Grants administrator vs purchasing supervisor

The differences between grants administrators and purchasing supervisors 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 purchasing supervisor. Additionally, a purchasing supervisor has an average salary of $68,702, 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 purchasing supervisor are purchase orders, MRP, and supplier performance.

Grants administrator vs purchasing supervisor overview

	Grants Administrator	Purchasing Supervisor
Yearly salary	$49,206	$68,702
Hourly rate	$23.66	$33.03
Growth rate	6%	-6%
Number of jobs	60,227	19,412
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 65%	Bachelor's Degree, 62%
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 purchasing supervisor do?

A purchasing supervisor orders supplies, equipment, and materials from vendors by buyers. The purchasing supervisors assess, select, and build relationships with the vendors. They do the negotiation for the contracts of goods and services. It is their job to review the purchase orders for accuracy and ensure to obtain the best prices. The skills supervisors need to develop include marketing, communication, leadership, and management. They should also know about purchasing products and services.

Grants administrator vs purchasing supervisor salary

Grants administrators and purchasing supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Grants Administrator	Purchasing Supervisor
Average salary	$49,206	$68,702
Salary range	Between $38,000 And $62,000	Between $45,000 And $104,000
Highest paying City	New Brunswick, NJ	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	New Jersey	California
Best paying company	Children's Hospital Colorado	CDW
Best paying industry	Health Care	Technology

Differences between grants administrator and purchasing supervisor education

There are a few differences between a grants administrator and a purchasing supervisor in terms of educational background:

	Grants Administrator	Purchasing Supervisor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 65%	Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Grants administrator vs purchasing supervisor demographics

Here are the differences between grants administrators' and purchasing supervisors' demographics:

	Grants Administrator	Purchasing Supervisor
Average age	48	48
Gender ratio	Male, 28.2% Female, 71.8%	Male, 57.4% Female, 42.6%
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, 7.8% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between grants administrator and purchasing supervisor 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.

Purchasing supervisor example responsibilities.

Manage increasing procurement demands of inventory/supplies for manufacturing activities base on an ERP MRP system.
Lead and analyze all RFQ's, RFI's and RFP's from different qualify vendors.
Interview current and prospective suppliers to determine supplier capabilities, logistics and inventory control and management while negotiate delivery terms.
Review requisitions and RFP's, obtain quotations, negotiate pricing, examine bids and award contracts.
Assist in the yearly budgeting process including RFQ's and establishing contracts both locally and at the corporate level.
Direct large projects by creating RFP's, cost negotiation, and bid analysis on specifications and budget cost provided.

Grants administrator vs purchasing supervisor skills

Common grants administrator skills

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

Common purchasing supervisor skills

Purchase Orders, 20%
MRP, 5%
Supplier Performance, 4%
Logistics, 4%
Corrective Action, 4%
On-Time Delivery, 4%

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Grants Administrator
Grants Administrator vs Purchasing Supervisor

Updated January 8, 2025

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