What does a purchaser do?
A Purchaser is responsible for buying goods and services from distribution centers to sell to customers or other companies. They conduct data analysis and research current market trends to identify public demands and generate resources that would increase the company's revenues and profitability. They also ensure the adequacy of supply inventories for deliveries, respond to customers' inquiries and concerns, and recommend products according to their needs and budget requirements. A Purchaser must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in documenting purchase transactions and negotiating contracts with suppliers and vendors.
Purchaser responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real purchaser resumes:
- Purchase components for production; run daily production schedule; manage inventory of items; source alternative items for production
- Work extensively with customers to identify business and project requirements through RFI's, RFP's, and RFQ's.
- Handle RFQ (request for quotation) and the RFB (request for bid).
- Insure day to day operations run smoothly.
- Operate ERP system in factory and keep the data update.
- Order parts & MRO items as needed for production workers.
- Organize and prepare supporting paperwork for accounting (QuickBooks).
- Oversee payroll, delivery, receiving, credit, and store expenses.
- Purchase assigned parts from international vendors using reorder level and MRP base systems.
- Present the report of products with best prices to customers via QuickBooks estimating.
- Sign lien releases make deposits hand out payroll keep track of their sick days.
- Revamp vendor evaluation to ensure ISO standards are meet, including creating tracking and evaluation system.
- Ensure items in POs are compliant with respective guidelines and policies through proper auditing, allocating and categorizing procedures.
- Obtain quotes from vendors and update ERP system to maintain accurate database of vendors, accounts and product information.
- Work involves purchasing and procuring commodities, equipment, and services using guidelines, rules, policies, and laws.
Purchaser skills and personality traits
We calculated that 38% of Purchasers are proficient in Purchase Orders, FDA, and POS.
We break down the percentage of Purchasers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Purchase Orders, 38%
Prepared purchase order request and reviewed contracts within budget limitations set in place by management and negotiated contracts when appropriate.
- FDA, 7%
Served on the Safety Committee ensuring proper AIB, FDA, USDA, DEP, and OSHA regulations were followed.
- POS, 6%
Assisted executive counterpart in Japan by, purchase planning and forecasting of specialized commodities, and processing POs for expense reporting.
- Commodities, 5%
Procured commodities and services utilizing state statutes and agency guidelines.
- Logistics, 4%
Supervised staff in the daily inventory and logistics of a large manufacturing facility.
- Expedite, 3%
Acted as liaison between vendors and warehousing personnel to expedite product distribution.
Most purchasers use their skills in "purchase orders," "fda," and "pos" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential purchaser responsibilities here:
The three companies that hire the most purchasers are:
- Robert Half19 purchasers jobs
- Marriott International17 purchasers jobs
- Burns & McDonnell9 purchasers jobs
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Compare different purchasers
Purchaser vs. Landman
Landmen are referred to as the public-facing side of a gas, mineral, and oil exploration and production team. They are professionals who interact and negotiate directly with landowners for the acquisition of gas and oil drilling leases. Their duties include acquiring subsurface mineral rights from the landowners. They negotiate mineral rights, which include marketing and leasing right from the owner. The skills necessary for the job include management skills, leadership, communication skills, and attention to detail.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, purchaser responsibilities require skills like "purchase orders," "fda," "pos," and "commodities." Meanwhile a typical landman has skills in areas such as "ownership reports," "title searches," "due diligence," and "right-of-way." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
On average, landmen reach similar levels of education than purchasers. Landmen are 0.1% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 8.3% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Purchaser vs. Senior contract administrator/contract administrator
A senior agent manages incoming calls, generates leads, and schedules appointments for important meetings. They must accurately track and respond to the internet leads and provide top quality customer service to the clients. Their job also requires them to travel to multiple countries to monitor company functions. They must also estimate the costs of infrastructure and construction projects.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that purchaser responsibilities requires skills like "fda," "pos," "commodities," and "logistics." But a senior contract administrator/contract administrator might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "contract administration," "proposal preparation," "contract management," and "contract terms."
Senior contract administrators/contract administrators may earn a higher salary than purchasers, but senior contract administrators/contract administrators earn the most pay in the finance industry with an average salary of $97,980. On the other hand, purchasers receive higher pay in the technology industry, where they earn an average salary of $56,101.senior contract administrators/contract administrators earn higher levels of education than purchasers in general. They're 10.8% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 8.3% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Purchaser vs. Senior agent
A materials analyst is responsible for managing the assets and materials of an organization, ensuring the adequacy of office inventories to support business operational functions. Materials analysts identify cost-reduction materials by coordinating with trusted suppliers and third-party vendors. They handle the distribution of goods and order processes according to the company's supply chain management. A materials analyst must have excellent organizational and analytical skills, especially in conducting data and statistical analysis to obtain high-quality materials that would meet the customers' demands.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from purchaser resumes include skills like "purchase orders," "pos," "commodities," and "logistics," whereas a senior agent is more likely to list skills in "right-of-way," "real estate," "sr," and "work ethic. "
Senior agents earn the highest salary when working in the energy industry, where they receive an average salary of $59,581. Comparatively, purchasers have the highest earning potential in the technology industry, with an average salary of $56,101.senior agents typically earn similar educational levels compared to purchasers. Specifically, they're 1.1% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.7% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Purchaser vs. Material analyst
Types of purchaser
Updated January 8, 2025
