Purchasing Managers
Overview
Salary
Demand
Core Tasks
Technology Skills
Tools Used
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Top 10 Skills
Top 10 Abilities
Top 10 Work Activities
Detailed Work Activities
Work Context
Education
Majors
Interests
Top 10 Work Styles
Work Values
Related Careers
Overview
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Experience
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Education
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Job Training
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Examples
Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include real estate brokers, sales managers, database administrators, graphic designers, chemists, art directors, and cost estimators.
Plan, direct, or coordinate the activities of buyers, purchasing officers, and related workers involved in purchasing materials, products, and services. Includes wholesale or retail trade merchandising managers and procurement managers.
Salary Salary
Salary at 10th Percentile: $74K
Salary at 25th Percentile: $96K
Median Salary: $125K
Salary at 75th Percentile: $158K
Salary at 90th Percentile: $197K
Demand
Core Tasks
Represent companies in negotiating contracts and formulating policies with suppliers.
Develop cost reduction strategies and savings plans.
Develop and implement purchasing and contract management instructions, policies, and procedures.
Prepare bid awards requiring board approval.
Direct and coordinate activities of personnel engaged in buying, selling, and distributing materials, equipment, machinery, and supplies.
Locate vendors of materials, equipment or supplies, and interview them to determine product availability and terms of sales.
Interview and hire staff, and oversee staff training.
Prepare and process requisitions and purchase orders for supplies and equipment.
Review, evaluate, and approve specifications for issuing and awarding bids.
Administer online purchasing systems.
Control purchasing department budgets.
Maintain records of goods ordered and received.
Resolve vendor or contractor grievances and claims against suppliers.
Review purchase order claims and contracts for conformance to company policy.
Analyze market and delivery systems to assess present and future material availability.
Participate in the development of specifications for equipment, products, or substitute materials.
Prepare reports regarding market conditions and merchandise costs.
Arrange for disposal of surplus materials.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Administration and Management
83%
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
English Language
81%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Economics and Accounting
74%
Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
Mathematics
74%
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Customer and Personal Service
73%
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Computers and Electronics
67%
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Personnel and Human Resources
65%
Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Law and Government
63%
Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Production and Processing
62%
Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Education and Training
61%
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Top 10 Skills
Social Perceptiveness
80%
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Active Listening
78%
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking
78%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Speaking
78%
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Judgment and Decision Making
75%
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Negotiation
75%
Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Persuasion
75%
Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Reading Comprehension
75%
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Time Management
75%
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Writing
75%
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Top 10 Abilities
Fluency of Ideas
80%
The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
Oral Comprehension
80%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression
78%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Written Comprehension
78%
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Deductive Reasoning
75%
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Originality
75%
The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
Problem Sensitivity
75%
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Speech Clarity
75%
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Speech Recognition
75%
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Written Expression
75%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Top 10 Work Activities
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others
90%
Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
88%
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Communicating with Persons Outside Organization
87%
Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
87%
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Getting Information
87%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
87%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Analyzing Data or Information
84%
Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
Developing and Building Teams
83%
Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
81%
Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Developing Objectives and Strategies
79%
Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
Detailed Work Activities
Negotiate sales or lease agreements for products or services.
Analyze data to assess operational or project effectiveness.
Prepare financial documents, reports, or budgets.
Implement organizational process or policy changes.
Develop organizational policies or programs.
Develop operating strategies, plans, or procedures.
Supervise employees.
Interview employees, customers, or others to collect information.
Coordinate with external parties to exchange information.
Conduct employee training programs.
Hire personnel.
Prepare forms or applications.
Prepare operational budgets.
Examine financial records to ensure compliance with policies or regulations.
Resolve employee or contractor problems.
Direct financial operations.
Maintain operational records.
Analyze data to inform operational decisions or activities.
Implement transportation changes to reduce environmental impact.
Develop specifications for new products or processes.
Schedule product or material transportation.
Work Context
Electronic Mail
How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Face-to-Face Discussions
How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Work With Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
Letters and Memos
How often does the job require written letters and memos?
Spend Time Sitting
How much does this job require sitting?
Deal With External Customers
How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
Education
Interests
Enterprising
100%
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Conventional
77%
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Realistic
39%
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Social
39%
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Investigative
29%
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Artistic
19%
Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Top 10 Work Styles
Integrity
97%
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Attention to Detail
88%
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Cooperation
87%
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Leadership
87%
Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Analytical Thinking
86%
Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Dependability
85%
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Self Control
85%
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Initiative
84%
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Adaptability/Flexibility
81%
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Stress Tolerance
81%
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Work Values
Working Conditions
77%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Support
72%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Independence
67%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Recognition
62%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Achievement
58%
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Relationships
58%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
