Explore by Career/Management
Purchasing Managers
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.
- Median pay
- $139,510
- per year
- 10-year outlook
- +3.1%
- Stable
- Typical entry
- Bachelor's degree
Key skills
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Management of Personnel Resources
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Monitoring
- Social Perceptiveness
- Negotiation
What they do
- Develop and implement purchasing and contract management instructions, policies, and procedures.
- Locate vendors of materials, equipment or supplies, and interview them to determine product availability and terms of sales.
- Prepare bid awards requiring board approval.
- Direct and coordinate activities of personnel engaged in buying, selling, and distributing materials, equipment, machinery, and supplies.
- Review purchase order claims and contracts for conformance to company policy.
- Review, evaluate, and approve specifications for issuing and awarding bids.
- Administer online purchasing systems.
- Prepare and process requisitions and purchase orders for supplies and equipment.
- Interview and hire staff, and oversee staff training.
- Develop cost reduction strategies and savings plans.
Majors that lead here
No mapped majors yet.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections) and O*NET, used under CC BY 4.0.