SPSM ® Certification

The purchasing certification for real workplace results

Are you tired of not getting enough opportunities, respect, and money out of your purchasing career?
Well, guess what? Nothing will change unless you take action towards becoming a world-class purchasing professional.


You see, today’s employers refuse to reward employees for yesterday’s skills.
They demand that purchasing professionals like you use the most modern skills and achieve unprecedented results. They want you to save more money, achieve better operational performance, and reduce risk.


So how can you acquire the most modern skills, achieve meaningful results, and convincingly prove your capabilities to today’s employers?
There is an impressive purchasing certification that communicates that you are supremely qualified for achieving success. It is the SPSM® Certification, earned by completing the Senior Professional in Supply Management® Program.


Earning your SPSM® Certification is the action to take if you want to bring the most modern purchasing practices into your organization and achieve your career potential.
From reverse auctions and eProcurement to strategic sourcing to improving supplier performance and more, you’ll learn exactly how to deliver results for your employer. And when you make your employer more successful, your own career success is likely to follow!


How is the SPSM® Certification a true win-win for both you and your employer? A recent survey of over 1,800 purchasing professionals throughout the world has shown that purchasing professionals who have earned the SPSM® Certification achieve an average of $958,546 (US) more cost savings and avoidance for their employers per year than those who haven't earned the SPSM®. For more proof of the value to SPSM's and their employers, check out these real-life examples.


Bob Price earned his purchasing certification
Bob Price, SPSM
Director of Global Supply Chain Management
Kimball International

After enrolling himself and several team members in the Senior Professional in Supply Management® Program, Bob Price, SPSM and his team DOUBLED their previous year's cost savings, leading to Bob's PROMOTION to Director of Global Supply Chain Management. He then promoted one of his SPSM®-certified staff members into his former role.

Watch Bob's video - Select from more videos
Carol Gissell earned her purchasing certification
Carol Gissell, SPSM
Director of Purchasing
Quinault Beach Resort

After earning her SPSM® Certification, Carol Gissell, SPSM was promoted to Director of Purchasing. In just one negotiation in which she applied what she learned in the Senior Professional in Supply Management® Program, she saved her employer much more than the employer invested in her certification. And she continues to use her education to deliver return on investment for her employer.

Watch Carol's video - Select from more videos

How will you benefit by earning this purchasing certification?

  • You get real-world skills and strategies that will help you perform better in the workplace right away!
  • You will join an elite group of purchasing professionals who are reporting that the SPSM® Certification has helped them get large pay increases, great performance evaluations, and promotions!
  • You can demonstrate to your employer how committed you are to being the best at what you do!
  • You can use the SPSM credentials after your name, increasing the respect you'll earn from your management, co-workers, and peers!
  • You will qualify for the type of high-paying jobs that prestigious employers advertise on our site!
  • You get personalized, expert support to ensure that you can successfully apply what you learn for measurable results!
  • You earn your purchasing certification entirely online - you can complete the whole program whenever and wherever you want!

Earning your SPSM® Certification is a three-step process. Here are the three steps...

Step #1: Complete the six highly personal and interactive online classes of the Senior Professional in Supply Management® Program. You earn 44 Continuing Education Hours (CEH's) by successfully completing the following online classes, in this order:

  • Mastering Purchasing Fundamentals (6.5 CEHs)
  • Microsoft Excel For Purchasing Professionals (7 CEHs)
  • Supply Management Contract Writing (7.5 CEHs)
  • Powerful Negotiation For Successful Buying (8 CEHs)
  • 14 Purchasing Best Practices (8 CEHs)
  • Savings Strategy Development (7 CEHs)

Step #2: Take the SPSM® Exam. This online exam consists of 90 challenging questions covering material from the six aforementioned online classes. These questions comprehensively test your ability to apply skills to situations that you may face in your purchasing job. And, again, you take it online meaning that you DO NOT have to travel to a testing facility. You can take the exam from anywhere that you have access to a computer connected to the Internet.

Step #3: Submit Your Purchasing Certification Application. This application helps you compile all of the documentation necessary to earn your SPSM® Certification. You don't need to work on this application until you've passed the SPSM® Exam.

