Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products

What the job really is

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.

At a glance

• Sector: Business & Financial
• O*NET-SOC code: 13-1023
• O*NET job zone: 4 — considerable preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Monitor and follow applicable laws and regulations.
• Purchase the highest quality merchandise at the lowest possible price and in correct amounts.
• Formulate policies and procedures for bid proposals and procurement of goods and services.
• Prepare purchase orders, solicit bid proposals, and review requisitions for goods and services.
• Write and review product specifications, maintaining a working technical knowledge of the goods or services to be purchased.
• Analyze price proposals, financial reports, and other data and information to determine reasonable prices.
• Hire, train, or supervise purchasing clerks, buyers, and expediters.
• Research and evaluate suppliers, based on price, quality, selection, service, support, availability, reliability, production and distribution capabilities, and the supplier's reputation and history.
• Evaluate and monitor contract performance to ensure compliance with contractual obligations and to determine need for changes.
• Negotiate, renegotiate, and administer contracts with suppliers, vendors, and other representatives.
• Study sales records and inventory levels of current stock to develop strategic purchasing programs that facilitate employee access to supplies.
• Confer with staff, users, and vendors to discuss defective or unacceptable goods or services and determine corrective action.

Tools and technology

Adobe Acrobat, Google Docs, Intuit QuickBooks, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Project, Microsoft SharePoint, Microsoft Visio, Microsoft Word

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Procurement Clerks
• Purchasing Managers
• Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products
• Buyers and Purchasing Agents, Farm Products
• Logistics Analysts
• Logisticians
• Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents
• Supply Chain Managers

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 4 (considerable preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.