“Taking the time to get input, to get the feedback and listen to the needs might add a few weeks up front, but ultimately, you're going to have a better, stronger solution and support and alignment.”
- Jesse Jacoby, Founder and Managing Principal, Emergent, LLC
Procurement leaders are rethinking their operating models, but in many cases, they’re starting with the wrong assumptions.
Effective transformation is much more than processes or technology. Transformation requires an understanding of the interconnected systems that make up an organization and designing change that sticks.
In this episode of Art of Procurement, I sit down with Jesse Jacoby, Founder and Managing Principal at Emergent. Jesse brings a unique perspective shaped by decades of consulting with Fortune 500 companies on business transformation and change readiness. His insights apply to any procurement leader facing pressure to deliver more value, faster… and with fewer missteps.
Here are a few highlights from our conversation:
Complexity Accumulates Quietly
"Over time… things accrete… complexity accumulates. So I think processes, policies, procedures, technological integrations… those do become constraints that oftentimes need to be untangled or fixed or just deconstructed."
This is one of the most honest (and often overlooked) truths about procurement transformation. Even the best organizations accumulate operational debt. Layers of decisions, tools, and rules pile up quietly. By the time a problem becomes visible, you’re often looking at years of buildup. Jesse’s reminder here is that taking a step back is usually necessary. If you’re feeling like procurement can’t move fast, or that your processes feel sluggish despite good intentions, the issue might not be today’s work. It might be what’s been layered on top of it for the last decade.
Start With a Clear "Why"
"Step back and make sure that the company has articulated a strong rationale for why the change is needed and needed now… What are the consequences of not changing?"
It’s tempting to jump right into the tactical phase of a transformation, especially when the pressure is on. But Jesse makes a strong case here for slowing down to go faster. If you don’t have a compelling, clearly communicated “why,” your initiative risks being seen as just another round of reorganization. Procurement leaders need to lead with both head and heart: pair the business case with a story that resonates, emotionally and strategically.
Fixing Procurement Means Looking Beyond Procurement
"It can be a starting point for a broader company-wide change initiative… But these operating model transformations… are cross-functional and often, or should be, enterprise-wide."
Many CPOs want to “fix” procurement in isolation, but Jesse reinforces something I’ve experienced firsthand: the biggest constraints on procurement performance are often outside procurement. Whether it’s unclear decision rights, misaligned incentives, or data bottlenecks in other functions, true operating model improvement requires coordination across silos. You can’t design in a vacuum. The most effective leaders take the time to build partnerships before redesigning processes.
AI Unlocks New Insights—But Culture Still Wins
"There is no function within the organization that cannot – and at some point in time will not – be optimized with AI… But we believe AI is primarily an enabling tool."
Jesse’s view of AI is pragmatic. He doesn’t hype it as a cure-all, but he does acknowledge the immense opportunity to identify insights that would otherwise go unnoticed. The key is using AI to augment your team, not to replace it. Procurement leaders should be investing in digital literacy, setting clear guidelines for responsible use, and making sure they’re designing operating models that can flex alongside fast-moving technologies. And just as important: don’t overlook the culture change required to make those tools work.
