Rob Friend

Experience

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  Sourcing Edge

  Jan 1997 - Jan 2000

  President, Co-Founder

  Co-founded this boutique Strategic Sourcing consulting firm focused on Fortune 1000 clients. Directed marketing activities, lead generation, proposal preparation, firm development, day-to-day management, and overall firm direction. Engagement lead, and hands-on sourcing for numerous direct and indirect categories.• Maintained long term client engagements typically lasting 3+ years• Sourced vast range of categories including: Reverse Distribution Services, Temporary Labor, Waste Management, Blister Packaging, Ad Agencies, Lab Diagnostic Services, MRO, Investigator Grants, Furniture, etc.• Developed and delivered Sourcing Methodology and competency training programs and tools for numerous clients resulting in enhanced effectives and efficiencies Show less

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  Silver Oak Partners

  Jan 2000 - Jan 2003

  Vice President, Partner and Philadelphia Office Managing Director

  Philadelphia office and Pharmaceutical Practice Lead responsible for engagement leadership, revenue generation, firm development and day-to-day direction for this 90 person Strategic Sourcing consulting firm. Focused on Fortune 1000, State Governments and Private Equity cross portfolio sourcing. • Led numerous client engagements addressing a broad array of Direct and Indirect categories• Conducted opportunity assessments, industry benchmarking studies, organizational transformation evaluations, design and implementation, delivered on-site Strategic Sourcing Methodology training for clients• Co-developed Leveraged Buyout Firm cross portfolio Sourcing program• Managed sourcing efforts for buying consortium client conducting leverage assessments and acting as 3rd party representative to supplier community• Co-developed and implemented Manager/Consultant Mentor Program to support growth and development of junior members of firm Show less

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  Wyeth Pharmaceuticals

  Jan 2003 - Jan 2008

  Vice President Global Strategic Sourcing

  Managed $4.3B in annual spend for $23B leading Pharmaceutical Company. Categories of oversight include Marketing and Sales, Research and Development, Corporate Services and Capital Equipment and Services. Led global transformation and standardization of transaction processing, systems and service support• Drove effective, strategic solutions for indirect materials and services across the enterprise, ensuring achievement of business requirements and delivering average annual cost savings of more than $100MM• Implemented supplier governance and demand management programs to manage and enhance supplier performance, reduce costs, increase speed of delivery and increase client satisfaction• Built highly successful Corporate Services Sourcing organization to address $1.2B in spend and highly sensitive categories (Legal, HR Benefits, Insurance, Tax, etc.) not previously addressed • Developed and implemented comprehensive opportunity assessment/resource/capacity planning and project tracking processes, systems and tools to ensure appropriate initiative prioritization and focus on total value• Drove evaluation, selection and implementation of outsourcing of transactional procurement and implementation of SAP SRM• Implemented Sourcing Leadership Councils comprised of key stakeholders and sourcing personnel to identify key opportunities, evaluate strategies, knockdown roadblocks, and act as sounding boards• Established Career Ladder for all sourcing disciplines. Identified key competencies, skills, experience, education guidelines for each to provide transparency and promote development, growth and promotions Show less

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  QP Consulting

  Jan 2009 - Jan 2010

  Sr. Strategic Sourcing Consultant/Engagement Lead
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  PSEG

  Jan 2010 - Jan 2016

  Vice President Procurement - Corporate Officer

  Managed $5B in annual spend for this fortune 500 regulated Electric and Gas Utility and Merchant Power Generation company. Responsible for oversight of enterprise-wide Procurement of Operating and Maintenance and Capital expenditures for Corporate, Utility Transmission and Distribution, Fossil and Nuclear Power Generation Plants. • Re-organized and transformed Procurement organization into a strategically focused, category management based organization, focused on delivering Quality, Service, Speed and Cost Savings• Implemented spend analytics, eSourcing, strategic sourcing methodology, category and supplier management programs, opportunity assessment and project management tools to deliver cost savings, maintain assurance of supply and minimize risk exposure• Drove effective, strategic solutions for materials and services across the enterprise, ensuring achievement of business requirements, mitigating risk, maintaining assurance of supply and delivering cost savings• Drove demand management cost reductions of more than 15%, continuous improvement Lean Six Sigma initiatives to reduce Procurement cycle times by more than 38%, and increased Diversity Supplier spend to more than 15% of total addressable spend• Oversaw the successful enterprise-wide evaluation, selection, business case development and implementation of Ariba to deliver a streamlined effective and efficient Procure-to-Pay solution• Led large complex negotiations with major suppliers ensuring execution of performance based contracts that achieved quality, service, cost and continuous improvement requirements• Implemented supplier performance management program including segmentation, scorecards, KPIs, risk and business continuity assessments, and periodic performance reviews•Responsible for Nuclear operations Materials Management planning, expediting, inventory optimization and availability• Implemented employee training and development programs to ensure growth and employee engagement Show less

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  The Hackett Group

  Jan 2017 - Jan 2018

  Principal, Strategic Sourcing and Procurement - Strategy & Business Transformation Practice

  Responsible for engagement management and delivery oversight focusing on procurement assessments, benchmarking, best practices, organization transformation design and implementation, category management, strategic sourcing, practice development and growth, sales support, business development and proposal generation.

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  FranchisEdge

  Jan 2018 - now

  Managing Director - Certified Franchise Consultant and Broker

  Our job is to work with you to figure out if business ownership and franchising is a good fit for you, and if so, employ a methodical approach to identify opportunities that best align with your personal and business goals, interests, transferable skills and financial means.We're here to coach clients through the due diligence process by equipping them with the knowledge and questions necessary to make an informed decision regarding their options, minimize frustrations and maximize learning. By spending time genuinely getting to know our clients, we save them a ton of time and money, and minimize their stress and anxiety. We are not in the business of pitching & selling franchises; we are here to provide our clients with a systematic learning process to find options to best meet their personal needs. Show less

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  CycleBar

  Jan 2018 - Jan 2023

  Business Owner

  Franchisee - Premiere Indoor Cycling Studio. Part of Xponential Fitness - The world's largest Fitness Franchisor.

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  International Franchise Professionals Group - IFPG

  Jan 2022 - now

  Member

  The International Franchise Professionals Group (also known as IFPG) is a membership based organization that has over 800 members. Our members consist of Franchisors, Franchise Consultants, Lenders, and other Franchise Professionals that help potential candidates in the process of buying a franchise. Hundreds of nationally recognized franchise companies have chosen the IFPG and its members to represent their brand; hundreds of experienced franchise consultants and brokers have chosen the IFPG to power their business.The International Franchise Professionals Group (also known as IFPG) is a membership based organization that has over 800 members. Our members consist of Franchisors, Franchise Consultants, Lenders, and other Franchise Professionals that help potential candidates in the process of buying a franchise. Hundreds of nationally recognized franchise companies have chosen the IFPG and its members to represent their brand; hundreds of experienced franchise consultants and brokers have chosen the IFPG to power their business.…see more Show less