Meet the Team - Contracts Manager, Kath Johnson

CPC Contracts Manager Kath Johnson joined the team in July, bringing with her 25+ years of experience and a wealth of knowledge around MFD frameworks, not to mention a passion for making a difference to education.

In this short interview, we find out more about Kath’s role and how she is assisting to fulfil CPC’s vision to be the procurement services partner of choice for the education sector.

Tell us about your background and what you look after at CPC...

At present, I am responsible for the renewal of the MFD (multi-functional devices) framework. I have supported MFD frameworks over the last 25 years, working with the education and/or public sector and universities, helping them choose the correct frameworks that are applicable for them to be able to use. As far as MFDs are concerned, I have a wealth of knowledge of the suppliers and the machines that are out there, and I can give schools and the education sector the benefit of this knowledge to help them put a contract in place under this up and coming renewal, because I understand it can be a minefield as everyone gives you these different scenarios and don’t listen to what your actual needs are and how you are trying to save money and keep your budgets down. Both my girls are in education, so I have a good understanding of the challenges schools face, the background CPC has in helping schools and all the knowledge in-house can assist with this.

What attracted you to a role at Crescent Purchasing Consortium?

I enjoy working, I love working with schools and with people and suppliers and have worked closely with CPC since the first framework went live around 12 years ago. I feel they are such a unique team of people and that the wider team is here to the help you with a wealth of procurement knowledge in-house. I also love their ‘Giving Back’ ethos, as CPC are able to ‘give back’ some funding to schools, which is definitely the biggest plus I could think of. About four years ago, I helped somebody that didn't know they were a CPC member, they bought something off the framework and then managed to get something back, which helped them immensely, because they didn't have the funding for any IT equipment. And it's not just equipment they can help with, it's other things like SEND, as well. 

Tell us about the new multi-functional devices (MFD) framework...

CPC is in the process of creating a new framework, for which we will be going to tender shortly. This renewal will be in place prior to the expiry of the current one, which is quite exciting, because we're going to use my knowledge to help set up this framework and then, of course, help all the members that have not utilised the framework yet and make their lives easier. Unfortunately, the sad part is, because I know the machines that well, if somebody gives me a model reference, or how many pages the paper trail should be, or if it is to have a booklet, or stapler, etc., I know which machine will suit their needs, which means I've obviously been doing this too long. The knowledge is in there, but if it comes to asking me a PIN to get in a door, forget it!  But you can ask me anything around this and, of course, I do know a lot of the suppliers, as I've dealt with them for years and understand how difficult and how easy we can make the process for them to engage with the framework. And, of course, it's a plus because we're driving money down by setting up a framework, so they get the benefit of better pricing, instead of paying over the odds for the machines when they don't need to be.

How can you help our CPC members?

Come when the renewal is in place and you will get a quick response from me! And if there's anything that seems a bit strange, that's where we're here to help, to give you the right information with your documents and make this whole process easier for you. We have a strong presence with suppliers and they would rather work with us, because purchasing via a framework, they feel that they all want to use and encourage members to use. And it's just not multi-functional devices, you might need security, you might need library resources, or anything else like that that will send you to a framework, because they know they’re building up a relationship with you and they're doing the best thing for you and the school, at the end of the day.

 And, finally, what do you love about your job?

I feel, because both my girls are in the education sector and coming from the background where I think education is important. I haven't always lived in the UK. I come from South Africa and it was very difficult for schools, and it wasn't easy for education. So I feel that I'm encouraged to help everybody in education do the right things. And I feel that schools are doing so well with children and some children just don't know how lucky they are to get the education they're getting, because some countries don't have that and they struggle really bad. So, my passion is schools, my passion is education and the best fit for anything. That’s the education I would rather have and get the best benefits of anything they can, so they're able to access frameworks, help and guidance, anything they need!