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The differences between purchasing managers and contracts directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a purchasing manager and a contracts director. Additionally, a purchasing manager has an average salary of $98,118, which is higher than the $73,351 average annual salary of a contracts director.
The top three skills for a purchasing manager include supply chain, strategic sourcing and project management. The most important skills for a contracts director are contract management, oversight, and contract terms.
| Purchasing Manager | Contracts Director | |
| Yearly salary | $98,118 | $73,351 |
| Hourly rate | $47.17 | $35.26 |
| Growth rate | -6% | -6% |
| Number of jobs | 30,430 | 12,378 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A purchasing manager is responsible for organizing and managing products to order or sell. Purchasing managers review product specifications, negotiate pricing details with the vendors, evaluate and choose the best suppliers, and assist purchasing agents. Purchase managers are also responsible for resolving order processing issues and analyzing current market trends to determine which products to purchase. A purchasing manager must have excellent decision-making and strategical skills to examine effects, inspect defective items, and create an in-depth analysis of customers' needs to improve their performance and sales.
A contract director is primarily in charge of developing and negotiating contracts with clients and partners, ensuring adherence to the company's policies and regulations. Their responsibilities typically revolve around performing extensive research and analysis to foresee potential advantages and disadvantages, coordinating with analysts and other experts, monitoring the progress of operations to ensure contract compliance of both parties, and overseeing the development of proposals within the organization. Furthermore, as a contract director, it is essential to lead and encourage the team to reach goals, all while implementing the mission and vision of the company.
Purchasing managers and contracts directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Purchasing Manager | Contracts Director | |
| Average salary | $98,118 | $73,351 |
| Salary range | Between $70,000 And $136,000 | Between $46,000 And $116,000 |
| Highest paying City | Richmond, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maine | California |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | Edwards Lifesciences |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a purchasing manager and a contracts director in terms of educational background:
| Purchasing Manager | Contracts Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between purchasing managers' and contracts directors' demographics:
| Purchasing Manager | Contracts Director | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 67.0% Female, 33.0% | Male, 58.1% Female, 41.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 7.5% White, 66.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |