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CIPS Foundation Diploma - Level 4

Study your CIPS Foundation Diploma in London

If you are interested in this programme, you might want to:

CIPS open evening - Wednesday 25th Jan, 7-9pm. Click here for more information

The CIPS Foundation Diploma is designed to provide the necessary purchasing skills to those in operational or junior management roles. Delegates with previous academic and professional experience are advised to consult CIPS with regard to possible exemptions. The Foundation Diploma consists of five compulsory units. Click on the modules tab above to see the course modules in more detail.

EFFECTIVE NEGOTIATION IN PURCHASING AND SUPPLY

(Compulsory Core Unit)

The unit is designed to provide students with the ability to apply a variety of theories relating to negotiation in respect of preparation, planning and participating in the negotiation process.

Students will undertake activities such as cost and market analysis, using information to support the planning of negotiation with suppliers to achieve best value. Students also apply their knowledge of various legal implications affecting negotiations.

Negotiating is often a finely balanced activity and involves managing a range of complex relationships, and students should be prepared to effectively manage those relationships, avoiding conflict while maintaining the balance of power.

By the end of this unit, students should be able to plan, prepare and undertake effective negotiations, demonstrating high levels of personal effectiveness and achieving best value within the supply chain.

DEVELOPING CONTRACTS IN PURCHASING AND SUPPLY

(Compulsory Core Unit)

This unit is designed to help students to gain an appreciation of the complexities of both the legalities and commercial issues of contractual arrangements entered into with external organisations. The unit provides an underpinning knowledge of the legalities of the formation of contracts as well as the key ingredients of any commercial arrangement - a specification, the contractual terms and key performance indicators.

Students will be able to apply a variety of terms to contracts in given situations, and will be aware of the significance of a range of different contractual terms that are typically applied to a range of procurements affecting both direct and indirect expenditures. The unit also analyses the processes used for tendering or for requests for proposals from external suppliers through to contract award.

MEASURING PURCHASING PERFORMANCE

(Compulsory Core Unit)

This unit is designed to help students to measure the effectiveness of the supply chain and its contribution towards aiding the competitiveness and effectiveness of the organisation.

Students taking this unit should be able to apply a range of measurement techniques used to monitor the performance of a variety of individual suppliers, how they perform financially versus target, compliance to contract/specification, and potential risks that they may present.

Measurement will take place on three levels, organisational, functional and individual. Students should be able to apply a range of techniques and provide results that evaluate supplier performance, and make suggestions for future improvements.

MANAGING PURCHASING AND SUPPLY RELATIONSHIPS

(Compulsory Core Unit)

This unit is designed to enable students to focus on developing and managing effective relationships, old and new, within the supply chain.

Students will be able to review and develop existing relationships and identify opportunities for establishing new relationships that will enhance the performance of the supply chain, while exploring the benefits and risks of establishing such relationships.

By the end of this unit, students should be able to develop new relationships, manage existing relationships and exploit opportunities in both, that will maximise the effectiveness of the supply chain.

PURCHASING CONTEXTS

(Compulsory Core and Integrative Unit)

This unit is designed to consolidate the learning from all four units in the CIPS Foundation Diploma. There will be an assessment .

This unit is designed to enable students to apply the fundamental principles of purchasing and supply in a variety of different contexts, including a range of private sector organisations, including multi-nationals and small/medium sized enterprises (SMEs), plus the public sector; national and local government; the NHS; and the not-for profit sector including charities and the voluntary sector. Students will be able to consider the procurement cycle as it applies to a diverse range to purchased products and services including raw materials, commodities, components, utilities and services, both domestically and in an international context.

This unit will tackle the different challenges faced by a wide range of organisations and sectors as they strive to achieve best value, quality, effectiveness and competitiveness within the broader supply chain.

Successful students will be able to apply sound principles of purchasing and supply management to a diverse range of sectors and organisations utilising knowledge from across all of level 4, and will be able to employ and develop transferable best practice where appropriate.

A Message from the CIPS Programmes Director

May I take this opportunity in thanking you for your interest in our CIPS programmes. The purchasing function is now seen in both public and private sector organisations as a key provider of bottom line profitability. Its profile has risen considerably over the past twenty years, underpinned by the increased take up of qualifications in the area, notably the Graduate Diploma in Purchasing Supply issued by the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply.

The CIPS Graduate Diploma is the lead qualification for people in the fields of purchasing, logistics, transportation, stores and supply chain management. In itself, the qualification is an essential tool in obtaining senior management jobs in supply chain management as well as the opportunity to progress to our postgraduate programmes. Those who successfully obtain the CIPS Diploma may be offered direct admission to the University of Plymouth MSc in Strategic Procurement Management (Level 7) delivered at Greenwich School of Management.

Greenwich School of Management runs all three levels of the CIPS Graduate Diploma: Level 4, Level 5 and Level 6. The programme is delivered on a part-time basis at the weekend. Students can join in February or September. Successful completion of the programme leads to corporate membership of the CIPS Institute and the use of the designatory letters MCIPS.

Tamara Solomun
CIPS Programmes Director

A Message from the CIPS Programmes Director

May I take this opportunity in thanking you for your interest in our CIPS programmes. The purchasing function is now seen in both public and private sector organisations as a key provider of bottom line profitability. Its profile has risen considerably over the past twenty years, underpinned by the increased take up of qualifications in the area, notably the Graduate Diploma in Purchasing Supply issued by the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply.

