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The differences between directors of purchasing and supply chain directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a director of purchasing and a supply chain director. Additionally, a supply chain director has an average salary of $129,438, which is higher than the $106,945 average annual salary of a director of purchasing.
The top three skills for a director of purchasing include supply chain, purchase orders and product development. The most important skills for a supply chain director are supply chain, logistics, and chain operations.
| Director Of Purchasing | Supply Chain Director | |
| Yearly salary | $106,945 | $129,438 |
| Hourly rate | $51.42 | $62.23 |
| Growth rate | -6% | - |
| Number of jobs | 17,847 | 37,396 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A director of purchasing oversees the procedures related to buying resources and supplies, directing operations from planning to execution while adhering to standards and company policies. They primarily perform research and assessments to understand project needs in terms of price, quality, and delivery time. They also identify ideal suppliers, negotiate deals, and build positive business relationships. Additionally, a director of purchasing has the authority to make significant decisions, delegate responsibilities among staff, oversee employment procedures within the department, and solve issues and concerns when any arise.
A supply chain director is primarily in charge of the overall supply chain operations in a company. Their responsibilities revolve around devising strategies to improve processes, creating business plans and sales forecasts, delegating tasks, coordinating and selecting suppliers and vendors, creating new supply chain policies when necessary, and spearheading the inventory and delivery processes. There are also instances when a supply chain director must report to higher-ranking officials, produce progress reports, and craft presentations. Furthermore, as a director, it is essential to lead the workforce while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Directors of purchasing and supply chain directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Director Of Purchasing | Supply Chain Director | |
| Average salary | $106,945 | $129,438 |
| Salary range | Between $68,000 And $166,000 | Between $90,000 And $185,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Rivian | Chewy |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a director of purchasing and a supply chain director in terms of educational background:
| Director Of Purchasing | Supply Chain Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between directors of purchasing' and supply chain directors' demographics:
| Director Of Purchasing | Supply Chain Director | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.1% Female, 24.9% | Male, 83.1% Female, 16.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 7.5% White, 66.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 7.4% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 8.8% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 10% |