What does a planner/buyer do?

A purchasing assistant is responsible for obtaining raw materials and goods for a business or company. They primarily function to assist purchasing managers or supervisors by keeping records, maintaining inventory, reviewing purchase orders, and monitoring shipments and deliveries. Furthermore, a purchasing assistant may perform administrative support tasks ranging from arranging appointments and managing schedules, answering calls and inquiries, reaching out to vendors and suppliers, producing reports, and coordinating with various departments to ensure the smooth flow of products within the company.

While similarities exist, there are also some differences between planner/buyers and purchasing assistant. For instance, planner/buyer responsibilities require skills such as "supply chain," "kanban," "lean manufacturing," and "supplier performance." Whereas a purchasing assistant is skilled in "purchase requisitions," "data entry," "place orders," and "payroll." This is part of what separates the two careers.

Procurement analysts procure favorable contracts by acting as liaisons between suppliers and their employers. They are hired by organizations that rely on supply chain management to analyze and evaluate potential suppliers, prepare reports about monthly supply costs, and negotiate contracts. With good critical thinking skills, these procurement analysts who are also known as purchasing analysts, evaluate vendors and suppliers based on the speed of delivery, quality, and price. They use quantitative methods to support fact-based decision-making to become competitive and to ensure cost-efficiency and high quality of the products and services.

Each career also uses different skills, according to real planner/buyer resumes. While planner/buyer responsibilities can utilize skills like "supply chain," "production schedules," "kanban," and "lean manufacturing," procurement analysts use skills like "data analysis," "procurement policies," "procurement process," and "market research."

A procurement agent develops profitable measures to save the client money and ensure the quality of goods supplied. Procurement agents obtain the purchased items through suppliers, monitor them, and expedite the orders. They oversee the activities and performance of the suppliers for compliance. Their duties include the verification of item receipts, resolving shipment-related problems, and authorizing purchase payments through documentation. The necessary skills for this job include being accomplished, decisive, and strong communication skills.

The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, planner/buyers are more likely to have skills like "production schedules," "kanban," "lean manufacturing," and "safety stock." But a procurement agent is more likely to have skills like "project management," "continuous improvement," "supplier management," and "supplier selection."

Senior Purchasing Agents are experienced employees in the company's purchasing department. They oversee the purchase requisitions of the employees. They validate requests, ensure that the requestors followed company guidelines, check the availability of the items with the chosen supplier, and forward the purchase order to the supplier. Upon fulfillment of the request, Senior Purchasing Agents check the deliveries, ensure that the items are complete and correct, forward the items to the requestor, and process the payment for the supplier. Senior Purchasing agents also prepare reports, spot trends in employee or department purchases, and create recommendations based on observations. They are also expected to form good working relationships with suppliers.