Purchasing Jobs and the Salaries they Pay

You might be wondering what purchasing jobs are and whether they are relevant in the present times. Do not look far, You have come to the right place to get your answer.

Purchasing jobs are jobs that involve managing the activities involved in the procurement of goods and services on behalf of an organization or client.

The activities involve researching, sourcing, evaluation, record keeping, and the actual purchase.

Also, check out Best Paying Jobs in Department or Specialty Retail Stores.

In short, it comprises all the activities you can think of when it comes to the purchase, just that, in this case, someone is in charge or delegated to handle them.

In recent years, companies, particularly top and large companies, are fully committing to investing in the procurement department.

Because they know that procurement is beyond just buying, there are benefits gained from effective management of the procurement department.

Pursuing a career in procurement makes it possible to work in the following sectors:

Retail Industry

In this industry, you work directly with the end consumers rather than companies.

Construction Industry

It is one of the industries where there are many opportunities. One helps construction firms secure building materials and equipment for the project.

Manufacturing Industry

Here, the procurement and delivery of raw materials is the task of anyone specializing in the industry.

Government

All levels of the government need procurement personnel to assist in developmental projects, be it in education, infrastructure, and many more.

Charity organizations

One can also work with charity organizations to assist them in sourcing for cheaper needs, which helps minimize the organization’s running cost

Available Purchasing Jobs

There are few jobs in the purchasing industry; nevertheless, the industry is gaining popularity, and people now appreciate the jobs. For this post, we are interested in the following jobs available.

A Purchasing Agent
Purchasing Analyst
Purchasing manager
Category Buyer

Purchasing Agent

Purchasing agents are individuals specializing in procuring goods and services on behalf of organizations. They assemble a list of suppliers and compare the quality and prices of the needed commodities before deciding to procure them.

Duties of a purchasing agent

Following are the duties of a purchasing agent in an organization.

Research the suppliers and determine their worthiness in terms of business relationships and output
They visit the supplier’s warehouse or organization for inspection and negotiations when necessary.
Supervise the delivery of the ordered goods and ensure the order is followed to the letter.
Provide suggestions on substitutes for the required products when they are not available.
Handle the paperwork for the procurement procedure and keep records of the negotiation, payment, and delivery procedures.
Keep track of the inventory records to know the available goods and those that are short.
Plan and execute negotiations to ensure the company does not lose.

Salary of A Purchasing Agent

According to Salary.com, the average base salary of a purchasing agent is $63,974 per year.

Purchasing Analyst

Purchasing analysts have similar roles to purchasing agents, but the difference is that they are more invested in collecting and analyzing the data involved in the procurement procedure.

They use the processed information to conduct market research, vet vendors, and support the business decision on purchasing.

Duties of a Purchasing Analyst

Following are the duties of a purchasing analyst in an organization.

Collaborate with the purchasing agent to obtain relevant data. Also, they assist them in making procurement decisions and verifying the commodities’ delivery.
Cost analyses to determine the best vendor and methods to procure goods.
Review the contract agreements to check for ways to improve them.
Supervise the delivery schedules and ensure the goods are delivered when due.
Provide recommendations for preferable vendors based on data analysis.
Ensure the records are kept and accessible for analysis.
Determine when to buy more or less by analyzing the market’s demand and supply.

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Salary of A Purchasing Analyst

According to Glassdoor, the average salary of a purchasing analyst is $63,042 annually.

Purchasing Manager

A purchasing manager, also known as a procurement manager, is the head of an organization’s procurement or supply department.

Also, They monitor the department’s activities and ensure the organization’s goals and objectives concerning procurement services are achieved.

Duties of a Purchasing Manager

These are the duties expected of a purchasing manager in an organization.

Schedule and hold meetings to instruct and track the performance of the procurement department.
Provide additional support to the team in communicating with the vendors/suppliers.
Finalize the procurement business after careful examination of the order.
Collaborate with the internal and external auditors for cross-examination of the department.
Provide training for the team members of the department.
Delegate tasks and pass instructions to the staff of the procurement department.
Improve the cost-effectiveness and ease of procuring goods for the company.
Oversee the daily activities of the procurement team in an organization.
They update the database and relevant records regularly.
Collaborate with the accounting department on matters of budget planning and allocation.
Ensure that the procurement investment has high returns.

Salary of A Purchasing Manager

The average salary of a purchasing manager in a year is $71,006 annually, per the reports from Payscale.

Category Buyer

A category buyer is also part of the procurement team but is more involved with retail stores and departments.

Duties of a Category Buyer

A category buyer performs the following duties

Plan cost-saving strategies for the business while ensuring they get the right products.
Develop a good working relationship between the stores and vendors.
Negotiate the prices for the sale of the products.
Ensure the pool of suppliers is not limited.
Maintain proper record keeping of the transactions.
Provide the stores with relevant data to help develop their procurement strategies.
Review prices of existing supplies and find cheaper alternatives to reduce costs.

Salary of a Category Buyer

Following the post by ZipRecruiter, the average salary of a category buyer in a year is $56,217.

Final Notes Purchasing Jobs and the Salaries they Pay

Careers in procurement or purchasing demand thorough supplier market research and the acquisition of the necessary goods for a customer or organization.

As more businesses experience an uptick in productivity due to efficient procurement, the industry is expanding.

Before you go, check out Master Plumber’s Salary.