Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products

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Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products

Careers / Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products

Summary Description


	Purchase machinery, equipment, tools, parts, supplies, or services necessary for the operation of an establishment. Purchase raw or semi-finished materials for manufacturing.

Sample Job Titles

1.	Area Field Person

2.	Area Field Worker

3.	Buyer

4.	Contract Administrator

5.	Contract Analyst

6.	Contract Specialist

7.	Contractor Buyer

8.	Contracts Administrator

9.	Contracts Manager

10.	Equipment, Supplies, and Tools Purchasing Agent

11.	Food Broker

12.	Fuel Agent

13.	Fuel Buyer

14.	General Purchasing Agent

15.	Import Coordinator

16.	Jobber

17.	Journeyman

18.	Leaser

19.	Log Buyer

20.	Lumber Buyer

21.	Media Buyer

22.	Merchandiser

23.	Ore Buyer

24.	Outside Property Agent

25.	Piece Jobber

26.	Plant Buyer

27.	Price Analyst

28.	Print Buyer

29.	Procurement Agent

30.	Procurement Engineer

31.	Procurement Specialist

32.	Pulpwood Buyer

33.	Pulpwood Contractor

34.	Purchaser

35.	Purchasing Administrator

36.	Purchasing Agent

37.	Purchasing Assistant

38.	Purchasing Coordinator

39.	Purchasing Manager

40.	Purchasing Specialist

41.	Radio Time Buyer

42.	Railroad Purchasing Agent

43.	Sourcing Specialist

44.	Subcontract Administrator

45.	Timber Buyer

46.	Tools, Supplies, and Equipment Purchasing Agent

47.	Traveling Buyer

Job Tasks

	Purchase the highest quality merchandise at the lowest possible price and in correct amounts. Purchase products or services.

	Prepare purchase orders, solicit bid proposals, and review requisitions for goods and services. Execute sales or other financial transactions. Purchase products or services.

	Monitor and follow applicable laws and regulations. Evaluate applicable laws and regulations to determine impact on organizational activities.

	Research and evaluate suppliers based on price, quality, selection, service, support, availability, reliability, production and distribution capabilities, and the supplier's reputation and history. Obtain information about goods or services.

	Negotiate, renegotiate, and administer contracts with suppliers, vendors, and other representatives. Negotiate contracts with clients or service providers.

	Analyze price proposals, financial reports, and other data and information to determine reasonable prices. Analyze business or financial data.

	Maintain and review computerized or manual records of items purchased, costs, deliveries, product performance, and inventories. Maintain data in information systems or databases. Monitor inventories of products or materials.

	Write and review product specifications, maintaining a working technical knowledge of the goods or services to be purchased. Develop technical specifications for systems or equipment.

	Formulate policies and procedures for bid proposals and procurement of goods and services. Establish organizational guidelines or policies.

	Evaluate and monitor contract performance to ensure compliance with contractual obligations and to determine need for changes. Monitor organizational processes.

	Monitor shipments to ensure that goods come in on time and resolve problems related to undelivered goods. Monitor inventories of products or materials.

	Hire, train, or supervise purchasing clerks, buyers, and expediters. Train personnel to enhance job skills. Supervise employees.

	Review catalogs, industry periodicals, directories, trade journals, and Internet sites and consult with other department personnel to locate necessary goods and services. Obtain information about goods or services. Confer with personnel to coordinate business operations.

	Monitor changes affecting supply and demand, tracking market conditions, price trends, or futures markets. Estimate demand for products or services. Analyze market conditions or trends.

	Confer with staff, users, and vendors to discuss defective or unacceptable goods or services and determine corrective action. Confer with personnel to coordinate business operations.

	Study sales records and inventory levels of current stock to develop strategic purchasing programs that facilitate employee access to supplies. Monitor inventories of products or materials.

	Interview vendors and visit suppliers' plants and distribution centers to examine and learn about products, services, and prices. Conduct eligibility or selection interviews.

	Arrange the payment of duty and freight charges. Pay charges, fees, or taxes.

	Attend meetings, trade shows, conferences, conventions, and seminars to network with people in other purchasing departments. Develop business relationships.

Work Activities

Importance	Work Activity

Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Interacting With Computers — Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

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.

Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others — Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Developing and Building Teams — Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People — Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

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.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Monitoring and Controlling Resources — Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.

Thinking Creatively — Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

Analyzing Data or Information — Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.

Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates — Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.

Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Coaching and Developing Others — Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.

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.

Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others — Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.

Developing Objectives and Strategies — Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.

Scheduling Work and Activities — Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

Training and Teaching Others — Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.

Performing Administrative Activities — Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.

Provide Consultation and Advice to Others — Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.

Selling or Influencing Others — Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others — Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.

Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material — Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Staffing Organizational Units — Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.

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.

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.

Nature of the Work


	(Abstract from Career Articles)

	Buyers and Purchasing Agents
	Buyers and purchasing agents buy products and services for organizations to use or resell. They evaluate suppliers, negotiate contracts, and review the quality of products.

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Working Conditions


	(Abstract from Career Articles)

	Buyers and Purchasing Agents
	Most buyers and purchasing agents work full time. Some work more than 40 hours per week.

	Read More >>

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Interesting Fact

The word "salary" comes from salarium, or "salt money" and was used in ancient Rome to describe the wages paid to Roman legionnaires who were compensated in salt.

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