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The differences between purchasing program managers and directors of purchasing 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 program manager and a director of purchasing. Additionally, a director of purchasing has an average salary of $106,945, which is higher than the $76,255 average annual salary of a purchasing program manager.
The top three skills for a purchasing program manager include supply chain, logistics and RFQ. The most important skills for a director of purchasing are supply chain, purchase orders, and product development.
| Purchasing Program Manager | Director Of Purchasing | |
| Yearly salary | $76,255 | $106,945 |
| Hourly rate | $36.66 | $51.42 |
| Growth rate | -6% | -6% |
| Number of jobs | 98,769 | 17,847 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Purchasing Program Managers will need a bachelor's degree in this field with certification options in the Institute for Supply Management, American Purchasing Society, Association for Operations Management, or other such organizations. They must also have cultivated skills in understanding supply chains, supplier performance, and logistics. Paying out at around $103K per year on average, they will be called to design, plan, and implement strategies for sourcing and purchasing, work with the suppliers and manufacturers, maintain databases of suppliers, negotiate price lowering, and focus on building and maintaining relationships with the necessary suppliers and vendors.
A director of purchasing oversees the procedures related to buying resources and supplies, directing operations from planning to execution while adhering to standards and company policies. They primarily perform research and assessments to understand project needs in terms of price, quality, and delivery time. They also identify ideal suppliers, negotiate deals, and build positive business relationships. Additionally, a director of purchasing has the authority to make significant decisions, delegate responsibilities among staff, oversee employment procedures within the department, and solve issues and concerns when any arise.
Purchasing program managers and directors of purchasing have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Purchasing Program Manager | Director Of Purchasing | |
| Average salary | $76,255 | $106,945 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $171,000 | Between $68,000 And $166,000 |
| Highest paying City | Ridgecrest, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Washington |
| Best paying company | Safran | Rivian |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a purchasing program manager and a director of purchasing in terms of educational background:
| Purchasing Program Manager | Director Of Purchasing | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between purchasing program managers' and directors of purchasing' demographics:
| Purchasing Program Manager | Director Of Purchasing | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 59.3% Female, 40.7% | Male, 75.1% Female, 24.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 7.5% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 7.5% White, 66.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |