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What is a purchasing administrative assistant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Anne McConnell Ph.D.

A purchasing administrative assistant handles all the procurement activities of an entity. He/she coordinates with vendors on the purchase of products and materials on behalf of the organization. They usually conduct researches on potential vendors in order to get the best quality products at reasonable costs. Purchasing administrative assistants also monitor product inventory and anticipate needs based on quarterly and annual numbers.

A purchasing administrative assistant typically reports to a procurement manager. They work closely with staff in all the other departments in order to provide procurement support to enable them to operate smoothly. A successful purchasing administrative assistant should have relevant purchasing experience, research skills, attention to detail, negotiation skills, communication skills, and analytical skills.

Purchasing administrative assistants work 40 hours a week Monday to Friday between 9 and 5. In extremely rare circumstances, they may be required to work additional hours in the late evenings and even through the weekends.

What general advice would you give to a purchasing administrative assistant?

Anne McConnell Ph.D.

Professor, West Virginia State University

I would say it's important to be very attentive to the way you communicate with your employers, managers, and co-workers. Even sending an e-mail can be an opportunity to demonstrate your professionalism and communication skills. Some people think that no one knows how to write anymore, or how to communicate in a professional way. I don't think that's true. But we don't always think about how our writing can be a tool to communicate our competence and seriousness. If you know how to write and communicate professionally-which college grads do-then make sure to demonstrate that in the workplace.
ScorePurchasing Administrative AssistantUS Average
Salary
3.0

Avg. Salary $37,889

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
6.0

Growth rate -8%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.1
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.73%

Asian 3.84%

Black or African American 9.37%

Hispanic or Latino 16.40%

Unknown 3.88%

White 65.78%

Gender

female 91.74%

male 8.26%

Age - 52
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 52
Stress level
6.0

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
4.4

Complexity level is basic

7 - challenging

Work life balance
7.6

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Purchasing administrative assistant career paths

Key steps to become a purchasing administrative assistant

  1. Explore purchasing administrative assistant education requirements

    Most common purchasing administrative assistant degrees

    Bachelor's

    39.7 %

    Associate

    33.5 %

    High School Diploma

    16.5 %
  2. Start to develop specific purchasing administrative assistant skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Purchase Orders33.47%
    Data Entry9.27%
    Customer Service8.69%
    Provides Administrative Support3.85%
    Office Equipment3.77%
  3. Complete relevant purchasing administrative assistant training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New purchasing administrative assistants learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a purchasing administrative assistant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real purchasing administrative assistant resumes.
  4. Research purchasing administrative assistant duties and responsibilities

    • Support medical doctors, manage sensitive and confidential records pertaining to high risk patients with emphasis on accuracy.
    • Prepare purchase orders, review requisitions, supply requests and MRP purchase reports.
    • Assess and close A/P, A/R monthly.
    • Support A/P by resolving invoice problems.
  5. Prepare your purchasing administrative assistant resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your purchasing administrative assistant resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a purchasing administrative assistant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable purchasing administrative assistant resume templates

    Build a professional purchasing administrative assistant resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your purchasing administrative assistant resume.
    Purchasing Administrative Assistant Resume
    Purchasing Administrative Assistant Resume
    Purchasing Administrative Assistant Resume
    Purchasing Administrative Assistant Resume
    Purchasing Administrative Assistant Resume
    Purchasing Administrative Assistant Resume
    Purchasing Administrative Assistant Resume
    Purchasing Administrative Assistant Resume
    Purchasing Administrative Assistant Resume
  6. Apply for purchasing administrative assistant jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a purchasing administrative assistant job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first purchasing administrative assistant job

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Average purchasing administrative assistant salary

The average purchasing administrative assistant salary in the United States is $37,889 per year or $18 per hour. Purchasing administrative assistant salaries range between $29,000 and $48,000 per year.

Average purchasing administrative assistant salary
$37,889 Yearly
$18.22 hourly

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How do purchasing administrative assistants rate their job?

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Purchasing administrative assistant reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2022
Pros

Writing a message,Organizing receipts and expenses and sending them out when needed

Cons

Failure to comply with working hours, theft and fraud,


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A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2020
Pros

It my passion to help people in need. It makes me feel good to see people the Youth do well in the life

Cons

I don't like to see anyone stuck in between and not being helped.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2020
Pros

everything except phones : Meeting,greeting, customer service, interviewing, on boarding, recruiting, presenting, etc.

Cons

phones - because of my accent


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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