What You'll Do

  • Maintain records of goods ordered and received.
  • Locate vendors of materials, equipment or supplies, and interview them to determine product availability and terms of sales.
  • Prepare and process requisitions and purchase orders for supplies and equipment.
  • Control purchasing department budgets.
  • Interview and hire staff, and oversee staff training.
  • Review purchase order claims and contracts for conformance to company policy.
  • Analyze market and delivery systems to assess present and future material availability.
  • Develop and implement purchasing and contract management instructions, policies, and procedures.
  • Participate in the development of specifications for equipment, products, or substitute materials.
  • Resolve vendor or contractor grievances and claims against suppliers.

Essential Skills

Active Listening 4.0/5
Speaking 4.0/5
Management of Personnel Resources 4.0/5
Reading Comprehension 3.88/5
Writing 3.88/5
Monitoring 3.88/5
Social Perceptiveness 3.88/5
Negotiation 3.88/5
Time Management 3.88/5
Critical Thinking 3.75/5
Coordination 3.75/5
Judgment and Decision Making 3.75/5

Career Fit Overview

Use this summary to sense whether the day to day rhythm and focus of this path line up with what energizes you.

Top passions

  • Leader: Taking charge and moving ideas forward motivates you.
  • Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.
  • Helper: Supporting people and making a difference matters to you.

Common styles

Dependability, Attention to Detail, Integrity, Leadership Orientation, Self-Confidence

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Key Abilities

This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:

Oral Comprehension 4.0/5
Oral Expression 4.0/5
Written Comprehension 3.88/5
Fluency of Ideas 3.88/5
Deductive Reasoning 3.88/5
Speech Recognition 3.88/5
Speech Clarity 3.88/5
Written Expression 3.75/5

Technologies & Tools

Automated purchase order software Bottomline Technologies Bottomline Sprinter Purchasing Manager Bowen & Groves M1 ERP Corel Paradox Database software Enterprise resource planning ERP software Epicor Vantage ERP IBM Lotus Notes Infor Lawson Supply Chain Management Inventory management software Materials requirement planning MRP software Microsoft Access Microsoft Dynamics Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft Project Microsoft SharePoint Microsoft Visio

Work Environment & Strengths

Common Strengths for This Career

  • Dependability (High importance: 4.77/5)
  • Attention to Detail (High importance: 4.63/5)
  • Integrity (High importance: 4.6/5)
  • Leadership Orientation (High importance: 4.58/5)
  • Self-Confidence (High importance: 4.41/5)

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How to Become One

Most employers require a bachelor's degree in a relevant field. Some positions may also require experience through internships, co-ops, or entry-level work to strengthen your candidacy.

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Also Known As

This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:

Category Purchasing Manager Commissary Superintendent Commodity Manager Contract Manager Contracting Manager Division Merchandise Manager (DMM) General Merchandise Manager Materials Director Materials Manager Merchandise Director Merchandise Manager Merchandising Manager Procurement Director Procurement Manager Procurement Services Manager Procurement Sourcing Manager Purchasing Coordinator Purchasing Director Purchasing Manager Purchasing Supervisor Sourcing Manager Strategic Sourcing Director Strategic Sourcing Manager Supply Chain Procurement Manager Vendor Manager