The talent shortage in commercial contract management is well-known and in need of tackling – urgently. This is a candidate-led market, of the like we have never seen before, employers are on the back foot and highly skilled workers are receiving multiple job offers.
Indeed, we were recently working with one candidate who found herself in the fortunate position of receiving four offers on the same day. For many role types, this would be exceptional but when it comes to CCM positions it is increasingly becoming the norm – candidates are able to effectively cherry-pick the roles that suit them best. But what does this tell us about why there is such a chronic talent shortage in CCM?
Fast-developing sectors need candidates with specialised skills and qualifications
As a fast-paced and dynamic industry, CCM needs candidates that are advanced and highly skilled, and can adapt to the different sectors in which they operate, from defence through to facilities management and IT.
It can be difficult to find candidates with these qualifications and skills, and younger people finishing further education may not yet have the experience or knowledge of the opportunities that a career as a CCM can offer them. This gap can be bridged through graduate programmes, internal training as part of the hiring process and by adopting new technologies to welcome in a new generation of talent.
Indeed, we are also experiencing an older, developing workforce, meaning that certain sector-focused skills may not always be in line with the new wave of technology, and up-skilling needs to be delivered to ensure senior positions in CCM can be filled too.
The sector is often viewed as confusing
It can be a misunderstood discipline, but CCM offers the opportunity to develop an array of key business skills to candidates looking to move into a career in the industry. The complexity of the way in which the industry operates can seem ambiguous and unclear, having a wider impact on the way talent is sourced.
Why do we need CCM? Who does it benefit? Are supplers and clients meeting their terms and contractual obligations? Do you have to be a negotiator in practice to do this role? The list goes on. In reality, the CCM world is busting at the seams with a range of sectors that are desperately seeking the right fit – who get CCM and want to drive change.
Digital transformation is changing the way that talent is sourced and adapts
Those working in CCM need to be drivers of change in order to ensure they aren’t left behind when digital transformation takes shape. In years past, the adoption of technology within CCM has been slow. According to the Future of Jobs Report 2018, from the World Economic Forum, the skills gap has been widened by the adoption of new technologies.
We also know that by 2022, the skills required to perform most jobs will have shifted significantly, showing how job profiles are changing in line with shifts in work processes and automation. The skills gap in this industry in particular only highlights the need for more professionals to move into this space and adopt a new, dynamic method of approaching the key areas of work.
However, it is important to remember that whilst digital transformation is moving at a quickening pace, it is those working in CCM that enable and direct new processes and the development of new skills. From the experience of the team at Arguile Search, the talent pipeline for roles in CCM is experiencing a short supply, and the current candidate-led market signifies a real shift in the way CCM is perceived.
For more information on some of the roles that are currently in demand, and to find your perfect fit in CCM, get in touch with the Arguile Search team today.
