Purchasing Managers

Career Description: Plan, direct, or coordinate the activities of buyers, purchasing officers, and related workers involved in purchasing materials, products, and services.

Industry: Management

Other Job Titles for Purchasing Managers:

• Realistic: Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
• Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
• Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
• Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
• Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
• Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
• First Interest High-Point: Primary-Rank Descriptiveness
• Second Interest High-Point: Secondary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness
• Third Interest High-Point: Tertiary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness

• 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.
• Represent companies in negotiating contracts and formulating policies with suppliers.
• Review, evaluate, and approve specifications for issuing and awarding bids.
• Direct and coordinate activities of personnel engaged in buying, selling, and distributing materials, equipment, machinery, and supplies.
• Prepare bid awards requiring board approval.
• Prepare reports regarding market conditions and merchandise costs.
• Administer online purchasing systems.
• Arrange for disposal of surplus materials.
• Produce films and other video products, regulate their distribution, and operate film library.
• Observe and report on social, economic and political trends that might affect employers.
• Meet with boards of directors and committees to discuss and resolve legal and environmental issues or disputes between neighbors.
• Confer with legal authorities to ensure that renting and advertising practices are not discriminatory and that properties comply with state and federal regulations.
• Clean common areas, change light bulbs, and make minor property repairs.
• Meet with clients to negotiate management and service contracts, determine priorities, and discuss the financial and operational status of properties.
• Negotiate short- and long-term loans to finance construction and ownership of structures.
• Contract with architectural firms to draw up detailed plans for new structures.
• Negotiate with government leaders, businesses, special interest representatives, and utility companies to gain support for new projects and to eliminate potential obstacles.
• Analyze information on property values, taxes, zoning, population growth, and traffic volume and patterns to determine if properties should be acquired.
• Promote the industries and products of their electoral districts.
• Represent their government at local, national, and international meetings and conferences.
• Speak to students to encourage and support the development of future political leaders.
• Harvest crops, and collect specialty products such as royal jelly, wax, pollen, and honey from bee colonies.
• Install and shift irrigation systems to irrigate fields evenly or according to crop need.
• Herd cattle, using horses or all-terrain vehicles.
• Destroy diseased or superfluous crops.

Emerging Tasks

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, government officials, and media representatives and use these relationships to develop new business opportunities.
• Identify main client groups and audiences, determine the best way to communicate publicity information to them, and develop and implement a communication plan.
• Formulate strategic plans for the institution.
• Oversee facilities management for the university, including construction, repair, and maintenance projects.
• Promote the university by participating in community, state, and national events/meetings, and by developing partnerships with industry and secondary education institutions.
• Write grants to procure external funding, and supervise grant-funded projects.

• Analyzing Data or Information: Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• Assisting and Caring for Others: Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• Coaching and Developing Others: Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Communicating with Persons Outside Organization: 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.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Controlling Machines and Processes: Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
• Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others: Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
• Developing and Building Teams: Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Developing Objectives and Strategies: Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
• Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment: Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information: Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates: Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
• Handling and Moving Objects: Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material: Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Interacting With Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others: Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
• Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People: Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Monitoring and Controlling Resources: Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment: Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Performing Administrative Activities: Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public: Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Performing General Physical Activities: Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
• Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• Provide Consultation and Advice to Others: Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
• Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment: Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles.
• Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment: Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Scheduling Work and Activities: Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
• Selling or Influencing Others: Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
• Staffing Organizational Units: Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
• Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Training and Teaching Others: Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Detailed Work Activities

• analyze market conditions
• analyze market or delivery systems
• assign work to staff or employees
• communicate technical information
• conduct market research
• conduct or attend staff meetings
• develop purchasing policies or procedures
• develop records management system
• direct and coordinate activities of workers or staff
• fill out purchase requisitions
• inspect merchandise to determine value
• locate sources of supply for purchasing
• maintain administrative services procedures manual
• maintain records, reports, or files
• manage inventories or supplies
• monitor consumer or marketing trends
• negotiate business contracts
• order or purchase supplies, materials, or equipment
• oversee execution of organizational or program policies
• purchase office equipment or furniture
• recommend purchase or repair of furnishings or equipment
• use appraisal techniques in purchasing
• use cost benefit analysis techniques
• use inventory control procedures
• use knowledge of sales contracts
• use negotiation techniques
• write business correspondence
• manage contracts
• negotiate business contracts
• negotiate real estate sales or rental contracts
• order or purchase supplies, materials, or equipment
• oversee execution of organizational or program policies
• plan construction of structures or facilities
• prepare contract documents
• prepare financial reports
• prepare rental or lease agreement
• prepare reports of property or facility status
• purchase property management or maintenance equipment or supplies
• reconcile or balance financial records
• resolve customer or public complaints
• review insurance policies to determine appropriate coverage
• schedule facility or property maintenance
• select tenants for rental properties
• sell real estate property to clients
• solicit support from officials or public
• understand property documents
• use building or land use regulations
• use conflict resolution techniques
• use facility management techniques
• use government regulations
• use knowledge of environmental laws and regulations
• use knowledge of fire, building or other codes
• use marketing techniques
• use negotiation techniques
• prepare or maintain employee records
• prepare reports for management
• present information on human resource management issues
• recommend action to ensure compliance
• recommend personnel actions, such as promotions, transfers, and dismissals
• recruit employees
• resolve personnel problems or grievances
• resolve worker or management conflicts
• seek out applicants to fill job openings
• use conflict resolution techniques
• use interpersonal communication techniques
• use interviewing procedures
• use knowledge of employee classification system
• use negotiation techniques
• use project management techniques
• write employee orientation or training materials
• schedule activities, classes, or events
• schedule employee work hours
• slaughter animals, fish, or poultry
• study production records
• transport passengers or cargo
• understand second language
• use animal disease control techniques
• use computers to enter, access or retrieve data
• use fish culturing techniques
• use hand or power tools
• use herbicides, fertilizers, pesticides or related products
• use oral or written communication techniques
• use plant disease control techniques

Overall Experience
A minimum of two to four years 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.

Job Training
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

Education
Most of these occupations require a four - year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Examples
Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include accountants, human resource managers, computer programmers, teachers, chemists, and police detectives.

• Average hourly wage (2007) -$41.08
• Average annual wage (2007) - $85,440.00

• Projected growth (2006-2016): 3.43%
• Projected need (2006-2016): 2,384
• Employment (2006): 69,526

• First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Office and Administrative Support Workers
• Management Analysts
• Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers
• Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products
• Social and Community Service Managers
• Foresters
• Range Managers
• Storage and Distribution Managers
• Fishers and Related Fishing Workers
• Treasurers and Controllers