PXC Minor Program: Managing Supplier Relationships and Partnerships

PXC Minor Program: Managing Supplier Relationships and Partnerships

In collaboration with Course Responsible: Professor Chris Ellegaard, Aarhus University

Why This Program Matters

The ability to build and sustain strategic supplier relationships is a decisive source of competitive advantage. Companies with strong supplier relationships are more resilient, more innovative, and better positioned to deliver consistent value to customers.

In addition, the most successful companies treat their critical suppliers not merely as vendors, but as strategic partners— capable of accelerating sustainability, reducing total cost, and safeguarding supply continuity.

This program equips procurement leaders and managers with the tools and models to manage and develop supplier relationships for optimum value creation— and to transform high-potential relationships into long-term, value-driven partnerships.

Core Topics Covered

• The elements and architecture of strong supplier relationships – e.g., trust, commitment, and transparency.
• Behavioral enablers and derailers – what procurement do (and does not) that influences supplier relationships.
• Supplier Relationship Management frameworks – from segmentation to performance development.
• From Supplier Relationship Management to Partnership – when and how to deepen relationships with highest-impact suppliers.
• Value creation levers – using strong supplier relationships to drive innovation, ESG progress, resilience, and cost competitiveness.

Learning Approach

This minor program combines:

• Lectures led by Professor Chris Ellegaard, drawing on the latest academic insights and industry’s best practices.
• Case-based discussions of real-world supplier relationship management and partnership challenges.
• Peer learning from other senior participants.
• Company-specific project work: Each participant will select one of their own key suppliers and develop a tailored relationship or partnership strategy to implement in their organization.

Expected Outcomes for Participants and Companies

After completing the program, you will be able to:

• Assess the current strength and strategic importance of your supplier relationships.
• Adapt procurement processes and behaviors to strengthen trust, collaboration, and mutual commitment.
• Optimize resource allocation — focusing effort where the relationship potential is highest.
• Build resilience by ensuring your most critical suppliers are engaged, responsive, and strategically aligned.
• Generate value in cost, innovation, sustainability, and risk mitigation through improved relational capabilities.
• Transition from traditional supplier relationships to true partnerships, where mutual trust, shared risk, and co-innovation characterize the shared norm-set.

Who Should Attend

• CPOs, Procurement Directors, and Category Managers responsible for strategic suppliers.
• Supply Chain Leaders seeking to integrate SRM with risk management, innovation, and ESG strategies.
• Supplier oriented managers involved, for example in co-innovation, R&D collaboration, and supplier-enabled sustainability.

Practical Information

• Format: 5 in-person course days, 10:00 – 16:00
  Dates: 14th and 15th of January, 4th and 5th of February, and 25th of February.
• Venue: Copenhagen – Crowne Plaza Copenhagen Towers
• Participants: maximum 20
• Price: 21.250 DKK (ex. VAT) p. participant for PXC members - 25.000 for none-members
• Certification: Participants will receive an PXC–endorsed certificate upon successful completion.

Why Chris Ellegaard and PXC?

This program is delivered in partnership between the Procurement Executives Community (PXC), the Nordic think tank for procurement leaders, and Chris Ellegaard from Aarhus University — a renowned international capacity within procurement and supply chain management. The combination ensures academic rigor, practical relevance, and exclusive peer interaction with other high-level procurement professionals.