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What does a purchasing buyer do?

Updated January 8, 2025
5 min read
What does a purchasing buyer do

In a retail setting, a purchasing buyer is primarily responsible for devising strategies for procuring supplies, ensuring that it aligns with the company's needs and standards. They are also responsible for conducting thorough marketing research and analysis, coordinating with different departments to gather and process documentation, liaising and negotiating with vendors and suppliers, and keeping track of all purchasing orders to ensure accuracy and timeliness. Furthermore, as a purchasing buyer, it is essential to maintain records of all transactions and submit regular reports to supervisors.

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Purchasing buyer responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real purchasing buyer resumes:

  • Manage the development of RFP process per departmental and legal requirements.
  • Create and manage requisitions, code billing statements and reconcile monthly bills in PeopleSoft.
  • Manage logistics and materials receive for appropriate quantities, timeliness and accuracy to complete project project.
  • Complete request for quotation (RFQ), design reviews, and advance product quality planning (APQP).
  • Used MRP to track and develop orders for electronic and mechanical commodities for high volume 32,000 a day unit product.
  • Make purchasing decisions base on the examination and recommendations of the ERP planning system and issuing and maintaining supplier purchase orders.
  • Interview and confer with current and prospective suppliers to determine supply capabilities, transportation logistics inventory control and management.
  • Administer and reconcile the payroll tax and stock option/purchase plans.
  • Process temporary and regular staff payroll, accounts receivable and payable, conduct daily invoicing.
  • Purchase materials using ERP systems on a competitive basis in support of production and non-production activities.
  • Maintain A/R to make sure payments are applied to there accounts accordingly; oversee A/P and daily deposits.
  • Track and chart all milestones starting with RFQ through delivery of production parts while maintaining proper inventory levels at the plant.
  • Transact daily activities to support MRP delivery requirements while regulating inventory levels and lowest total cost.
  • Create and implement a standard interactive electronic MRO purchase requisition, effectively reducing communication errors for materials and services.
  • Develop and maintain strategic alliances supporting RFP process, distributor contract negotiations, distributor and supplier partnerships and supply continuity.

Purchasing buyer skills and personality traits

We calculated that 29% of Purchasing Buyers are proficient in Purchase Orders, Logistics, and Cost Savings.

We break down the percentage of Purchasing Buyers that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Purchase Orders, 29%

    Place purchase orders for both inventory and non-inventory items and follow-up as required in order assuring an adequate material supply.

  • Logistics, 6%

    Interviewed and conferred with current and prospective suppliers to determine supply capabilities, transportation logistics inventory control and management.

  • Cost Savings, 5%

    Provided ongoing cost savings by monitoring minimum maximum inventor eliminating non-usage parts and returning to suppliers for credit.

  • ERP, 4%

    Represented the Procurement Department as Subject Matter Expert during the company's development of a new ERP system (SAP).

  • MRP, 4%

    Purchased electronics -Inventory management using MRP system -Managed 2 million dollar electronic inventory -Negotiate vendor purchasing contracts and item quotes

  • RFQ, 4%

    Tracked and charted all milestones starting with RFQ through delivery of production parts while maintaining proper inventory levels at the plant.

Common skills that a purchasing buyer uses to do their job include "purchase orders," "logistics," and "cost savings." You can find details on the most important purchasing buyer responsibilities below.

All purchasing buyer skills

The three companies that hire the most purchasing buyers are:

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Compare different purchasing buyers

Purchasing buyer vs. Senior agent

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.

If we compare the average purchasing buyer annual salary with that of a senior agent, we find that senior agents typically earn a $2,314 higher salary than purchasing buyers make annually.While the two careers have a salary gap, they share some of the same responsibilities. Employees in both purchasing buyer and senior agent positions are skilled in strategic sourcing, strong negotiation, and global sourcing.

While similarities exist, there are also some differences between purchasing buyers and senior agent. For instance, purchasing buyer responsibilities require skills such as "purchase orders," "logistics," "cost savings," and "erp." Whereas a senior agent is skilled in "right-of-way," "real estate," "sr," and "work ethic." This is part of what separates the two careers.

Senior agents earn the highest salaries when working in the energy industry, with an average yearly salary of $59,581. On the other hand, purchasing buyers are paid more in the automotive industry with an average salary of $49,368.On average, senior agents reach similar levels of education than purchasing buyers. Senior agents are 1.0% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.7% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Purchasing buyer 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.

A career as a landman brings a higher average salary when compared to the average annual salary of a purchasing buyer. In fact, landmen salary is $35,382 higher than the salary of purchasing buyers per year.

In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, purchasing buyer responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "purchase orders," "logistics," "cost savings," and "erp." Meanwhile, a landman has duties that require skills in areas such as "ownership reports," "title searches," "due diligence," and "right-of-way." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.

In general, landmen achieve similar levels of education than purchasing buyers. They're 2.0% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.7% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Purchasing buyer vs. Procurement analyst

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.

An average procurement analyst eans a higher salary compared to the average salary of purchasing buyers. The difference in salaries amounts to procurement analysts earning a $16,977 higher average salary than purchasing buyers.Using the responsibilities included on purchasing buyers and procurement analysts resumes, we found that both professions have similar skill requirements, such as "purchase orders," "logistics," and "cost savings.rdquo;

There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a purchasing buyer is likely to be skilled in "inventory control," "cost reduction," "computer system," and "iso," while a typical procurement analyst is skilled in "customer service," "data analysis," "procurement policies," and "procurement process."

Procurement analysts make a very good living in the retail industry with an average annual salary of $66,395. On the other hand, purchasing buyers are paid the highest salary in the automotive industry, with average annual pay of $49,368.procurement analysts typically earn higher educational levels compared to purchasing buyers. Specifically, they're 6.8% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.6% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Purchasing buyer vs. Subcontract administrator

As a subcontract administrator, you will be responsible for identifying the needs of a company and implement measures and initiatives to fulfill those needs. This role will require you to perform a few tasks, including responding to purchase requisitions, soliciting bids and proposals from new and existing sources, and evaluating terms and awarding the subcontract. You are then expected to monitor the subcontract terms, including plans, progress, and payments. You will also be responsible for negotiating additions, modifications, and deletions of subcontracts.

Subcontract administrators tend to earn a higher pay than purchasing buyers by an average of $18,215 per year.While their salaries may vary, purchasing buyers and subcontract administrators both use similar skills to perform their duties. Resumes from both professions include skills like "purchase orders," "cost savings," and "rfq. "

Even though a few skill sets overlap between purchasing buyers and subcontract administrators, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a purchasing buyer might have more use for skills like "logistics," "erp," "mrp," and "inventory control." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of subcontract administrators require skills like "program management," "bid packages," "non-disclosure agreements," and "dod. "

In general, subcontract administrators earn the most working in the technology industry, with an average salary of $84,146. The highest-paying industry for a purchasing buyer is the automotive industry.In general, subcontract administrators hold higher degree levels compared to purchasing buyers. Subcontract administrators are 5.3% more likely to earn their Master's Degree and 1.0% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of purchasing buyer

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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