The Senior Supplier is a critical role within the PRINCE2 7 project management framework, positioned on the Project Board alongside the Executive and Senior User. This role represents the interests of those designing, developing, facilitating, procuring, and implementing the project's products and …The Senior Supplier is a critical role within the PRINCE2 7 project management framework, positioned on the Project Board alongside the Executive and Senior User. This role represents the interests of those designing, developing, facilitating, procuring, and implementing the project's products and services.
The Senior Supplier is accountable for the quality of products delivered by supplier resources and ensures that proposals for designing and developing the products are realistic and achievable. They provide supplier resources with the necessary skills and expertise to complete the project successfully.
Key responsibilities of the Senior Supplier include:
1. Ensuring that progress remains consistent from a supplier perspective and that products meet defined quality requirements.
2. Promoting and maintaining focus on expected project outcomes from the supplier viewpoint.
3. Resolving supplier requirements and priority conflicts.
4. Providing supplier resources to the project as agreed.
5. Approving product descriptions for supplier products.
6. Contributing to Stage Plans and the Project Plan from a supplier perspective.
7. Ensuring that supplier aspects of the Business Case are properly considered.
8. Participating in project assurance activities where appropriate.
9. Attending Project Board meetings and contributing to key decisions.
10. Advising on the selection of development strategies, design approaches, and methods.
The Senior Supplier may be internal to the organization or represent external contractors and partners. When multiple suppliers are involved, there might be more than one Senior Supplier on the Project Board, though the number should remain manageable to enable effective decision-making.
This role ensures that technical and specialist considerations are properly represented at the senior management level, balancing the commercial interests of the Executive and the user requirements represented by the Senior User. The Senior Supplier must have sufficient authority to commit supplier resources and make decisions on behalf of the supply chain.
Senior Supplier Role in PRINCE2 Foundation V7
Why is the Senior Supplier Role Important?
The Senior Supplier role is crucial in PRINCE2 because it ensures that the project receives proper supplier expertise and commitment at the decision-making level. This role represents the interests of those designing, developing, facilitating, procuring, and implementing the project's products. Having a Senior Supplier on the Project Board ensures that technical and delivery perspectives are considered in key project decisions, and that supplier resources are made available when needed.
What is the Senior Supplier Role?
The Senior Supplier is a member of the Project Board who represents the interests of those who will design, develop, facilitate, procure, and implement the project's products. They are accountable for the quality of products delivered by supplier resources and for ensuring that supplier resources are available and appropriately skilled. The role can be filled by internal staff, external contractors, or a combination of both, depending on the project's needs.
Key Responsibilities of the Senior Supplier:
• Ensuring that proposals for designing and developing the products are realistic • Advising on the selection of design, development, and acceptance methods • Ensuring quality procedures are used correctly • Resolving supplier requirements and priorities conflicts • Providing supplier resources to the project • Approving product descriptions for supplier products • Ensuring products meet quality expectations from a technical perspective • Making decisions on escalated issues regarding supplier resources
How Does the Senior Supplier Role Work?
The Senior Supplier operates as part of the Project Board alongside the Executive and Senior User. They participate in key decisions at stage boundaries, during exception situations, and at project closure. They delegate day-to-day work to Team Managers or team members but retain accountability for supplier aspects. The Senior Supplier must balance the needs of the project against supplier constraints and capabilities.
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Senior Supplier Role
Tip 1: Remember that Senior Supplier represents those who CREATE the products, while Senior User represents those who USE the products. This distinction is frequently tested.
Tip 2: The Senior Supplier is accountable for supplier resources and product quality from a technical standpoint. Questions may ask who is responsible for ensuring technical quality - this is the Senior Supplier.
Tip 3: Know that there can be more than one Senior Supplier on a project, especially when multiple suppliers are involved or different technical disciplines need representation.
Tip 4: The Senior Supplier sits on the Project Board and is involved in authorizing stages and making key project decisions - they are not involved in day-to-day management.
Tip 5: Be clear that the Senior Supplier must ensure supplier resources are available - if a question asks who secures technical resources for the project, think Senior Supplier.
Tip 6: Watch for questions about resolving conflicts - the Senior Supplier resolves supplier-related conflicts, while the Executive resolves overall project conflicts.
Tip 7: The Senior Supplier approves product descriptions from a supplier perspective, ensuring they are achievable and realistic to deliver.