Purchasing Managers
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.
Technology Tools
Key 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.
- 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.
- Develop cost reduction strategies and savings plans.
- Control purchasing department budgets.
- Interview and hire staff, and oversee staff training.
- Resolve vendor or contractor grievances and claims against suppliers.
- Analyze market and delivery systems to assess present and future material availability.
- Represent companies in negotiating contracts and formulating policies with suppliers.
- Participate in the development of specifications for equipment, products, or substitute materials.
- Maintain records of goods ordered and received.
- Prepare reports regarding market conditions and merchandise costs.
- Arrange for disposal of surplus materials.
Skills
Knowledge
Build a Resume for Purchasing Managers
Create a professional, ATS-optimized resume tailored to this career path.
Abilities
Work Activities
Work Context
How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?
100%
Telephone Conversations
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
99%
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?
90%
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?
90%
Spend Time Sitting
How much does this job require sitting?
88%
Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?
88%
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?
86%
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?
84%
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
82%
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
80%
Written Letters and Memos
How frequently does your job require written letters and memos?
80%
Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
How important is it to deal with external customers (as in retail sales) or the public in general (as in police work) in this job?
79%
Time Pressure
How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
79%
Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers
How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
79%
Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities
How important is it to coordinate or lead others (not as a supervisor or team leader) in accomplishing work activities in this job?
75%
Duration of Typical Work Week
Number of hours typically worked in one week.
71%
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
71%
Frequency of Decision Making
How often is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
65%
Importance of Repeating Same Tasks
How important are continuous, repetitive, physical activities (like key entry) or mental activities (like checking entries in a ledger) to performing this job?
63%
Level of Competition
To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
60%
Conflict Situations
How frequently are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?
58%
Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People
How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?
49%
Degree of Automation
How automated is the job?
45%
Health and Safety of Other Workers
How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
45%
Public Speaking
How frequently does your job require public speaking (one speaker with an audience)?
45%
Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
How much does this job require making repetitive motions?
40%
Physical Proximity
To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks physically close to other people?
34%
Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?
31%
Consequence of Error
How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not easily correctable?
29%
In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment
How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or operate enclosed equipment (like a car)?
26%
Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working in an environment that is not environmentally controlled (like a warehouse without air conditioning)?
22%
Spend Time Standing
How much does this job require standing?
21%
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
How often does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats or life-jackets?
21%
Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?
19%
Exposed to Contaminants
How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?
17%
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
16%
Spend Time Walking or Running
How much does this job require walking or running?
16%
Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures
How often does this job require working in very hot (above 90 F degrees) or very cold (below 32 F degrees) temperatures?
15%
Outdoors, Under Cover
How often does this job require working outdoors, under cover (like in an open shed)?
15%
Dealing with Violent or Physically Aggressive People
How frequently does this job require the worker to deal with physical aggression of violent individuals?
13%
Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions
How often does this job require working in extremely bright or inadequate lighting conditions?
13%
In an Open Vehicle or Operating Equipment
How often does this job require working in an open vehicle or operating equipment (like a tractor)?
11%
Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment
How important is it to this job that the pace is determined by the speed of equipment or machinery? (This does not refer to keeping busy at all times on this job.)
11%
Exposed to Hazardous Equipment
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous equipment?
10%
Exposed to High Places
How often does this job require exposure to high places?
8%
Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body
How much does this job require bending or twisting your body?
8%
Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection
How often does this job require wearing specialized protective or safety equipment such as breathing apparatus, safety harness, full protection suits, or radiation protection?
8%
Exposed to Hazardous Conditions
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous conditions?
7%
Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling
How much does this job require kneeling, crouching, stooping or crawling?
7%
Work Schedules
How regular are the work schedules for this job?
6%
Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance
How much does this job require keeping or regaining your balance?
5%
Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions
How often does this job require working in cramped work spaces that requires getting into awkward positions?
4%
Exposed to Disease or Infections
How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?
4%
Exposed to Radiation
How often does this job require exposure to radiation?
4%
Exposed to Whole Body Vibration
How often does this job require exposure to whole body vibration (like operating a jackhammer or earth moving equipment)?
4%
Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles
How much does this job require climbing ladders, scaffolds, poles, etc.?
2%
Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings
How often does this job require exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings?
1%
Education
Bachelor's degree
Post-secondary certificate
Associate's degree
Interests
Enterprising
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/advertis
Conventional
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 hum
Social
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.
Investigative
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 f
Realistic
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, t
Artistic
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,
Work Styles
Work Values
Ready to pursue a career as Purchasing Managers?
Create a professional resume that highlights the right skills and experience for this role.
Build Your Resume Now