Purchasing Manager Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications

A Purchasing Manager, or Procurement Manager oversees the purchase of products, services and equipment for their company. They are expected to develop and implement purchasing strategies, manage a purchasing team and ensure that an organisation gets good procurement deals. 

 

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Purchasing Manager duties and responsibilities

Purchasing Manager ensure that a company gets results from its procurement agreements. Their main duties and responsibilities include:

  • Identifying any products, services and equipment to be purchased
  • Verifying the key suppliers for each procurement  
  • Monitoring and forecasting inventory, determining purchasing needs and identify costs
  • Overseeing daily activities of the purchasing department, including delegating tasks and supervising teams
  • Establishing quality control and ensuring that bought stock meets company standards
  • Managing procurement budget and preparing cost estimates
  • Compiling and maintaining purchase records, supplier databases and procurement contracts 

 

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Purchasing Manager Job Description Examples:

 

Example 1

include: Develop, lead and execute purchasing strategies in line with KST objectives. Track and report on KPI’s and key functional metrics to reduce costs to improve buying efficiency and effectiveness. Produce and devise negotiation strategies to ensure deals are closed with optimal terms in favour of KST. Job brief The Purchasing Manager will be responsible for sourcing equipment, goods and services and managing vendors, performing strategic procurement activities across multiple categories of spend, searching for better deals and sourcing more commercially advantageous suppliers. Manage and control all of the company’s suppliers with particular emphasis on the purchase of materials and equipment, cost and reliability. Ensure materials and equipment are bought at the most competitive price and delivered within the correct and required time frame. Establish relationships with new and existing key suppliers that are crucial to the company’s needs together with agreeing terms where appropriate including discount structures, volume rebates and the like. Continually seek to improve Purchasing methods and drive down spend, highlight failings to suppliers and manufacturers to retain requisite performance at all times. Liaise with suppliers and manufacturers to overcome any product issue in the shortest possible time period and find alternative products and suppliers if required. Carry out and review purchasing function and systems, identify and implement improvements. Ensure Purchasing department and Fleet & Logistics Manager are aware of changes within the system, along with changes to suppliers and products. Retain full involvement with Technical and Sales departments to identify client specific products and suppliers and their integration into the company. Identify products to Purchasing staff and Schedulers as requested by Engineers and Surveyors, locate products and suppliers where necessary. Determine quantity and timing of deliveries in conjunction with the Fleet and Logistics Manager, monitor and forecast upcoming levels of business demand. Develop, lead and execute purchasing strategies along with requisite negotiation, ensuring all deals closed are based on optimal commercial terms. Track and report on key functional metrics/KPI’s in line with KST objectives. Reduce costs at all times and improve effectiveness of KST buying strategies. Manage staff within the Purchasing department. Partner with stakeholders to ensure clear requirements are documented along with relevant business case. Forecast price and market trends to identify changes of balance in buyer-supplier relationships. Enter and maintain all products in Protean and update as and when required. Perform cost and scenario analysis and benchmarking. Supplier and contract management for soft and hard FM services Assess, manage and mitigate all risks associated with Purchasing. Seek to achieve best practice at all times within the Purchasing and buying remit. Requirements Proven working experience as Purchasing or Procurement Manager. Familiarity with sourcing and vendor management. Interest in market dynamics along with business sense, highly skilled in negotiation and networking. Working experience of vendor management software with the ability to gather and analyse data and to work with figures. Solid judgement along with decision making skills and strong leadership capabilities. Formal qualification in supply chain management, logistics or business administration Salary: Competitive dependant on experience

