Materials director vs purchasing manager

The differences between materials directors and purchasing managers 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 purchasing manager. Additionally, a materials director has an average salary of $127,061, which is higher than the $98,118 average annual salary of a purchasing manager.

The top three skills for a materials director include supply chain, logistics and continuous improvement. The most important skills for a purchasing manager are supply chain, strategic sourcing, and project management.

Materials director vs purchasing manager overview

	Materials Director	Purchasing Manager
Yearly salary	$127,061	$98,118
Hourly rate	$61.09	$47.17
Growth rate	-6%	-6%
Number of jobs	20,718	30,430
Job satisfaction	-	4
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 72%	Bachelor's Degree, 66%
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 purchasing manager do?

A purchasing manager is responsible for organizing and managing products to order or sell. Purchasing managers review product specifications, negotiate pricing details with the vendors, evaluate and choose the best suppliers, and assist purchasing agents. Purchase managers are also responsible for resolving order processing issues and analyzing current market trends to determine which products to purchase. A purchasing manager must have excellent decision-making and strategical skills to examine effects, inspect defective items, and create an in-depth analysis of customers' needs to improve their performance and sales.

Materials director vs purchasing manager salary

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

	Materials Director	Purchasing Manager
Average salary	$127,061	$98,118
Salary range	Between $92,000 And $173,000	Between $70,000 And $136,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Richmond, CA
Highest paying state	California	Maine
Best paying company	Koch Industries	McKinsey & Company Inc
Best paying industry	Energy	Technology

Differences between materials director and purchasing manager education

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

	Materials Director	Purchasing Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 72%	Bachelor's Degree, 66%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Stanford University	Stanford University

Materials director vs purchasing manager demographics

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

	Materials Director	Purchasing Manager
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 88.0% Female, 12.0%	Male, 67.0% Female, 33.0%
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, 12.5% Asian, 7.5% White, 66.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	11%	11%

Differences between materials director and purchasing manager 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.

Purchasing manager example responsibilities.

Manage payroll and accounts payable.
Lead major purchasing projects for automotive OEM vehicles.
Used RFI, RFP, RFQ techniques to identify, select, and engage with suppliers to ensure competitive market advantage.
Establish an integrate MRO supply program which eliminate specific company manage buying, inventory control and warehousing functions.
Manage all procurement activities to support manufacturing operations including raw materials, tooling, components and MRO services.
Manage several indirect sourcing RFP projects including categories for translation services, payroll services, capital equipment and engineering services.

Materials director vs purchasing manager skills

Common materials director skills

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

Common purchasing manager skills

Supply Chain, 15%
Strategic Sourcing, 7%
Project Management, 5%
Supplier Performance, 5%
Continuous Improvement, 4%
Purchase Orders, 4%

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Materials Director
Materials Director vs Purchasing Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

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