If you're like most purchasing professionals, you'll be happy to know that it doesn't have to take a long time to earn your SPSM® Certification and begin reaping the career rewards that come from being certified. You have up to 2 years to complete the Senior Professional in Supply Management® Program, but the self-paced nature of the program allows you to complete it and earn your SPSM® Certification much faster if you wish. Check out this table to estimate how long it will take you to earn your purchasing certification based on your personal study habits:

If you can dedicate
this amount of time to studying:		 You can earn your
purchasing certification in:
More than 4 hours per week Less than 3 months
4 hours per week 3 months
2 hours per week 6 months
1 hour per week 1 year
2 hours per month 2 years

Here's how our online classes work. Less than 24 hours after you sign up for a class or the Senior Professional in Supply Management® Program, you will get an introductory email providing you with a username, password, and instructions for accessing our online classroom. Then:

  • You can start your learning whenever you want - there is no schedule or start date
  • You can work through the classes any time of day or night, totally at your own pace
  • Each class consists of eight lessons. Each lesson takes approximately 30 to 60 minutes to complete. You can stop after completing each lesson or take multiple (or even all) lessons at one time. So for any given time that you choose to log in to the online classroom, you might spend just 30 minutes online (to take just one lesson) or up to eight hours online (if you want to complete the entire class in one sitting). It is all up to you!

To enhance your learning experience, we've included many "Extra Resources" for students enrolled in this purchasing certification program. For each of the six classes that comprise the program, we'll link you to five articles that expand on the subject matter covered in that class!

Purchasing Certification - SPSM Certification For Purchasing Professionals "I would have to say that the way Next Level Purchasing delivers its education is great! It is clearly a method where you can actually learn what is being presented and actually apply it in the workplace.

As I reviewed other purchasing certification programs, the others seemed too technically presented and surely do not cover the full spectrum that the Senior Professional in Supply Management® Program does. The Senior Professional in Supply Management® Program offers a more dynamic overall approach to purchasing and I am glad to benefit from it."

Darnell Speight, SPSM
Contracting Agent
Washington, DC, USA
Earn an extra reward for yourself, while demonstrating your commitment to having a more rewarding career. Each month, the students completing the highest number of classes will be entered into our monthly "Dedicated Purchasing Association Member of the Month" drawing in which one lucky, randomly-selected winner will receive a $20 gift card to Amazon.com**! In addition, we will spotlight the winning student on our website here.
Once you complete all six classes with an average quiz score of 70% or higher per class, you are eligible to take the SPSM® Exam. When you pass the SPSM® Exam and we approve your application, you officially become a Senior Professional in Supply Management1. And once you become an SPSM, you are then eligible to pursue the higher-level SPSM2 Certification.
Purchasing Certification - SPSM Certification For Purchasing Professionals Hi. I'm Charles Dominick, the President of Next Level Purchasing. If you choose to improve your workplace performance and enhance your career by pursuing your SPSM® Certification, I will make these three promises to you:
CHARLES' THREE PROMISES
  1. You will develop world-class supply management skills! Each major technique that you learn has been used to deliver measurable results in the real world for top-notch organizations. You'll learn how to apply these techniques to deliver those types of results to your organization.
  2. Your online learning experience will be more than just interactive - it will be PERSONAL! You'll engage in exercises and quizzes with immediate feedback and use our "Ask Charles!" feature to send an unlimited number of instant messages to me - your SPSM-certified instructor. I will personally respond to your questions by email within 24 hours. Sometimes within minutes! Even on weekends! You even have the option of requesting a FREE “Video Reply From Charles” delivered to you by email. It’s personal, face-to-face instruction whether you’re in the United States, Europe, Africa, or anywhere else in the world!
  3. You will have FUN! You’ll enjoy a truly rewarding experience as the reading material, audio clips, and exercises are lively and entertaining as well as educational. But don't just take it from me. This is what Matilde Waizer, a Purchasing Manager from Florida, had to say: "I am really enjoying the module and applying the knowledge acquired. It is fun and the information is easy to digest. Thank you!"
If you're wondering if the SPSM® Certification is right for your industry or valued in your country, the answer is a resounding "YES!" All course material is developed such that it can be successfully applied to any industry - manufacturing or services. The industries represented by those already enrolled in the Senior Professional in Supply Management® Program attest to that fact. Current SPSM's are from countries around the world and industries as diverse as health care, manufacturing, financial services, information technology, tourism, aerospace, government, oil, agriculture, and many more. It is highly likely that other purchasing professionals from your country and/or industry have earned or are in the process of earning their SPSM® Certification. Earning your SPSM® Certification ensures that you won't be falling behind your peers or competitors. Check out this map of where our students are located:


Purchasing Certification Map


So how can you feel confident that the SPSM® Certification will really help you have a more rewarding career? Here are a few other things to consider:

