ITWeb events spent some time with Masego Khutsoane, finding out more about her role as head of procurement at the JSE. We asked how she found herself in the procurement role, what the challenges have been, lessons learnt and the most memorable moments. On a more personal level, we asked which superhero she would be given the choice and if she has any hidden talents that people aren't aware of.
ITWeb Events: How did you get into this line of business and what is it about procurement, sourcing and supplier management in the ICT sector that interests you most?
Khutsoane: I fell into procurement by chance. I studied a Bachelor of Information Systems and Management at Rhodes University and was planning to be a business analyst or a technology strategist. My first job saw me placed as a pre-sales/business analyst in the Unix team that dealt with hosting space and doing data backup for companies. I learned a lot about contract drafting, concluding and management, negotiation skills and stakeholder management. I fell in love with the complex yet simple process of contracting and dealing with suppliers, the process of managing suppliers whilst providing a service. I loved having all this information and knowing how valuable it is to the business.
My second job required me to establish, manage and run an IT sourcing environment within a government department. I was thrown in the deep end, being a deputy director at the age of 23. I had a point to prove given the fact that I was entering a male-dominated environment as a young, black woman.
lCT as a sector is constantly evolving. You are challenged to keep up with modern trends and terminology. Being in ICT procurement allows one to learn about new innovations, risks and the value ICT brings to the daily running of a business, as well as the impact it has on the overall strategy. No one day is the same and that is exciting!
ITWeb Events: What are the biggest challenges you experience on a day-to-day basis?
Khutsoane: The biggest challenges I face in procurement are ensuring that I set the tone of the division on a strategic level from the get go, otherwise you end up discussing operational challenges. This is based on the fact that there is a misunderstanding of what strategic procurement is and how different it is from daily procurement functions.
How I respond to situations, requests and the demands placed on me becomes vital. Procurement is seen as red tape, not as a governance and risk mitigation function. One needs to reiterate and emphasise the rationale and benefits of following a procurement process.
ITWeb Events: What is it about contract management and negotiation that you enjoy most; and what aspect of this role do you least enjoy and why?
Khutsoane: According to statistics, about 80% of business-to-business transactions are underpinned by legally binding contracts. Corporates are increasingly looking to contract management to become compliant to corporate governance legislation and to minimise exposure to risk. Being part of this strategic element is both exciting and rewarding.
What I dislike is only getting involved at the tail end of drafting or finalising a contract. Business tends to overlook that as a sourcing professional, you might have intel (market data or supplier data) that could have been applied and possibly made a significant contribution to the contract.
ITWeb Events: A person has to stay at the cutting edge of this industry - how do you keep up with the latest developments, especially with technology changing so dramatically?
Khutsoane: To ensure I stay up to date, I read a lot. Combined with participating in industry summits, conferences, round tables and good old-fashioned networking. I also subscribe to Procurement Leaders, Gartner, and the like to understand how others tackle similar or more challenging scenarios.
ITWeb Events: If you could give a piece of advice to a budding procurement or sourcing professional, specifically in ICT, what would it be?
Khutsoane: Be curious and never forget to ask why, learn and understand the A-Z process of procurement, become passionate about governance, fighting corruption and the categories you are/will support. Become invaluable and learn to have a thick skin. Learn to differentiate between the function and who you are as a person. This is because most stakeholders will reject you automatically based on the assumptions and pre-conceived ideas they might have on the function you occupy. Learn to build rapport, and then see the change in perception once an understanding of the value your role brings to the table is understood. Have and maintain a positive attitude. As one procurement executive once said "Being an effective procurement leader is more to do with personality, self-belief and strong performance."
ITWeb Events: Do you have any further advice you would like to impart about yourself, your career and your profession?
Khutsoane: Growing up I always wanted a challenge. I pushed myself to get good grades so I could finish school. Got selected as one of the smart kids to attend a Saturday programme called Gifted Child Programme "GCP" in Soweto. The programme was a mixture of clever kids from township schools and the then model C schools. This made me realise it doesn't matter where you go to school, you can achieve anything if you put your mind to it. The programme allowed me to get tuition for my tertiary education and placed me in my first job. It is unfortunate that programmes such as these are few and far between.
ITWeb Events: What do you regard as a career-defining moment?
Khutsoane: My career-defining moment happened when I moved from being in the public sector to the private sector.
Procurement became more strategic and I got to understand the global standards placed on and expected of procurement professionals. I became more driven to excel at my job, at networking myself and at understanding how different public and private sector procurement standards are applied.
ITWeb Events: What have you had to learn the hard way?
Khutsoane: I had to learn the hard way that failure is an opportunity to do things better the next time around. That personal success does not equate to how much money I have in the bank or the number of friends I have. I had to define what personal success meant for me and not seek validation in my job.
ITWeb Events: Do you have any hidden talents, if you were a superhero which one would you be and why, and lastly, who do you admire most?
I am a very good organiser and I am an interior designer at heart. All I need is a limitless budget.
If I was a superhero I would be Shera - princess of power. She was big in the 90s. She carried a sword with her, which was indestructible (which I see as a sword of the word of God), she had strength, was empathic, she mostly outsmarted her adversaries versus using physical force. She played the game and not the man. I can relate to this.
The person I admire the most is Khanyi Dhlomo. Khanyi is a TV host and the founder and CEO of Ndalo Media and Ndalo luxury ventures. She has defined success in her own terms. She is ambitious, calm, excellence personified, poised, advocates entrepreneurs, a leader and constantly evolves herself as a brand.
Masego Khutsoane will present at the inaugural IT Sourcing and Vendor Management Summit, on Tuesday 4 October at The Forum, Bryanston. Her presentation focuses on drafting and implementing contracts and service level agreements which ensure effective performance.
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