Employment of purchasing managers is projected to show little or no change from 2014 to 2024.
These workers will continue to be needed to oversee the purchase of goods and services for business operations or for resale to customers. In addition, purchasing managers often play an important role in controlling costs for an organization.
However, some organizations may increasingly rely on third parties to handle some of the tasks previously performed by purchasing managers, such as business strategy development and contract management.
In the public sector, employment demand may be negatively impacted by the increasing use of cooperative purchasing agreements. These agreements allow state, local, and municipal governments to share resources in order to buy supplies and make other general purchases. Because the same standard contracts can be used multiple times by multiple government agencies, the rise of purchasing cooperatives will likely limit the need to hire additional procurement officers and managers.
The projected decline in the manufacturing industry should also limit the demand for purchasing managers employed within that industry.
Job Prospects
As with many other managerial positions, competition for jobs is expected to be strong. Candidates for purchasing manager positions may improve their prospects by obtaining a master's degree in business or supply management.
Purchasing Managers
Percent change in employment, projected 2014-24
Operations specialties managers
7%
Total, all occupations
7%
Purchasing managers
1%
Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program