  • A recent survey of over 1,800 purchasing professionals throughout the world has shown that purchasing professionals who have earned the SPSM® Certification earn an average of $14,316 more per year than those who haven't.
  • Prestigious organizations - including many Fortune 500 companies - from over 82 countries throughout the world have enrolled their purchasers in the Senior Professional in Supply Management® Program.
  • The highly respected publication Purchasing Magazine highlighted the satisfaction of SPSM® graduates in their article  "Online Education Provider Gets High Marks From Buyers"
  • There are always dozens, if not hundreds, of high-paying jobs with employers who prefer the SPSM® Certification continually posted on our  "Jobs For SPSM's"  Web page.
  • Next Level Purchasing is an organization that is:

Purchasing Certification NCMA

An official Education Partner of the National Contract Management Association

Purchasing Certification SDCE

The only certification provider named to the 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 & 2012 Supply & Demand Chain Executive 100 - a list of the top service providers in the supply chain field

Click

A Better Business Bureau Accredited Business-

Next Level Purchasing was awarded the
2011 Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics by the Better Business Bureau of Western Pennsylvania

Getting started on your path to your SPSM® Certification is easy. We offer two all-inclusive versions of the Senior Professional in Supply Management® Program so that you pay one price for everything you need to become certified. Those two versions are called the SPSM® Certification Program and the SPSM® Certification & Enhanced Results Program with iPad

All of the SPSM® Certification Programs provide you with a package that is priced far less than their components are worth. No matter which option you choose, there are:

  • NO additional books to purchase!
  • NO educational prerequisites!
  • NO requirements for documenting experience!

The left column of the following table will show you how much each component would cost if purchased separately - but be sure to scroll down to the table to see the price you'll pay by enrolling in each version of the program. You'll see how much you'll save!


SPSM® Certification Program SPSM® Certification & Enhanced Results Program with iPad
Access to "Mastering Purchasing Fundamentals" and a certificate upon completion. Worth: $229
Purchasing Certification MPF Certificate 		This check means included in your purchasing certification This check means included in your purchasing certification
Access to "Microsoft Excel For Purchasing Professionals" and a certificate upon completion. Worth: $229
Purchasing Certification MEFPP Certificate 		This check means included in your purchasing certification This check means included in your purchasing certification
Access to "Supply Management Contract Writing" and a certificate upon completion. Worth: $229
Purchasing Certification SMCW Certificate 		This check means included in your purchasing certification This check means included in your purchasing certification
Access to "Powerful Negotiation For Successful Buying" and a certificate upon completion. Worth: $229
Purchasing Certification MPFPP Certificate 		This check means included in your purchasing certification This check means included in your purchasing certification
Access to "14 Purchasing Best Practices" and a certificate upon completion. Worth: $229
Purchasing Certification 14PBP Certificate 		This check means included in your purchasing certification This check means included in your purchasing certification
Access to "Savings Strategy Development" and a certificate upon completion. Worth: $229
Purchasing Certification SSD Certificate 		This check means included in your purchasing certification This check means included in your purchasing certification
One opportunity to take the SPSM® Exam (if you fail, you can retake it for a nominal fee). Worth: $75
Purchasing Certification Exam 		This check means included in your purchasing certification This check means included in your purchasing certification
Certification application fee included. Worth: $89
Purchasing Certification Application 		This check means included in your purchasing certification This check means included in your purchasing certification
SPSM® certificate upon certification. Worth: $100
Purchasing Certification Certificate 		This check means included in your purchasing certification This check means included in your purchasing certification
Engraved award upon certification. Worth: $199
Purchasing Certification Award 		This check means included in your purchasing certification This check means included in your purchasing certification
Bonus #1 for signing up on or before the "Special Deadline" below: personalized Performance Appraisal Improvement Analysis by email. Worth: $400
Purchasing Certification Bonus #1 		This check means included in your purchasing certification This check means included in your purchasing certification
Bonus #2 for signing up on or before the "Special Deadline" below: $25 Amazon.com® gift card2. Worth: $25
Purchasing Certification Bonus #2 		This check means included in your purchasing certification This check means included in your purchasing certification
Bonus #3 for signing up on or before the "Special Deadline" below: CD-ROM with printer-friendly, PDF versions of the class material. Worth: $240.
Purchasing Certification Bonus #3 		This check means included in your purchasing certification
Sent with final SPSM Certificate. 		This check means included in your purchasing certification
Sent with iPad device.
Bonus #4 for signing up on or before the "Special Deadline" below: Purchasing Performance Measurement spreadsheet template. Worth: $29
Purchasing Certification Bonus #4 		This check means included in your purchasing certification This check means included in your purchasing certification
Bonus #5 for signing up on or before the "Special Deadline" below: audio CD entitled "Career Survival In Supply Management." Worth: $10.
Purchasing Certification Bonus #5 		This check means included in your purchasing certification
Sent with final SPSM Certificate. 		This check means included in your purchasing certification
Sent with iPad device.
Bonus #6 for signing up on or before the "Special Deadline" below: access to educational Web-audio interviews with supply chain leaders. Worth: $10.
Purchasing Certification Bonus #6 		This check means included in your purchasing certification This check means included in your purchasing certification
Bonus #7 for signing up on or before the "Special Deadline" below: "Guide To Getting The Most Out Of Your SPSM® Certification". Worth: $10.
Purchasing Certification Bonus #7 		This check means included in your purchasing certification This check means included in your purchasing certification
Bonus #8 for signing up on or before the "Special Deadline" below: Express Course - "15 Rules for Ethical Supplier Interaction" Worth: $14.99.
 This check means included in your purchasing certification This check means included in your purchasing certification
A 30-minute implementation consultation by phone with the instructor. Worth: $150.
Purchasing Certification Phone Consultation 		  This check means included in your purchasing certification
The eBook "Supply Management in the Real World." Worth: $79
Purchasing Certification eBook 		  This check means included in your purchasing certification
An iPad- Use it to complete your classes and to access the pre-loaded SPSM® Multimedia Study & Implementation Guide - a collection of over 50 audio and video clips. Yours to keep forever! 4 Worth: $950
Purchasing Certification iPad



