opportunities, and develop a structured category strategy for stakeholder review.

Category Performance to Value Improvement Plan

Category KPIs → Supplier Performance → Cost & Risk Trends → Performance Gaps → Improvement Opportunities → Priority Initiatives → Owners & Timelines → Leadership Summary

Participants use AI to analyse sample category-performance information, identify cost, supplier, and risk improvement opportunities, and prepare a structured category value-improvement plan for management review.

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