Grants administrator vs planner/buyer

The differences between grants administrators and planner/buyers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a grants administrator and a planner/buyer. Additionally, a planner/buyer has an average salary of $54,261, which is higher than the $49,206 average annual salary of a grants administrator.

The top three skills for a grants administrator include grants management, financial reports and pre-award. The most important skills for a planner/buyer are supply chain, purchase orders, and customer service.

Grants administrator vs planner/buyer overview

	Grants Administrator	Planner/Buyer
Yearly salary	$49,206	$54,261
Hourly rate	$23.66	$26.09
Growth rate	6%	-3%
Number of jobs	60,227	33,452
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 65%	Bachelor's Degree, 65%
Average age	48	48
Years of experience	6	6

What does a grants administrator do?

A grants administrator is responsible for approving financial and administrative assistance to employees and the organization provided that they submit the required documents and application for project development and processes. Grants administrators determine the eligibility of programs to calculate payments, generate financial reports and transactions, and coordinate with the management team for project implementation. They also follow strict procedures and protocols to ensure that the budget adheres to internal guidelines and requirements. A grants administrator must have excellent communication and analytical skills to review proposals and legal documents.

What does a planner/buyer do?

The role of buyers/planners is to ensure that office materials and equipment are well-supplied within their organization. They decide and purchase the materials needed for use or resale by their organization. They are responsible for evaluating prospective suppliers based on their cost, product quality, and delivery times. They are also the ones who negotiate contracts specifying the payment terms, price, and delivery schedules. Most employers prefer their buyer to have earned a bachelor's degree with a major in operations management or business management.

Grants administrator vs planner/buyer salary

Grants administrators and planner/buyers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Grants Administrator	Planner/Buyer
Average salary	$49,206	$54,261
Salary range	Between $38,000 And $62,000	Between $37,000 And $77,000
Highest paying City	New Brunswick, NJ	Billerica, MA
Highest paying state	New Jersey	Massachusetts
Best paying company	Children's Hospital Colorado	Edwards Lifesciences
Best paying industry	Health Care	Technology

Differences between grants administrator and planner/buyer education

There are a few differences between a grants administrator and a planner/buyer in terms of educational background:

	Grants Administrator	Planner/Buyer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 65%	Bachelor's Degree, 65%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Grants administrator vs planner/buyer demographics

Here are the differences between grants administrators' and planner/buyers' demographics:

	Grants Administrator	Planner/Buyer
Average age	48	48
Gender ratio	Male, 28.2% Female, 71.8%	Male, 47.9% Female, 52.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 7.7% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 7.9% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between grants administrator and planner/buyer duties and responsibilities

Grants administrator example responsibilities.

Establish operating policies and procedures and attain SNF Medicare certification.
Update faculty regarding new federal sponsor (NIH and NSF) policies and regulations.
Verify compliance documents (IRB, IACUC, internal documents) with RVL and PCRO on inter-institutional agreements.
Organize and prepare grant applications for submission to NIH and private foundations.
Submit research relate regulatory and annual reports, including IRB applications and updates, annual reports, and the like.
Serve as technical resource for grant recipients with knowledge of federal regulations and guidelines; OMB circulars A110 and A122.

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Planner/buyer example responsibilities.

Manage assign commodities by communicating MRP changes to the suppliers, minimizing obsolete inventory while achieving the optimum inventory levels.
Manage monthly and year end physical inventory audits of all raw materials, WIP, and finish goods.
Manage inventory pipelines from NPI to manufacturing and/or offshore contract manufacturers.
Utilize company ERP system for inventory management and schedule optimization.
Plan and coordinate all material requirements of assign commodities and supplier availability utilizing the MRP system.
Synchronize with packers and freight forwarders to arrange and prepare documentation shipment export.

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Grants administrator vs planner/buyer skills

Common grants administrator skills

Grants Management, 11%
Financial Reports, 6%
Pre-award, 6%
Customer Service, 5%
Research Administration, 5%
Principal Investigators, 5%

Common planner/buyer skills

Supply Chain, 14%
Purchase Orders, 14%
Customer Service, 7%
MRP, 6%
ERP, 3%
Logistics, 3%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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