CIPS Diploma - Level 6

LEADING AND INFLUENCING IN PURCHASING
(Compulsory Core Unit)
This unit is designed to develop students’ leadership skills to enable them to lead, influence and provide direction to stakeholders within the supply chain.

Students should be able to operate at a strategic level. They should be able to lead in their defined area or part of the organisation and will be expected to motivate and support supply chain members and stakeholders in achieving objectives and success.

Students will be expected to lead in a variety of situations and to ensure that they maintain the balance of power required to achieve success. They should be able to demonstrate effective leadership in a variety of contexts, including change, adversity, conflict and success, in order to maximise the potential of the organisation.

STRATEGIC SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT
(Compulsory Core Unit)
The supply chain manager is responsible for specific activities and processes which can contribute to achieving corporate strategic goals. This unit is designed to provide students with an understanding of strategic aspects of supply chain management. Students will analyse the supply chain to identify where value is added within it, identifying where and how strategic competitive advantage can be achieved.

Students will be expected to propose a range of innovative proposals which will allow supply chain stakeholders to effectively interact and contribute towards developing and exploiting opportunities to grow and expand the business, through new product and service development, offering innovative ideas, diversification and differentiation strategies.

SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT IN PRACTICE
(Integrative Unit) - Work-based Project
Please note that Supply Chain Management in Practice has two separate briefs, one for the case study option and one for the work-based project.

This unit is designed to enable students to gain a deeper understanding of supply chain theory and practice by examining how particular theories relate to real-world situations or how particular theories offer advantages over others. As the unit is project-based and requires the submission of a report, the student will also develop investigative, analytical and communication skills.

Where students are likely to undertake a workbased project this can take two alternative forms: either (i) it will seek to test the explanatory power of an existing body of theoretical knowledge against a case example; or (ii) it will seek to test the explanatory power of an existing body of theoretical knowledge to make predictions about the likely outcome of an impending test case.

If it is not possible to undertake a work-based project, then students can opt for a deskbased version. Again, there are two alternative formats: either (i) it will critique an existing theory in order to develop a better explanation of a set of phenomena; or (ii) it will critique a set of competing theories in order to say which has the greater explanatory power.

It is important to remember that the project is driven by theory. Students must identify a theory or set of theories by referring to the learning outcomes of the other two Level 6 units: Leading and Influencing in Purchasing and Strategic Supply Chain Management.

SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT IN PRACTICE
(Integrative Unit) - Case Study Option
Please note that Supply Chain Management in Practice has two separate briefs, one for the case study option and one for the work-based project.

This unit is designed to give candidates an examination based alternative to the workbased project unit. The case study approach facilitates hands-on experience of complex supply chain issues by replicating real-life situations in a controlled environment. It will enable candidates to gain a wider understanding of supply chain issues by examining how a range of concepts and principles can be applied to real-world problems and situations in order to improve best practice.

The unit consists of a substantive case study which corresponds as closely as possible to one which might be met in real life. It is designed to test the ability of the candidate to analyse supply chain situations and to write clearly and effectively on them. The case study is circulated prior to the examination, which enables candidates to analyse the case study situation, conduct supplementary investigations and prepare appropriate solutions in advance. Assessment is by means of a three-hour, open-book examination with unseen questions.

LEGAL ASPECTS IN PURCHASING AND SUPPLY
(Optional Unit)
This unit seeks to familiarise students with the law that regulates the purchasing function.

The P&SM needs to understand where legal issues may impact on the organisation and when to take action to avoid risk. They should also be able to recognise situations when the appropriate action would be to seek legal expertise.

The content provides an essential overview of different legal issues with particular emphasis on contractual issues and sale of goods legislation. Other areas covered include the legal aspects of outsourcing, competition law, intellectual property law, electronic trading and international trade. It is designed to assist professionals who work in either the public or private sector.

ADVANCED PROJECT MANAGEMENT
(Optional Unit)
Projects can range from construction to refurbishment of premises, introduction of new information technology systems to outsourcing/off shoring of work previously tackled in-house, and re-design or reengineering of products, services and processes. At the same time projects should align and contribute to the overall strategic objectives of the organisation.

This unit will help students to develop knowledge of the principles, practices and techniques vital to the leadership and commercial management of projects, with a particular emphasis on the role of the purchasing and supply chain professional.

Supply chain specialists in both the private and public sectors should have a pivotal role in the initiation, planning and control of projects, and in the development and ongoing management of resulting contracts, serving suppliers and customers alike.

Project management is concerned with achieving objectives relating to quality, cost and time. Supply chain specialists have a high degree of involvement in developing the procurement strategy for contracts with suppliers, and with the operational activities of monitoring and administering supplier performance.

Students need to understand the architecture of project orientated organisations. The focus is subsequently directed towards roles such as project leader, project-team members, projectcoordinator/ coach and project-mentor, from the project management point of view.

FINANCE FOR PURCHASERS
(Optional Unit)
Purchasing managers are responsible for specific activities and processes, which can contribute to achieving corporate strategic goals. This unit is designed to provide students with an understanding of strategic aspects of finance in relation to the decision-making process and detailed analysis necessary to deliver effective procurement.

Students will understand how to navigate around the world of finance in an effective and efficient manner so they can identify the where, when, how, and what a professional purchaser needs, in order to use and interpret the key financial models and tools required to deliver robust and sustainable procurement solutions.

Students will be expected to propose a range of tried and tested models, as well as innovative tools and techniques, which will allow key business stakeholders to interact and contribute towards developing and exploiting opportunities to grow and expand a business, through new supply arrangements, channels to market, diversification, outsourcing and differentiation strategies.

It will help students to develop an understanding of the terminology and different sectors within the financial and accounting profession which allows an engagement and exchange that will guide and benefit the decision-making process in an efficient manner.

Entry Dates
The Course members can commence the programme in March or September. Each module will be delivered over two weekends (Saturday and Sunday). In addition, there is a revision day (inclusive within the course fee) prior to the examination. The dates of the module weekends and revision days can be found in the module timetable.

Examinations
The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) examinations are held in May and November each year. It is the course members’ responsibility to register for these examinations directly with CIPS.

CIPS Membership
Course members should apply directly to CIPS for membership of the Institute. The Course Director will advise course members on application procedure. The School tuition fees do not include CIPS membership fees.