Explore by Career/Business and Financial Operations
Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products
Purchase machinery, equipment, tools, parts, supplies, or services necessary for the operation of an establishment. Purchase raw or semifinished materials for manufacturing. May negotiate contracts.
- Median pay
- —
- per year
- 10-year outlook
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- No data
- Typical entry
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Key skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Negotiation
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Complex Problem Solving
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
What they do
- Monitor and follow applicable laws and regulations.
- Prepare purchase orders, solicit bid proposals, and review requisitions for goods and services.
- Negotiate, renegotiate, and administer contracts with suppliers, vendors, and other representatives.
- Purchase the highest quality merchandise at the lowest possible price and in correct amounts.
- Analyze price proposals, financial reports, and other data and information to determine reasonable prices.
- Formulate policies and procedures for bid proposals and procurement of goods and services.
- Hire, train, or supervise purchasing clerks, buyers, and expediters.
- Maintain and review computerized or manual records of purchased items, costs, deliveries, product performance, and inventories.
- Research and evaluate suppliers, based on price, quality, selection, service, support, availability, reliability, production and distribution capabilities, and the supplier's reputation and history.
- Confer with staff, users, and vendors to discuss defective or unacceptable goods or services and determine corrective action.
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.