How to hire a buying analyst

How to hire a buying analyst, step by step

Here's a step-by-step buying analyst hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a buying analyst job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new buying analyst
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a buying analyst do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The buying analyst hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A buying analyst's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, buying analysts from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents buying analyst salaries for various positions.

   Type of Buying Analyst	Description	Hourly rate
   Buying Analyst	Buyers and purchasing agents buy products and services for organizations to use or resell. They evaluate suppliers, negotiate contracts, and review the quality of products.	$25-54
   Workforce Management Analyst	A workforce management analyst's role is to oversee the workforce in a company while developing better management strategies. Their responsibilities revolve around conducting research and analysis to identify employees' needs, detect vulnerabilities in human resources, monitor staff performance and attendance, address issues and concerns, ensure schedule compliance, and coordinate with different departments within the company... Show more	$20-45
   Human Resources Analyst	A human resources (HR) analyst is a professional who collaborates with a company's HR staff members to identify and assist in solving HR-related issues. HR analysts must provide advice and support to numerous departments in the organization regarding HR policies and best practices... Show more	$23-46

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Purchase Orders
   • Delivery Schedules
   • MRP
   • Expedite
   • Cost Savings
   • Lean Manufacturing
   • Commodities
   • Cost Reduction
   • Process Improvement
   • On-Time Delivery
   • ERP
   • Production Schedules
   • RFQ
   • Inventory Management

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Support the implementation of vendor manage inventory programs for MRO relate commodities.
   • Develop, implement and control MRO relate commodities cost saving initiatives in alignment with business unit goals.
   • Submit, receive and analyze RFQ.
   • Request RFP's and negotiate contracts.
   • Champion order fulfillment, business development, order placement, vendor relations, and MRP planning.
   • Handle MRO buying, as well as coding invoices so that correct account center is hit.

   More buying analyst duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your buying analyst job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A buying analyst salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, buying analysts' average salary in florida is 43% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level buying analysts earn 54% less than senior-level buying analysts.
   • Certifications. A buying analyst with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a buying analyst's salary.

   Average buying analyst salary

   $77,425yearly

   $37.22 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level buying analyst salary

   $52,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

   Average buying analyst salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$97,684	$47
   2	New Jersey	$86,736	$42
   3	New York	$84,717	$41
   4	Pennsylvania	$81,111	$39
   5	Missouri	$75,598	$36
   6	Ohio	$71,553	$34
   7	Utah	$70,926	$34
   8	Illinois	$68,394	$33
   9	Kansas	$68,109	$33
   10	Tennessee	$68,010	$33
   11	Georgia	$67,903	$33
   12	Colorado	$64,649	$31

   Average buying analyst salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	YellowHammer	$105,369	$50.66
   2	Rakuten Advertising	$94,231	$45.30
   3	Toyota Financial Svc	$91,138	$43.82	1
   4	Alstom	$86,469	$41.57	4
   5	Pentair	$85,729	$41.22	2
   6	Sandvik Coromant	$85,291	$41.01	4
   7	Philips Lighting North America	$84,532	$40.64
   8	Carrier	$81,302	$39.09
   9	Wpp Us Holdings Inc	$78,285	$37.64	8
   10	Honeywell	$77,937	$37.47	16
   11	SupplyCore	$76,310	$36.69
   12	Solugenix	$75,895	$36.49	1
   13	Volkswagen Group of America	$75,846	$36.46
   14	Pinnacle Technical Resources	$75,484	$36.29	4
   15	ACS Solutions	$72,354	$34.79
   16	Kelly Services	$66,934	$32.18	14
   17	Radiant Systems	$65,728	$31.60
   18	REVOLVE	$63,713	$30.63	4
   19	Robert Half	$60,667	$29.17	63
   20	R.M. Schulte & Associates	$45,655	$21.95

4. Writing a buying analyst job description

   A buying analyst job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a buying analyst job description:

   Buying analyst job description example

   Role Summary/Purpose:
   
   This role will perform the day-to-day processing of Purchasing to ensure that the Procure-to-Pay finances are maintained effectively and timely. The candidate will also assist in the simplification and centralization of PO lifecycle events including, but not limited to: PO creation, elimination of lost discounts, vendor accrual review and sharing and implementation of best practices across the various functions.
   
   Essential Responsibilities:
   
   Performs the following Purchasing activities:
   Act as Procurement liaison for internal buyers/requesters and suppliers across all business functions Work cross-functionally with S2P team to enhance and streamline processes Monitor, review and enforce Procurement, Sourcing and Supplier Management controls and compliance Identify, procure, track and measure cross-functional repetitive or spot buys Provide oversight and support for Technology-based procurement and governance process Identify procurement types to submit consolidated requisitions to increase efficiency Review, submit and monitor annual procurement needs on the behalf of the business functions Provide Tier-2 Customer Care service levels Manage and review Contract to Purchase Order alignment Monitor and review and process workflows to ensure timely requisition submissions Management of Purchase Order related Invoice HoldsFacilitate the delivery of goods (goods receipt) and services Utilize Coupa Advantage to procure pre-negotiated goods and services suppliers within the Coupa network (consortium) Partner with Sourcing to identify catalog opportunities for procurement of goods and services
   
   Qualifications/Requirements:
   Degree in Commerce or similar business-related experience Minimum 3+ years Source-to-Pay experience (Procurement, Sourcing, Contracts, Accounts Payable, etc.) Experience and proficiency with Coupa Procurement software or similar procurement software solution Excellent interpersonal and communication skills For Internal Applicants: Understand the criteria or mandatory skills required for the role, before applying.Inform your Manager or HRM before applying for any role on Workday.Ensure that your Professional Profile is updated (fields such as Education, Prior experience, Other skills) and it is mandatory to upload your updated resume (Word or PDF format) Must not be any corrective action plan (First Formal/Final Formal, PIP) Employees who have completed 18 months in the organization and 12 months in current role and level are only eligible.
   
   Desired Characteristics:
   Advanced analytical and negotiation skills Effective project management skills with ability to manage multiple stakeholders Experience with Oracle or similar ERP system
   
   Grade/Level: 07
   
   Job Family Group:
   Finance

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right buying analyst for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with buying analysts they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit buying analysts who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your buying analyst job on Zippia to find and recruit buying analyst candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit buying analysts, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new buying analyst

   Once you've found the buying analyst candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new buying analyst. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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