With procurement increasingly gaining a seat at the executive table , Deloitte consultant Natascha Schijven says having the right digital analytics and diverse talent in place is key to transforming sourcing operations

M anagement consultant Natascha Schijven has witnessed the changing procurement landscape for around two decades . Now a Partner for Supply Chain & Manufacturing Operations at Deloitte , she began her career in manufacturing for a multinational packaging company in the Netherlands . Even though the local manufacturing environment was exciting , Natascha wanted to make use of a background in international business and language studies . “ I wanted to make sure I would work on projects that were more complex , spanned geographies and leveraged my languages and international business background so I moved from manufacturing into strategic sourcing ,” she recalls . Schijven sourced direct materials in packaging across Europe and indirects for a global specialty chemicals company , but started to feel her work lacked challenge . “ At some point I got bored with the repetitive nature of my nine to five job and wanted to find something more challenging