The CIPS Graduate Diploma is the lead qualification for people in the fields of purchasing, logistics, transportation, stores and supply chain management. In itself, the qualification is an essential tool in obtaining senior management jobs in supply chain management as well as the opportunity to progress to our postgraduate programmes. Those who successfully obtain the CIPS Diploma may be offered direct admission to the University of Plymouth MSc in Strategic Procurement Management (Level 7) delivered at Greenwich School of Management.

Greenwich School of Management runs all three levels of the CIPS Graduate Diploma: Level 4, Level 5 and Level 6. The programme is delivered on a part-time basis at the weekend. Students can join in February or September. Successful completion of the programme leads to corporate membership of the CIPS Institute and the use of the designatory letters MCIPS.

Tamara Solomun
CIPS Programmes Director

Teaching and Administrative Personnel


Sheldon Dyer MCIPS
Sheldon has more than 20 years of experience in purchasing/supply chain, working for several major international organisations.

Sheldon qualified through Rubicon Training here at Greenwich School of Management and now passes his extensive experience on to the current students by relating the training back to personal experiences. Sheldon has taught levels 4, 5 & 6 of the CIPS graduate diploma.

Wayne Herring MCIPS Wayne Herring MSc, MCIPS, has over twenty years teaching experience at Southall, Watford, Harlow and Writtle colleges and was an examiner with Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply for five years. Wayne is the Director of Rubicon Training, one of the largest CIPS trainers in the UK. He has many years industrial experience in purchasing and has worked for TI Raleigh in Nottingham, Providence Capitol in Birmingham and Astron On Line in Huntingdon. He is Training Consultant to many organisations including the Office of Government Commerce and Arrow Electronics.

Steve Langford MCIPS
Steve Langford, MCIPS, has over twenty years experience in the purchasing/supply chain function and has been teaching CIPS graduate diploma for five years at Writtle College, Manchester and Greenwich School of Management in London. Steve’s background has been in the electronics industry, working for companies such as BT, Farnell, Arrow Electronics, Raytheon Systems and latterly America II Electronics.

David Chidley MCIPS
David has an extensive purchasing history in defence, aerospace, military and medical applications. Now a Purchasing Manager with Ironmongery Direct, a major supplier to the building industry market achieving enormous growth year on year since 2007.

Dave has extensive lecturing experience ensuring syllabus studies are taught to support all individual needs. Dave is currently teaching at Level 4, Level 5 and Level 6 at Greenwich School of Management and Writtle College. Dave has qualified through Rubicon Training.

Graeme Ellison, MCIPS
Graeme has been in the buying environment for over six years. Having worked in a variety of industries from large mutli-nationals to independent manufacturing companies in the private sector, in engineering, military to the furniture industry. Dealing with unique one off purchases of military spec items to mass production multi site deliveries of JIT items. Dealing with both UK to Eastern European and Far Eastern companies. He qualified through Rubicon Training at the Peterborough site, building on the many different lecturers he has experienced both at university and through Rubicon to deliver a hands on approach which tries to relate back to real life experiences in purchasing. He has taught at levels 4,5 & 6 in the CIPS programme, both at Greenwich School of Management and Peterborough.

Vincent Milsom
Vincent is a Procurement and Corporate Real Estate professional with broad commercial experience of strategic sourcing and supplier relationship management, best practice procurement tools and techniques and corporate real estate management gained within leading blue chip services organisations.

Katie Jarvis MCIPS
Katie Jarvis has worked in purchasing for over 10 years in which time she has undertaken buying for various industries ranging from catering to electronics to the current role within agriculture. Katie buys a wide variety of products in her present role including animal feed, building supplies, vehicles and telecommunication products and services.

Purchasing takes many forms in this role from spot buying through to very detailed volume planning for call off orders over a long period of time.

Katie also has her own purchasing business whereby she assists companies in their buying and sourcing requirements. This is a new venture that is slowly gaining momentum.

Outside work Katie's two main hobbies to relax are motorsport and walking her two black Labradors.

Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Graduate Diploma Fees

Foundation Diploma (Level 4)
£3000

Advanced Diploma (Level 5)
£3000

Graduate Diploma (Level 6)
£3000

(includes 5 modules and study books)

Examination Fees are payable directly to CIPS Institute.

Annual CIPS Membership payable directly to CIPS Institute.

Tuition fees are payable to Greenwich School of Management.

Entry Dates

The Course members can commence the programme in February, June 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.

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.

Examinations

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

CIPS programmes at Level 4, 5 and 6:

An applicant must normally have obtained 2 'A levels' or an equivalent qualification;

Delegates with previous experience (academic or professional) are advised to consult CIPS with regard to possible exemptions.

This degree-level course is designed for those already working in purchasing & supply industry.

Applicants without any prior qualifications must be at least 21 years of age with at least two years experience in a business environment.

To make an application

Please submit your completed application form together with your CV to Tamara Solomun, CIPS Programmes Director either by email: cips@greenwich-college.ac.uk or by post directly to Greenwich School of Management.

For more information please call +44 (0) 208 516 7800.

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