Purchasing Managers

What the job really is

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.

At a glance

• Sector: Management
• O*NET-SOC code: 11-3061
• O*NET job zone: 4 — considerable preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• 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.
• Prepare bid awards requiring board approval.
• Direct and coordinate activities of personnel engaged in buying, selling, and distributing materials, equipment, machinery, and supplies.
• 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.
• Prepare and process requisitions and purchase orders for supplies and equipment.
• Interview and hire staff, and oversee staff training.
• Develop cost reduction strategies and savings plans.
• Control purchasing department budgets.
• Resolve vendor or contractor grievances and claims against suppliers.

Tools and technology

Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Project, Microsoft SharePoint, Microsoft Visio, Microsoft Word, Oracle Database, Oracle PeopleSoft, Purchasing software

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Procurement Clerks
• Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products
• Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products
• Logistics Analysts
• Logisticians
• Supply Chain Managers
• Sales Managers
• Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 4 (considerable preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Purchasing Managers — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.