Materials director vs director of purchasing

The differences between materials directors and directors of purchasing can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a materials director and a director of purchasing. Additionally, a materials director has an average salary of $127,061, which is higher than the $106,945 average annual salary of a director of purchasing.

The top three skills for a materials director include supply chain, logistics and continuous improvement. The most important skills for a director of purchasing are supply chain, purchase orders, and product development.

Materials director vs director of purchasing overview

	Materials Director	Director Of Purchasing
Yearly salary	$127,061	$106,945
Hourly rate	$61.09	$51.42
Growth rate	-6%	-6%
Number of jobs	20,718	17,847
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 72%	Bachelor's Degree, 68%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	6	6

What does a materials director do?

A materials director oversees daily operations of a purchasing office and storeroom. They oversee an organizations' policies, supervise staff within the purchasing office, distribute supplies, carry out requisitions, coordinate warehouse activities, and maintain relationships with vendors. They also need to keep detailed records of procurement activities and material quantities.

What does a director of purchasing do?

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.

Materials director vs director of purchasing salary

Materials directors and directors of purchasing have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Materials Director	Director Of Purchasing
Average salary	$127,061	$106,945
Salary range	Between $92,000 And $173,000	Between $68,000 And $166,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	Washington
Best paying company	Koch Industries	Rivian
Best paying industry	Energy	Manufacturing

Differences between materials director and director of purchasing education

There are a few differences between a materials director and a director of purchasing in terms of educational background:

	Materials Director	Director Of Purchasing
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 72%	Bachelor's Degree, 68%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Stanford University	Stanford University

Materials director vs director of purchasing demographics

Here are the differences between materials directors' and directors of purchasing' demographics:

	Materials Director	Director Of Purchasing
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 88.0% Female, 12.0%	Male, 75.1% Female, 24.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 7.5% White, 66.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	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%
LGBT Percentage	11%	11%

Differences between materials director and director of purchasing duties and responsibilities

Materials director example responsibilities.

Manage cross-functional teams during the implementation of an ERP system that are successfully install and maintain without affecting the revenue stream.
Lead assembly operations and materials during major line reconfiguration and ISO certification.
Manage supplier performance base on identify KPIs and implement supplier-sourcing strategies to improve performance.
Implement and enhance use of MRP system, allowing use of accurate inventory reporting for fiscal year end.
Stream line and upgrade the planning process improving internal and external service levels in an ISO certify environment.
Enhance the functionality of the ERP system by revising all part numbers to conform to standardize part number/description protocols.

Director of purchasing example responsibilities.

Manage all aspects of the RFQ process, contracts, cost and rebate negotiations, and awarding of business.
Manage out-bound logistics services and third-party logistics providers to expand the range of commodities need to support automobile and aerospace manufacturing.
Develop standards and implement procedures for materials planning, product acquisition, inventory control, material distribution and logistics management.
Implement cost controls using commodity segmentation, vendor KPI's and cost justification base on key market indicators.
Monitor KPI indicators such as inventory turns, supplier on time delivery, inventory cycle count accuracy, and PPV.
Develop RFP (request for proposal) analysis, negotiation strategy, contract drafting and agreement execution plans on all contracts.

Materials director vs director of purchasing skills

Common materials director skills

Supply Chain, 17%
Logistics, 9%
Continuous Improvement, 6%
Materials Management, 5%
Inventory Control, 5%
On-Time Delivery, 5%

Common director of purchasing skills

Supply Chain, 18%
Purchase Orders, 9%
Product Development, 7%
Vendor Relations, 6%
Logistics, 5%
Cost Savings, 4%

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Materials Director
Materials Director vs Director Of Purchasing

Updated January 8, 2025

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