Procurement and Supply Chain have shifted from cost-saving functions to strategic growth enablers and in 2025, consultancy firms are at the forefront of that transformation.
Across both the UK and USA, demand for senior procurement and supply chain professionals has reached record levels. The challenge for hiring managers? Attracting, engaging, and retaining talent that can deliver both strategic insight and operational execution in a fast-changing consultancy landscape.
In this blog we explore the latest market updates, hiring trends, and practical strategies consultancy leaders should prioritise when building their 2025 procurement & supply chain teams.
The consultancy model has changed and so must your hiring approach
Consultancies are no longer just advisors. Clients expect end-to-end transformation delivery, from strategy through implementation.
This shift means you’re no longer hiring “classic” consultants. You’re hiring hybrid leaders, professionals who can think strategically, lead client engagements, and roll up their sleeves to drive operational change.
Key hiring takeaway:
Focus on candidates who combine consulting acumen (stakeholder management, storytelling, analytical skills) with practical delivery expertise (procurement transformation, digital sourcing, supply chain optimisation).
Your best hires will be those who can walk the talk, embedding themselves in client operations while maintaining that big-picture perspective.
Technology, AI & Data literacy are now core skills
2025 has seen an explosion in AI-enabled procurement tools, predictive analytics, and digital twin technologies.
Clients expect consultants who can translate technology into tangible outcomes, not just talk about digital transformation.
What hiring managers should look for:
- Experience leveraging AI or data tools for supplier performance, contract analysis, or risk modelling.
- Familiarity with procurement orchestration layers and predictive analytics platforms.
- Comfort working alongside digital teams or AI vendors.
Recruiting for digital literacy, not just category knowledge, will set your consultancy apart.
Risk, resilience & ESG expertise drive client value
From geopolitical tension to cyber risk, supply chain resilience is now front-page news. Consultancies that can help clients navigate this complexity will win market share, but only if their people have the skills to deliver it.
Emerging talent priorities:
- Cyber-resilience and third-party risk management
- ESG and Scope 3 supply chain reporting
- Scenario planning and nearshoring strategies
Senior hires must bring a multi-dimensional risk mindset, capable of connecting procurement, sustainability, and security into one cohesive narrative for clients.
The senior talent shortage is real, and it’s a global battle
Recent research shows that 90% of supply chain leaders feel their organisations lack sufficient digital or analytical capability to meet transformation goals.
For consultancies, that translates into fierce competition for the same pool of mid-to-senior talent, individuals who can lead complex transformation projects while managing multi-country teams.
How consultancies are responding:
- Offering cross-border flexibility, remote or hybrid models across the UK and USA.
- Redefining job design to attract fractional or portfolio consultants.
- Investing in employer brand storytelling to communicate purpose, innovation, and impact.
Hiring managers who understand what motivates this new generation of procurement leaders - autonomy, visibility, and meaningful work - will have a distinct advantage.
Your hiring strategy in 2025: practical steps for success
Here’s how forward-thinking hiring managers in consultancy are securing high-calibre procurement & supply chain professionals:
- Partner with specialist recruiters
Generalist recruiters can’t decode the nuances of procurement transformation or AI-led sourcing. Partner with specialists who truly understand the discipline and talent landscape. - Move fast, but stay selective
Top procurement consultants are fielding multiple offers. Agile, transparent processes are key but so is maintaining high hiring standards to ensure culture and capability fit. - Prioritise diversity of experience
Blend industry and consulting backgrounds. Candidates who’ve “sat on both sides of the table” bring practical empathy and credibility with clients. - Build talent pipelines ahead of demand
Don’t wait for a project win to start recruiting. Build a proactive bench of ready-now talent for rapid deployment. - Retain through development, not just reward
Upskilling in AI, digital procurement, and ESG should be a continuous investment. The best consultants stay where they can grow.
Procurement & Supply Chain consultancy in 2025 is evolving fast, technology, risk, and sustainability are converging to create new opportunities and new challenges.
For hiring managers, success will hinge on one thing: finding and retaining leaders who can bridge strategy and execution.
If your consultancy is scaling its Procurement & Supply Chain capability across the UK or USA, now is the time to align your hiring strategy to the new market reality and partner with recruiters who know exactly where this talent lives.
Let’s build your 2025 consultancy talent strategy.
From procurement transformation experts to digital supply chain leaders, we know where the market’s best professionals are, and how to attract them.
Contact our team to start a conversation about the skills that will future-proof your consultancy.
