The document summarizes the responsibilities of a software procurement specialist role at FirstRand Bank, including: - Saving the bank over R1 million by assessing vendor requirements and renegotiating software licenses. - Managing the software procurement process from requesting quotes to invoice processing. - Ensuring compliance with software contracts and licenses. - Ongoing vendor relationship management including resolving issues and identifying cost savings opportunities.

1.  Highlightedachievementsincurrentrole:
o SavedFirstRandBankcompanyR1 089 842.00
o Decrease vendortake onby assessingrequirementsandcapabilitieswithexisting
vendors
o Minimise riskswithinthe bankbyeliminatingsoftware purchasedoncreditcards
o Change license metricstructureswithcertainsuppliersandmakinguse of license re-
harvesting
o Bulkpurchasingoncertainsoftware licencesandnegotiatingdiscounts
o Involvedwiththe re-designingof the software portal catalogue page
 Reconcile customerssoftware licenseentitlementswithactual softwareinstalls/usageto
determine the customers’licensecompliance positionbyrunningreports
 Analysespurchase recordsandotherentitlementinformationtofindsoftware thathasnotbeen
contracted
 UnderstandsProductUse Rights,license allowances,andcontractual entitlementsforsoftware
productsand manufacturers
 Participatesincustomercommunicationsacrossthe entire life-cycleof software cycles
 Ensuresall SAMprojectsare conductedprofessionally,ethically,andinamannerconsistentwith
FirstRandqualitystandards
 Responsible forthe accurate andtimelyprocessingof all software purchasingfunctionsforRand
Merchant Bank,RMB external branches(Durban,Cape Town,PortElizabeth),AccountsPayable,
Morgan Stanley,FirstRandBankandAshburton
 Functionsinclude –Purchasingof software applications,licenses,maintenancerenewals
 Advise sourcingteamaboutall invoices,licensesthatdoesnothave contractsin place
 Responsible forthe entire procuringprocess –Requestforquotation,evaluatingpricing,
processingthe order,sendingofficial ordertothe vendor,followupondeliverydates,receipting
goodsreceived,loadinginvoicesforpaymentandrequestingproof of paymentforvendoror
clientwhenrequired
 Systemsusedforpurchasing – Oracle P2P andInternetcreditcard purchases
 Assistmanagementwhenrequiredwithanyprocurementprocessesandprocedures
 Communicationwithrelevantsupporttechniciansandteamswithinthe ITdepartmentrelating
to software andotherproductsrequiredforprocuringactivities
 Assistfinance divisionwithbillingqueriesandrectifydiscrepancies
 Ensure that internal/external customersare complyingwiththe procurementpolicy,using
preferredsuppliersandbuyingitemsforwhichthere iscontractedpricing
 Monitorsall procurementactivities,identifiesbottlenecks/problemsanddevisesappropriate
strategiestoensure effective implementation
 Constantinteractionwithsuppliersandassistinginresolvingdiscrepanciesona timelybasis.
Manage the day-to-daybusinessrelationshipwithkeysuppliers
 Buildingrelationshipswithreputable suppliers
 Involvedincostsavingexercises
o Qualityassurance onincorrectquotationsorcalculations
o Log all savingsachieved
o Qualityassurance oncontractor invoicesbycheckingbacktooriginal contractand
ensuringthatcorrect ratesare beingcharged
o Alertingmanagementaboutanydiscrepancies
o Discountsonlicensesorservicesoveracertainquantityoramount
 Assistwithaddingnewvendorstothe procurementdatabase andensure thatall documentation
suppliediscorrect
 Manages the Software LicencesBuyersinbox:
o Respondingtoclientqueriesandcallslogged
o Trackingclientcallsuntil resolutionhasbeen reached

2.  Monthlyopenorderreports – Closingandcancellingof orders
VendorCompliance and On-boarding
Vendoronboardingisthe processof gatheringdocumentsanddataneededtosetupa companyas
an approvedvendororsupplierandtoenable the FirstRandorganizationtoefficientlyconduct
business.
Once the vendorison-boardedanddoingbusiness,there are alsoon-goingmaintenanceactivities
that musttake place (suchas software renewals,licensing,compliance,tracking,sales,purchasing,
paymentsetc.)
Vendoronboardingallowsagainstuncontrolledballooningof the vendormasterlistandenabling
sharingof vendorsacross all legal entities
The qualificationandonboardingof suppliersspecificallyrelatingtosoftware isoftenownedbythe
SAMteam(Software AssetManagement)thatresidesatFNB.A strategicapproach to the
qualificationandonboardingof vendors,will save time,reduce riskandimprove communication
and compliance.Moreover,streamliningsupplieronboardingcanhave a positive impacton
purchasingcosts,companydata qualityandcorporate image,andevendrive topline growth.This
ultimatelyproducessavings.
SAMwantsto ensure thatsupplieronboardingprocessisconsistentacrossall global locationsand
that standardsare inplace for all suppliersregardlessof size.
Supplieron-boardingactivitiesfor FirstRand group (FirstRand,Rand Merchant Bank, FNB,
Ashburton, Wesbank) andinvolvesthe followingresearch:
1. Legal contract for FirstRand
2. Extractingall official purchase ordersforthe groupfromcontract inception
3. Understandall license metricspertainingtocontract
4. Confirmall the productsbeingusedandpurchasedfromthe vendor
5. Usage listforactive licensesfromvendor
6. Vendoronline portal where all licencesare managed
7. License re-harvesting
8. Obtainproductinformation,use rightsandlimitationsonusedlicences
9. Productand entitlementsthatthe vendorhasforthe group
10. Informationonthe productdetectioninourenvironment
11. Countryusage restrictionsmustbe indicated
12. Understandall elementsof purchase orders,invoice,renewaldates
13. Capture all investigatedinformationontoofficial database