My journey in supply chain started back when I undertook procurement, logistics and contract management roles for an Oil and Gas Exploration company in Nairobi. I supported operations in Northern Kenya, South Sudan and Ethiopia. I have dabbled a bit in donor funded projects at the Ministry of Finance in Kenya under Global Fund (for HIV, TB and Malaria) and also taken on similar tasks with World Bank donor funded portfolios with Ministries in South Sudan. Over time I learnt a number of procurement procedures, guidelines and regulations – World Bank, the Global Fund, USAID, Public Procurement Disposals Act 2005 of Kenya and regulations 2006. I had a short stint at Pricewaterhousecoopers in the Public Sector Group carrying out Advisory and Assurance for donor funded projects.
Having been a self study CIPS student i can share tips, experiences and insight to make your CIPS experience as interesting as mine. I started at Level 4, completed Level 5 and finalised Level 6 within 3 years. I have a passion for CIPS and have served as the Africa Students Representative for CIPS (UK) Congress a term which will ran from 1 November 2015 to 31 October 2018. I am currently a Business Services and Compliance Manager for Africa, where i still dabble a little in Procurement which has extended towards Compliance & Risk.
Please share with me your challenges as a CIPS student in Africa?
Contact me here
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Procurement Mentality 101 
Ok. This is interesting. As a POrocurement Expert, I look foreward to sharing and liaising more with coleagues in the field.
Cheers, looking forward to learning from you as well!!
Kudos for the good work you are doing.Am a recent graduate in this field and hoping to learn from already established profffesionals
Thank you for stopping by and dropping a line, much appreciated! Looking forward to learning all the more from you too!
I am really liking the posts! I am a recent graduate from university in the profession and would like to enjoy more of this.
Glad to hear
Soo much impressed by what you are doing..where did you learn to write though?umeshinda wengi!!!
Thank you. I write with the mindset of “what would I want to be reading?” I like making posts short, relevant and pass the message within that space. With time the skill grows.
Hello there! stumbled on your blog while searching CIPS self study. I recently joined as Student member and looking take Level 4 exams in Nov. Am reading ur blog for tips. Thanks a lot! cheers from Bahrain, 🙂
Thanks for stopping by, so exciting to hear from you. Best wishes on the exams i hope that the tips are helpful enough?
Hi Naomi, thank you for this blog. I intend to seat for the CIPS Diploma in purchasing and supply (level 4) in May 2014. I have decided to take 3 modules at this time and the last in July or November 2014 . I am very scared of exams but I know this certification is a necessity for my career development and personal fulfilment. Please if you do not mind; could you shed more light on each module of level 4. ( what modules did you find challenging).
Thank you and looking forward to your response.
Level 4 challenging subject matters were Negotiation and Procurement Law/Contracting issues. These however, you can master easily by keeping study notes. Its good to space out your exams to enabe yourself to be well prepared. I shall keep sharing my best practises that have worked for me in preparing for CIPs exams by all means subscribe to the blog.
Best wishes
Hi… I found your blog when i was just reading more on CIPS courses. Wrote the Diploma level 4 last November and now i will be studying Level 5 for May exams.. Can advise me on which subjects complement eah other on this level and also which ones did you find challenging and which ones easier. Thank you
I didn’t have much options with regards to the subjects i was taking, the Level 5 subjects i sat for were:
Management, Managing risks, Improving competitiveness, Operations management and Storage & Distribution.On average there is no way to judge which ones were easy and which weren’t – i would be lying to you! I would say prepare well – simple. AD3 for example was a full open book exam so one may easily think that wuhuuuu it was a breeze and it was manageable, but sometimes there are hidden reasons why some exams are open book and others are not. Please read through my other posts on prepping for Level 5 here on the blog for further tips and thoughts.
Hey Naomi, any advice on how to prepare for the sustainability level 5 exam. I am also in full-time work, a parent of two small kinds and coming back from Christmas with so much going in my life including a house move do I really have the time or should I postpone the exam?
Are you only sitting for 1 paper? If so, it is very doable, that said though, You are the best person to evaluate if your frame of mind with these other factors can manage. Preparation is just like for any other CIPS exams. Use past papers and short notes, be determined to pass and make it happen. Good luck
This seems interesting
Hi
Congrats for the achievement you got.
This November 2014 I am doing 5 exams for Diploma level.
However I am playing to do 8 exams on May 2015 and 4 exams on July 2015… am I too ambitious. ..?
Currently I am working with Lafarge cement as logistics specialist! !
Best wishes with the exams! Its great that you are doing all the exams so fast, wow… You are ambitious, it doesn’t matter what people think or say about your ambitions you are the owner of your ambitions so i say GO FOR IT! Doesn’t matter what i think its what you want so don’t let anything hold you back.
Hi
Congrats for the achievement you got.
This November 2014 I am doing 5 exams for Diploma level.
However I am planning to do 8 exams on May 2015 and 4 exams on July 2015… am I too ambitious. ..?
Currently I am working with Lafarge cement as logistics specialist! !
I hold bachelor degree in education and post graduate diploma in procurement and logistic.My question is,am I allowed to study professional diploma since I have post graduate diploma in procurement.
Congrats on the far that you have come, so commendable. CIPS are the ones who determine the level that you will commence from so you need to email them on crc@cips.org – send all your transcripts, your cv and they will revert ot you in about 48-72hrs with the information. Best wishes
Colleagues
Early this year when I was applying/requesting for clarification from CIPS regarding which stage can I be eligible to start, I was surprised.
I have B.Com (hons) Degree and I am Certified Procurement and Supply Chain Professional from our Tanzanian Professional Body, plus about six years working experience.
However, CIPS Team told me to start at Diploma Level (Diploma in P&S). It disturbed me somehow, However I decide to go on. This November, 2014 I did 5 units of that Diploma and I am currently studying for Advanced diploma.
Nonetheless, as Naomi said, just contact crc@cips.org then you might get appropriate answers.
Regards
Daniel
Daniel, thanks for this – when i first started my CIPS journey MBA, BSc, Diploma from Kenya Institute of Supplies Management and about 5years experience – i too commenced at Level 4 diploma. Its great to get the clarification from them first so that you can ask them as many questions as you need to get the process done.
Naomi
When I was prepared for Diploma exams, I realised that it contains very important concepts for Supply Chain Professional to have. Also for me, I appreciated its content because it real provides better foundation for Advanced and Professional Diploma studies.
Regards
Daniel
Hi naomi
Thank you so much for such a Plat Form to communicate about our struggles in the journey of Studying.
Im registed with CIPS on the Diploma in Procurement and Supply level, ill be writting my 1st Exam D1 in May 2015.
Can you kindly advise on the strategy of tackiling the exam? should i focus on the Recomended Book (which i havent as yet) i have been purely using the Course book
Use the course book together with past papers, these should be sufficient for you. Best wishes
Wow! Am in my 40s and I don’t know if its too late to take up CIPS. I have always wanted to pursue a career in procurement with CIPS qualifications. What do you think?
Hi! I am absolutely excited to find this blog here as I am starting my CIPS journey this year. I have been working in the field for over 2 years now for a fairly small company so I would be able to start studies at Diploma level, but I decided to start at the bottom and work my way up. Thank you for this 🙂
Its awesome to hear from you Sihle, happy to help. Best wishes
Thank you, so happy you finding the blog helpful. Best wishes
Hi can you send me details on level 4 CIPS program.
Refer to cips website https://www.cips.org/en/qualifications/about-cips-qualifications/