Biographical Sketch

Ms Alba Chliakhtine’s procurement career spans a wide range of industries including technology, aerospace, manufacturing, financial services and online sourcing services. She has held a number of senior management roles in procurement and operations where she was responsible for warehousing, procurement, customs and shipping. In her procurement career, Ms Chliakhtine led the successful development of diverse procurement and supply strategies encompassing a broad range of supply categories.

In addition, Ms Chliakhtine's work extends to supporting not-for-profit organisations in the culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) sector. 


Synopsis

SC 13 - Rethinking Procurement In The Public Sector

With the unique position of working closely with both public hospitals and commercial suppliers, Health Purchasing Victoria is charting the course for reforming procurement practices across Victoria.

As HPV’s Director Procurement, Ms Alba Chliakhtine is responsible for developing HPV’s annual sourcing program, now valued at close to $600 million, in collaboration with the health sector. Key to ensuring that the health sector realises maximum value and savings from this sourcing program is a forward-thinking procurement approach, an approach that drives continuous value throughout the life of a contract by proactively engaging suppliers.

While traditionally in a public sector context, suppliers were required to be kept at ‘arm’s length’, Ms Chliakhtine's strong proponent of an open, honest and two-way collaborative relationship with suppliers that is built on a common ground. Rethinking procurement means looking beyond ‘profit versus savings’.

Opening up a two-way dialogue between the supplier and the health service can shed light on the underlying reasons behind poor contract performance and, most importantly, drive longer-term value.

In this presentation, Ms Chliakhtine will provide an overview on how the public sector can start rethinking its procurement approach to achieve better value today, drawing on case studies from HPV and beyond. What are some of the fundamental building blocks that procurement professionals can create to set up a more successful approach for the future?