From Accounts Payable to Procurement Trailblazer: Brittany Thomas Shares Her…
With a successful career spanning nearly two decades in procurement, Allison Tidd has established herself as an influential leader in strategic sourcing and category management. Currently serving as Senior Category Manager for the Project Management Office, Environmental Health and Safety, and Facilities Management at Trane Technologies, Tidd's journey reflects continuous professional growth and a commitment to excellence. As part of our "Women in Procurement" campaign, Tidd shares valuable insights from her career path, leadership philosophy, and vision for the future of procurement.
Finding Her Way in Procurement
Like many professionals in the field, Tidd didn't study supply chain or procurement in college. "You end up in it kind of haphazardly," she reflects, while acknowledging procurement's "branding problem" that often makes it less visible as a career path for students.
Starting from the ground up, Tidd had to learn the fundamentals before developing her expertise. "When you start, you've got to start somewhere," she explains. "You've got to start almost not at the bottom, but when you think about it from a procurement perspective, I had to go in and I had to really learn."
This foundation has served her well, allowing her to progress to her current leadership role at Trane Technologies, where she now oversees strategic sourcing processes across multiple critical categories. Her career trajectory demonstrates how procurement can offer rich opportunities for those willing to invest in continuous learning and professional development.
Beyond Tactical Thinking: The Strategic Mindset
What distinguishes Tidd's approach to procurement is her emphasis on strategic thinking—a philosophy she now implements at Trane Technologies as she "aligns closely with Indirect Category Managers to define stakeholder and supply chain requirements for targeted categories moving through the phased gate strategic sourcing process."
She advocates moving beyond mere transactional negotiations to build sustainable partnerships. "It's really trying to be a little bit more strategic in that thought process of how do you better negotiate to look at what's beneficial for both parties," Tidd explains. "There's going to be the next deal or the next deal, and if they are strategic partners for yours, it's not just about getting just a low price right now."
This perspective represents a maturation in her approach to procurement—one she wishes she could share with her younger self: "How do I look down the road? How am I seeing kind of a bigger picture? What are my company's goals and how can I help align to that?"
She challenges procurement professionals to think beyond immediate tasks: "When you're starting to think, 'I'm just used to being A, B, C, and D,' we've got to figure out how you can see A-Z instead and not just one step at a time."
At Trane Technologies, this strategic mindset is evident in how she "ensures collaboration and alignment with key suppliers through routine business reviews" and "directs the competitive sourcing process to include overall strategies, Requests for Information/Quote/Proposal, Analysis, and Terms and Conditions review/negotiation" across business units.
The Human Element: Soft Skills in Procurement
Throughout the interview, Tidd repeatedly emphasizes the critical importance of interpersonal skills in procurement success. "I think the soft skills are super, super important," she states, connecting these abilities directly to effective negotiation and strategic thinking.
She encourages procurement professionals to develop their own authentic style—what she playfully calls "swagger"—in how they communicate with suppliers and stakeholders. "Everybody has their own swagger for how they may go about doing that," she notes. "How you may communicate that to a supplier may look different or to a stakeholder."
The Power of Mentorship and Professional Networks
Recognizing the importance of guidance and connection, Tidd has actively sought out mentorship throughout her career.
"Early on, seek out your mentors, seek out the groups," she advises procurement professionals. This proactive approach to professional development has been instrumental in her own journey.
At her previous company, Atrium, Tidd participated in a women's empowerment program that connected her with professionals from diverse backgrounds, ethnicities, and organizational levels. Through this program, she found a valuable mentor—the chief of staff for the Chief Operating Officer.
"Being able to be with someone like her and have some real conversations about, 'here's where I'm at, I want to get here, how do I do that?'" proved invaluable to her professional development. These authentic conversations helped shape her path forward.
At Trane Technologies, Tidd has embraced a leadership role in women's empowerment circles, paying forward the knowledge she's gained while continuing to learn from others' experiences. This commitment to mentorship aligns with her current professional responsibilities, where she "mentors, coaches, and supports PMO and Category team members on project management fundamentals, development opportunities, category strategies, and stakeholder/supplier alignment."
Leadership Philosophy: Authentic Development
Throughout her career, Tidd has deliberately crafted her own authentic leadership style, reflecting on both positive influences and identifying opportunities for improvement based on her own experiences.
"Not saying that I'm an expert, but I felt certain things that I think maybe weren't right or maybe weren't as thought-provoking or maybe from a development perspective weren't as helpful," she explains. This reflective approach has shaped how she leads her own team today.
At Trane Technologies, this philosophy translates into concrete action as she "facilitates training and development on 'back to basics' strategic sourcing methodologies driving Indirect Category Managers from an operational to strategic focus with category strategy creation." Her commitment to developing others is evident in how she creates standardized processes that simplify work across Indirect Procurement while maintaining individual growth opportunities.
This thoughtful approach allows her to "pour into others" the lessons she's learned, creating a positive cycle of mentorship and professional development.
Work-Life Balance: Family First
Beyond her professional insights, Tidd also touched on the importance of maintaining balance through family time and personal activities like exercise. As a mother of boys, she's candid about prioritization: "Work is always going to be here... family, kids—those things are fleeting. They're going to be gone."
She emphasizes aligning her professional and personal values: "Making sure that you have a really good work-life balance... those hobbies are important to me to stay balanced from a work-life perspective and making sure that those things are prioritized accordingly for me."
Building Procurement's Future
As Tidd advances in her career journey at Trane Technologies, she represents a forward-thinking approach to procurement leadership. Her work driving key initiatives—including "Indirect spend clean-up, contract expiration visibility, weighted payment term enhancement, phase gate process redesign, and productivity accounting standardization"—demonstrates how procurement professionals can deliver strategic value to their organizations.
"I would say my professional journey has been a lot of fun," Tidd reflects, highlighting the growth and unexpected twists and turns that have characterized her nearly two-decade career in procurement.
Through her strategic thinking, emphasis on relationship-building, and commitment to mentoring others, Tidd isn't just succeeding in her role—she's helping shape what excellence in procurement looks like for the next generation of professionals. Her story serves as both inspiration and practical roadmap for others looking to build meaningful careers in this vital business function.
