Kevin Smith (MCIPS)

Go-getter
DISC Type : d

Category Manager at Southern Water

United Kingdom

Overview

Kevin is a strategic procurement leader with 15 years of experience managing complex, high-value projects across defence, IT, renewable energy, and infrastructure. A Loughborough University graduate, he founded Procurement 101 Ltd to provide specialized training for public sector professionals. Colleagues and clients describe him as a committed, passionate, and people-oriented leader.

Beyond his professional endeavors, Kevin has demonstrated a strong commitment to community and experience improvement, notably through his dedicated involvement with various student committees during his university years. He has a keen interest in the practical applications of emerging technologies and how they shape professional development.

He received an Outstanding Achievement award from the Minister for Defence Procurement for delivering a major project a full year ahead of schedule.

Personality Overview

Decisive

Fast-Paced

Challenger

They respond well to confident salespeople.  They focus on objectivity in a pitch and pay little attention to bells and whistles. They don’t always try to control the conversation but neither do they like yielding it fully.

Topics They Care About

AI in Procurement
He actively discusses how AI is impacting procurement training and processes and has mentioned using AI tools like Claude to assist with his work.
Supplier Collaboration
He expresses a strong appreciation for the insights and generosity of suppliers during the RFI process, believing it leads to more effective procurement outcomes.
Performance-Based Contracts
He advocates for contracts that not only mitigate poor performance but also include mechanisms to incentivize and reward good or exceptional supplier performance.

Media Appearances

Kevin has no verified media appearances

Work History

10-2025
Category Manager at Southern Water
8-2025
Founder and Managing Director at Procurement 101 Ltd
1-2025 - 10-2025
Managing Director at Click Procurement
8-2023 - 12-2024
Associate Director - Procurement at Mace
5-2019 - 8-2023
Associate Director at Turner & Townsend

Education

2005 - 2008
BSc from Loughborough University
2000 - 2002
Education details unavailable from Queen Elizabeth 6th Form College

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 6 Location : United Kingdom Job Level : Middle Designation : Category Manager at Southern Water
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Insights For Selling To Kevin

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Highlight the competitive differentiation of your product
  • Stress on the business value that your product offers
  • Refer to testimonials from others in similar positions

DONT's

  • Don’t try to be an alpha salesperson, give them equal space
  • Refrain from asking too many questions
  • Don't try too hard to get friendly, let it happen with time

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Kevin is

  • Conviction in the product matters to them, followed by proof points and strong testimonials.
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Kevin

  • They may not be very forthcoming, but they will say no if needed.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Kevin move?

  • Their decision making speed is somewhere in the middle.
  • Can Kevin take some risk or not?

  • They can take risks but after weighing up the pros and cons.

You And Kevin

Personality Compatibility


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