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This question is about category manager jobs.
Is a category manager a buyer?
No, a category manager is not a buyer. While there is overlap in the responsibilities of a category manager and a buyer, these are two distinct roles.
A buyer's job is to conduct the purchasing process by engaging with a specific supplier. The buyer is assigned a specific supplier and assigned a specific product. They do not choose what to buy or from whom to buy it. While a buyer's responsibility is purely transactional, a category manager's job requires more involvement.
A category manager oversees the entire vendor management process and chooses the best combination of suppliers and resources to make the end product.
The category manager needs to have a combination of relevant category expertise and sourcing experience to perform this role adequately. Buyers and category managers are often confused because while the responsibilities are not interchangeable, the titles sometimes can be.
For example, a buyer might be in charge of a certain category of goods or services and have a category manager title. On the other hand, a category manager might have the buyer title even though their responsibilities require procurement-related oversight.
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