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The differences between materials planning managers 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 planning manager and a director of purchasing. Additionally, a director of purchasing has an average salary of $106,945, which is higher than the $95,361 average annual salary of a materials planning manager.
The top three skills for a materials planning manager include material planning, logistics and continuous improvement. The most important skills for a director of purchasing are supply chain, purchase orders, and product development.
| Materials Planning Manager | Director Of Purchasing | |
| Yearly salary | $95,361 | $106,945 |
| Hourly rate | $45.85 | $51.42 |
| Growth rate | -6% | -6% |
| Number of jobs | 32,967 | 17,847 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Materials planning managers are management professionals who are responsible for developing material planning processes to enable operational and production continuity in a manufacturing firm. These managers must ensure that the supply of materials is available so that they can meet and satisfy production requirements. They must manage and develop a team that meets objectives and delivers best practice results and continuous improvements. Material planning managers must also collaborate with the purchasing team to evaluate the performance of suppliers and provide resolution about their concerns.
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 planning managers and directors of purchasing have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Materials Planning Manager | Director Of Purchasing | |
| Average salary | $95,361 | $106,945 |
| Salary range | Between $73,000 And $124,000 | Between $68,000 And $166,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Fitbit | Rivian |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a materials planning manager and a director of purchasing in terms of educational background:
| Materials Planning Manager | Director Of Purchasing | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between materials planning managers' and directors of purchasing' demographics:
| Materials Planning Manager | Director Of Purchasing | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 77.2% Female, 22.8% | Male, 75.1% Female, 24.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 7.4% White, 67.4% 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% |