Skip navigation

Purchasing Managers

Also called: Materials Manager, Procurement Director, Procurement Manager, Purchasing Director

Where in the military? In the military: see titles from the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, or Navy.

Watch Career Video

What they do:
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.
On the job, you would:
  • Represent companies in negotiating contracts and formulating policies with suppliers.
  • Develop cost reduction strategies and savings plans.
  • Develop and implement purchasing and contract management instructions, policies, and procedures.

Knowledge

Business
  • management
  • accounting and economics
Arts and Humanities
  • English language
Math and Science
  • arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics
Engineering and Technology
  • computers and electronics

Skills

Basic Skills
  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
  • talking to others
Social
  • understanding people's reactions
  • bringing people together to solve differences
Resource Management
  • managing your time and the time of other people
  • selecting and managing the best workers for a job

Abilities

Verbal
  • listen and understand what people say
  • communicate by speaking
Ideas and Logic
  • come up with lots of ideas
  • create new and original ideas
Math
  • choose the right type of math to solve a problem
  • add, subtract, multiply, or divide

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include leading, making decisions, and business.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Integrity
  • Attention to Detail
  • Cooperation
  • Leadership
  • Analytical Thinking
  • Dependability

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Enterprise resource planning ERP software
  • Microsoft Dynamics Hot Technology
  • SAP software Hot Technology In Demand
Presentation software
  • Microsoft PowerPoint Hot Technology In Demand
Procurement software
  • Ariba Spend Management Suite
  • PurchasingNet eProcurement

Education

Education: (rated 4 of 5)
bachelor's degree
usually needed

Get started on your career:

Find Training Find Certifications Find Licenses Apprenticeship.gov

Job Outlook

Average Outlook
New job opportunities are likely in the future.
Salary
$127,150
$77,310
$206,540
Check out my state Local Salary Info Find Jobs

Explore More

See more details at O*NET OnLine about purchasing managers.