   This check means included in your purchasing certification
Actual Worth $2,576 $3,754
Your Price $1,149 (US) $1,999 (US)
SPSM® Certification Program SPSM® Certification & Enhanced Results Program with iPad
The Special Deadline to get the bonuses mentioned above is May 31, 2013! You must enroll on or before this date to get these bonuses!

If it is not apparent how good of a value that the Senior Professional in Supply Management® Program is, consider these points of comparison:

  • The SPSM® Certification Program costs 23% less than attendance at the 3-1/2 day International Supply Management Conference
  • The SPSM® Certification Program costs 52% less than earning the Certified Public Accountant license5
  • The SPSM® Certification Program costs 97% less than one year of tuition in Vanderbilt University's MBA program6

If you're still not convinced about how smart an investment that earning your SPSM® Certification is, you should know that we GUARANTEE your satisfaction. That's right - your online learning experience is 100% risk-free. If you are not satisfied for any reason whatsoever, let us know within thirty days of signing up and you will get a hassle-free refund. But you'll undoubtedly be delighted, just like this purchasing professional:
Purchasing Certification - SPSM Certification For Purchasing Professionals "I have taken several other purchasing courses and certification training and Next Level Purchasing, by far, has the best package. The Senior Professional in Supply Management® Program provides a plethora of information that can be put to use immediately. I know that I have. Many other courses and books will tell you what to do, but not show you how to get there. You have provided step by step examples and directions to take any purchasing department to the next level!"

Abe Austin, SPSM
Purchasing Manager
Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA

Don't procrastinate and lose out on all of these bonuses!

Not sure if you're ready for the intensity or the expense of a certification program? You can take any class separately and decide later if you wish to use it towards SPSM® Certification! If this option is best for your situation, click here to read about our no obligation Pay-As-You-Go Certification Plan or click on one of the links below to read more about the individual class that is the best fit for your needs.

Need more information or want to learn about discounts for groups of four or more? Email your questions to help@nextlevelpurchasing.com or call us at 1-412-294-1990.

Individual Online Classes Available:
1 Recertification is required every four years. Recertification requires that you earn 32 Continuing Education Hours in purchasing and supply management topics from Next Level Purchasing or an approved education provider. See the FAQ for more information.

2Amazon.com is not a sponsor of this promotion. Amazon, Amazon.com, and the Amazon.com logo are registered trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Amazon.com gift cards are issued by ACI Gift Cards, Inc. Restrictions apply to Amazon.com gift cards. Gift cards are redeemable only for purchases of eligible products on www.amazon.com and may not be redeemed for cash, unless prohibited by law. See www.amazon.com/gc-legal for complete terms and conditions. Next Level Purchasing will send your Amazon.com gift card by e-mail approximately 8-12 days after you enroll. Individuals utilizing a pre-negotiated group discount are not eligible to receive the Amazon.com bonus.

3 International recipients will be required to cover customs fees and duties associated with purchase/import of the iPod Touch.

4 International recipients will be required to cover customs fees and duties associated with purchase/import of the iPad.

5 Cost of an online course and four tests. Sources: www.rogercpareview.com, www.nasba.org

6 Source: www.vanderbilt.edu