Purchasing Managers
Overview
SaveJob 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, conservation scientists, 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.
Yearly Salary
| High: | $197K |
| Median: | $125K |
| Low: | $74K |
Demand
Core Tasks
- Develop and implement purchasing and contract management instructions, policies, and procedures.
- Locate vendors of materials, equipment or supplies, and interview them to determine product availability and terms of sales.
- Direct and coordinate activities of personnel engaged in buying, selling, and distributing materials, equipment, machinery, and supplies.
- Prepare bid awards requiring board approval.
- Review purchase order claims and contracts for conformance to company policy.
- Review, evaluate, and approve specifications for issuing and awarding bids.
- Administer online purchasing systems.
- Control purchasing department budgets.
- Develop cost reduction strategies and savings plans.
- Interview and hire staff, and oversee staff training.
- Prepare and process requisitions and purchase orders for supplies and equipment.
- Resolve vendor or contractor grievances and claims against suppliers.
- Analyze market and delivery systems to assess present and future material availability.
- Maintain records of goods ordered and received.
- Participate in the development of specifications for equipment, products, or substitute materials.
- Represent companies in negotiating contracts and formulating policies with suppliers.
- 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
86%
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.
Customer and Personal Service
80%
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.
English Language
79%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
Law and Government
77%
Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Economics and Accounting
75%
Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
Computers and Electronics
70%
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Mathematics
70%
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Administrative
68%
Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Personnel and Human Resources
68%
Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Education and Training
60%
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
Active Listening
80%
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.
Management of Personnel Resources
80%
Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
Speaking
80%
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Monitoring
78%
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Negotiation
78%
Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Reading Comprehension
78%
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Social Perceptiveness
78%
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Time Management
78%
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Writing
78%
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Coordination
75%
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Top 10 Abilities
Oral Comprehension
80%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression
80%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Deductive Reasoning
78%
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Fluency of Ideas
78%
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).
Speech Clarity
78%
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Speech Recognition
78%
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Written Comprehension
78%
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Information Ordering
75%
The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Written Expression
75%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Inductive Reasoning
73%
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Top 10 Work Activities
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
93%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
91%
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Communicating with People Outside the Organization
89%
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.
Getting Information
89%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Working with Computers
88%
Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
87%
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
87%
Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
86%
Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Coaching and Developing Others
84%
Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates
83%
Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
Detailed Work Activities
- Implement organizational process or policy changes.
- Develop organizational policies or programs.
- Develop operating strategies, plans, or procedures.
- Interview employees, customers, or others to collect information.
- Coordinate with external parties to exchange information.
- Prepare financial documents, reports, or budgets.
- Supervise employees.
- Examine financial records to ensure compliance with policies or regulations.
- Verify information or specifications.
- Approve expenditures.
- Direct financial operations.
- Prepare forms or applications.
- Conduct employee training programs.
- Hire personnel.
- Analyze data to assess operational or project effectiveness.
- Prepare operational budgets.
- Resolve employee or contractor problems.
- Analyze data to inform operational decisions or activities.
- Implement transportation changes to reduce environmental impact.
- Develop specifications for new products or processes.
- Maintain operational records.
- Negotiate sales or lease agreements for products or services.
- Schedule product or material transportation.
Education
Interests
Enterprising
100%
Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.
Conventional
80%
Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.
Social
40%
Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
Realistic
30%
Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
Investigative
29%
Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.
Artistic
20%
Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.
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.
Colleges
SAGE Scholars Member Schools that offer majors leading to this career.
Check out the College Search to see the full list of schools with majors for this career.