Example 2

*No Agencies please* *Base Location: *Theale Reading *Salary: *£30,000 - £40,000 (Dependant on experience) *Working Pattern: *Permanent | Full Time | Office based *An excellent opportunity has opened up for an experienced Purchasing/Procurement Manager with experience in the foods and wholesaler industry to join our team. Excellent interpersonal, negotiation skills and the ability to build and maintain supplier relationships are a must for the successful candidate!* JV Foods is a specialist importer & distributor of Mexican & Latin foods based in Theale Reading. We have been delivering a diverse and intriguing range of high quality and innovative food products to the UK food service industry since 1987. Our customers are at the forefront of everything we do and over the years we have built great partnerships. It is due to our passion for authenticity, traditional flavours and outstanding customer service that we are able to deliver such traditional and authentic Mexican and Latin American products to you. With over 30 years' experience in the industry, a highly-dedicated team of staff, and extensive product lines in stock, we're uniquely positioned to deliver an unmatched level of service to trade customers in the UK food service, catering and hospitality industries. *About the Role* *Purpose: * To manage all suppliers, providing key cost savings throughout the business while maintaining the highest possible quality *Key responsibilities: * · Negotiate new and existing contracts to ensure continued value, flexibility and sustainability. · Establish and maintain strong relationships with our suppliers –attend visits both in the UK and abroad when necessary. · Negotiate preferred freight, courier and charter rates and maximizing our global purchasing power. · Develop and put in place new systems and procedures to optimise the procurement function. · Work in close partnership with other departments and stake holders in the business, including sales, marketing and finance. · Work closely with suppliers and distribution to ensure maximised availability and fulfilment without holding excess stock. Ensuring minimal wastage. · Work closely with Operations Director to put in place and monitor KPIs for the department. · Management of one direct report. *As we are a small business everyone needs to be hands on. The successful candidate will need to be someone who is happy to get involved in the strategy and management of the department but also be involved in placing daily orders and covering elements of the buyer’s role when needed.* *About the person* *Essential: * · Demonstrable experience of buying, negotiating contracts and managing suppliers is fundamental to this role. · Import and export experience. Working knowledge of tariffs. · CIPS level 4 or degree equivalent is a must have. · Experience in the food sector. Preferably with experience of niche/bespoke products. · Strong IT skills – Excel and ERPs experience is a must. · Must have previous experience managing a small team. *Desirable: * · Spanish or other 2nd language. · Forecasting experience. *Benefits: * · Company pension · Increased annual leave with service. Up to 33 (Inc. bank holidays). · Birthday recognition. Job Types: Full-time, Permanent Salary: per year Benefits: * Discounted or free food * On-site parking * Private medical insurance Schedule: * Monday to Friday * No weekends COVID-19 considerations: COVID-19 considerations: Social distancing in place. Hand sanitizer stations throughout the offices. Masks are worn in communal areas and when travelling around the building. Application question(s): * Do you have CIPS level 4? * Have you managed a team? * Do you have experience negotiating contracts? Work remotely: * No

Example 3

Overview: Rapiscan Systems are proud to be a trusted provider of advanced X-ray technologies for ports, borders, military, high-threat facilities and critical infrastructure all over the world. Be a part of our mission to provide our customers with best-in-class cargo and vehicle screening systems and services so they can combat terrorism, trade fraud, drug and weapon smuggling, and illegal immigration. Role Overview Reporting to the Dept Head, managing procurement of key material from national and international suppliers against ERP driven messages. Liaising with Operations, Sales, and technical teams to ensure a robust schedule is in place to maximise the opportunities presented by the Sales|Service teams whilst also ensuring effective use of supplier communications to meet business driven needs. You will be liaising with Operations, Sales, and Engineering teams to ensure resource is focused and in place to support revenue and development stream’s. Coordinating and reporting team activities against business objectives to maximise performance both internally and externally within supply chain driven processes and system events. Responsibilities: Motivate all team members to achieve maximum results whilst maintaining moral and job satisfaction. Leading by example, providing clear leadership, guidance, instruction, and training as required. Continuous monitoring of MRP demand plan & forecast for business needs. Direct Team capacity to support business needs. Generate KPI measures for your areas of control ( OTD, OTIF, Planned orders, Overdue orders, Req orders). Support weekly reconcile, forecasting and storage meetings. Review and drive Team MRP messages for Place Orders, expedite, Pull in, Push out message management. Administration control: Dept SOP’s. ECO management cycles track Supplier schedules - communication controls, internal and external are executed. Tactical relationships of suppliers develop a partnership approach with key suppliers. Chair supplier performance reviews ( Internal and External meetings ) Supply chain Risk Register contribution, development with Commodity Teams. Strategic Stock, maintenance and review of Kanban Breadman lines. Ensuring that cost efficient procurement of materials and inventory analysis to eliminate unnecessary expenditure and inefficient use of working capital. Compliance with company procedures as detailed in the Quality management system. Conduct regular team briefings with staff outlining business requirements against scheduled events. Qualifications: The Successful candidate will have a proven track record in a purchasing / supply chain role, ideally with some leadership experience or looking to take the next step in their career. Experience of manufacturing processes, Material requirements scheduling (MRP / ERP) In depth knowledge of Procurement MRP and Production Planning systems. Tactical management of supplier relationships. Essential: UK CIPS membership |USA APICS, equivalent or qualified by experience. In depth knowledge of MRP and Production Planning systems Good commercial understanding Desirable: Leadership role within supply / planning environment experience, the ability to understand process and drawings in a manufacturing environment preferred. OSI Systems, Inc. has three operating divisions: (a) Security, providing security and inspection systems, turnkey security screening solutions and related services; (b) Healthcare, providing patient monitoring, diagnostic cardiology and anesthesia systems; and (c) Optoelectronics and Manufacturing, providing specialized electronic components and electronic manufacturing services for original equipment manufacturers with applications in the defense, aerospace, medical and industrial markets, among others.

