Description
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.
Interests
- Enterprising
- Conventional
Work Values
- Working Conditions
- Support
- Independence
Work Styles
- Integrity
- Attention to Detail
- Cooperation
- Dependability
- Stress Tolerance
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.
Work Activities
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization
- Getting Information
- Working with Computers
Detailed Work Activities
- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- 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.
- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
- Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
- Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
- Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
- Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
- Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
Technology Skills
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- Presentation software
- Procurement software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Electronic mail software
Abilities
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Deductive Reasoning
- Fluency of Ideas
- Speech Clarity
Skills
- Active Listening
- Management of Personnel Resources
- Speaking
- Monitoring
- Negotiation
Knowledge
- Administration and Management
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Law and Government
- Economics and Accounting
Most Common Education Level
The “Most Common Education Level” refers to the level of education held by the majority of workers in a given occupation. For example, if the highest percentage of workers in a role have an Associate’s Degree, that suggests this is the typical educational requirement. Knowing this helps you plan how many years of education you may need to pursue that career.
Certificates
Certificate name
Certified Procurement Operations ExecutiveCertifying Organization
Next Level Purchasing Association
Type
Advanced
Certifying Organization
SAP America, Inc.
Type
Product/Equipment
Certificate name
SAP Certified Associate - SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition, Sourcing and ProcurementCertifying Organization
SAP America, Inc.
Type
Product/Equipment
Certificate name
Oracle Value Chain Planning - Demand Management (Demantra) Certified Implementation SpecialistCertifying Organization
Oracle Corporation
Type
Product/Equipment
Certificate name
Certified Purchasing Card ProfessionalCertifying Organization
National Association of Purchasing Card Professionals
Type
Core
Income Percentile
The income percentiles show how earnings are distributed within a profession. The 10th percentile means that 10% of workers earned less than that amount. The median (50th percentile) indicates that half of workers earned more, and half earned less. The 90th percentile reflects what the top 10% of earners in the field make.
| Income Percentile | Annual Income |
|---|---|
| Low (10%) | $57,010 |
| Median (50%) | $122,090 |
| High (90%) | 239,200+ |
Income by Experience
This table shows how income typically grows with experience—from entry level (0–2 years), to mid-level (3–5 years), to senior level (6–8 years), to expert level (8+ years).
| Experience | Income |
|---|---|
Entry Level  | $87,789 |
| Mid Level | $119,996 |
| Senior Level | $134,419 |
| Expert Level | $172,363 |
Employability
There are currently 81,300 jobs in this career path. Over the next 10 years, that number is expected to increase to 85,400 positions, reflecting a projected growth of 5%.
The Projected Job Growth figure refers to the expected increase or decrease in employment within a specific career field over a certain period of time.
Projected Job Growth of 5%
Related Careers
The career information and data on this site incorporates information from O*NET Web Services, Lightcast, CareerOneStop, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). For more details regarding the data sources and the specific information sourced, click here.
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