What does a Purchasing Manager do?

A Purchasing Manager supervises a company’s procurements. Purchasing Managers help their organisation identify, qualify and develop relationships with vendors or suppliers. They  create, lead and execute purchasing strategies to help a company get orders. Purchasing Managers collaborate with other departments to identify supply needs. They manage the day-to-day activities of a purchasing team. 

Purchasing Managers create strategies that give their company an advantage during procurement negotiations. They monitor and reduce procurement costs while improving operating efficiency. 

 

Purchasing Manager skills and qualifications

A successful Purchasing Manager candidate needs various prerequisites and qualifications to perform their duties effectively. These include: 

  • Procurement cost management and analysis skills
  • Understanding of supply risk control 
  • Contract management skills
  • Knowledge of source-to-settle processing for vetting vendors and improving inventory cycles
  • Thorough understanding of audits for retesting the stages of a company’s procurement management system 
  • Bid assessment skills for qualifying new products based on financial statements or fiscal priorities

 

Purchasing Manager experience requirements 

Purchasing Managers typically need experience in procurement, inventory management or supply chain management. Depending on the employer, Purchasing Managers need two to ten years of work experience. 

Most employers require candidates to understand the manufacturing or production processes of their industry, having a background in their fields. Candidates can gain valuable experience during their academic studies and through professional training. Consider candidates who have worked in buying, selling or negotiating contracts. Experience in a management position is also essential for this role. 

 

Purchasing Manager education and training requirements

Most employers will accept Purchasing Manager candidates with a bachelor’s degree or higher national diploma. Desirable fields of study include purchasing and supply, supply chain management, purchasing and logistics. Some organisations fill this post via a commercial procurement and supply higher apprenticeship. 

Others choose the Purchasing Manager from their own purchasing departments. Many employers accept extensive experience in procurement instead of academic qualifications from their candidates. The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply provides a wide range of training for Purchasing Manager candidates. 

 

Purchasing Manager salary expectations

According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for a Purchasing Manager in the UK is £40,029 per year. Actual pay may depend on the employer, location and responsibilities. 

 

Job description samples for similar positions

Here are job description samples for related positions if you are not looking to employ a Purchasing Manager:

 

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Purchasing Manager job description FAQs

 

Which qualities make a good Purchasing Manager?

A successful Purchasing Manager will have an in-depth understanding of their industry, exceptional negotiation skills and an impeccable character. Effective Purchasing Managers have highly analytical minds and sharp arithmetic and numerical skills. They are also natural relationship builders. They know how to use tact in winning favourable aide for their organisations and know how to take initiative. 

 

How can you make your Purchasing Manager job description stand out?

To create a Purchasing Manager job description that stands out, start with an attention-grabbing headline. The headline should include the exact job title, to avoid confusing your applicants. Include information about the responsibilities of the position and the strengths of your purchasing team. 

Describe the key skills, experiences or qualifications that candidates need for the role. If the position requires mastery of industry-specific tools such as Spendesk and Precoro, mention these. Highlight the advantages of working in your company. Include your organisational culture and the benefits that an employee receives. 

 

Who reports to a Purchasing Manager?

The Junior Employees in the purchasing department report to the Purchasing Manager. Teams in other departments such as supply chain and related roles may also report to the Purchasing Manager.

 

What is the difference between a Procurement Manager and a Purchasing Manager?

A Procurement Manager finds, qualifies and selects vendor goods or services for their organisation. A Purchasing Manager, however purchases goods and services to keep the inventory of a business set. This means the Procurement Manager has direct input into the reasons why a business stocks its selection of goods.

Job Description Examples

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