How to hire a purchasing project manager

How to hire a purchasing project manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step purchasing project manager hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a purchasing project manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new purchasing project manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your purchasing project manager job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a purchasing project manager for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A purchasing project manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, purchasing project managers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of purchasing project manager salaries for various roles:

   Type of Purchasing Project Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Purchasing Project Manager	Purchasing managers plan, direct, and coordinate the buying of materials, products, or services for wholesalers, retailers, or organizations. They oversee the work of procurement-related occupations including buyers and purchasing agents.	$35-62
   Director, Procurement	The responsibilities of a procurement director revolve around ensuring the efficient and smooth flow of supplies within the company, developing procurement strategies for optimal services and operations, assessing risks, and overseeing the implementation of new policies and regulations in the company. It is essential to coordinate with analysts to identify areas with potential opportunities or those needing improvements... Show more	$47-95
   Procurement Officer	A procurement officer is primarily in charge of overseeing the procurement of supplies and equipment for an organization, prioritizing cost-efficiency and quality. It is their duty to manage the company's supply inventory, compile and analyze procurement requests, develop purchase plans, handle purchase procedures, and maintain records of all transactions, producing reports regularly... Show more	$25-48

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Purchase Orders
   • Project Management
   • BOM
   • Logistics
   • Cost Savings
   • Production Schedules
   • General Contractors
   • Product Development
   • Construction Projects
   • Cost Reduction
   • Inventory Control
   • RFP
   • Vendor Relations
   • Project Scope

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage all procurement activities to support manufacturing operations including raw materials, tooling, components and MRO services.
   • SAP MRP purchase order and purchase requisition development.
   • Issue RFQ packages to suppliers to maximize savings opportunities.
   • Evaluate RFQ packages and select suppliers base on establish Siemens policies.
   • Promote to develop standard business process, design and implement a global ERP solution across the procurement cycle.
   • Paper and book manufacturing purchase activity under the new ERP seamlessly from the old system to the new.

   More purchasing project manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the purchasing project manager job description is a good way to get more applicants. A purchasing project manager salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a purchasing project manager in Oklahoma may be lower than in California, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level purchasing project manager. Additionally, a purchasing project manager with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average purchasing project manager salary

   $97,838yearly

   $47.04 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level purchasing project manager salary

   $73,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

   Average purchasing project manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$99,704	$48
   2	Michigan	$98,758	$47
   3	Rhode Island	$96,560	$46
   4	Indiana	$90,899	$44
   5	Illinois	$89,084	$43
   6	Minnesota	$87,777	$42
   7	Wisconsin	$83,698	$40
   8	Tennessee	$79,937	$38
   9	Georgia	$77,981	$37

   Average purchasing project manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Graco	$99,586	$47.88
   2	Randstad North America, Inc.	$98,733	$47.47	8
   3	Volvo Construction Equipment	$98,070	$47.15
   4	Uline	$97,444	$46.85	4
   5	Maesa	$95,986	$46.15
   6	AGCO	$95,337	$45.84	2
   7	Allegheny Millwork	$93,533	$44.97	5
   8	Cummins	$87,100	$41.88	8

4. Writing a purchasing project manager job description

   A purchasing project manager job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a purchasing project manager job description:

   Purchasing project manager job description example

   Santa Clara Valley (Cupertino),California,United States
   
   Software and Services
   
   + Outstanding analytical and critical thinking skills, with a very high level of attention to detail, organizational skills, and the ability to maintain accurate records
   
   + Experience delivering in a fast-paced, rapidly growing, highly dynamic environment with flexibility and the ability to adapt quickly to sudden changes in priorities and emerging issues
   
   + Strong ability to collaborate with all levels within the organization and a willingness to establish and maintain relationships and partner with various teams to work cross-functionally
   
   + Exceptional written and verbal communications skills, with an ability to explain complex or technical problems & solutions
   
   + Excel or Numbers proficiency
   
   + Previous inventory and purchasing experience is required
   
   + Must be able to lift 50lbs
   
   **Description**
   
   - Oversee the processing of purchase requests for goods and services (OPEX PR, AOU Work Store, AOU PR, and CapEx Lab Genius submissions) for WTE SCV and worldwide - Handle shipping and receiving of fixed assets and AOU for WTE SCV - Supervise the shipping/inventory warehouse and the process for best use of the resource - Establish the AOU Inventory lab and determine an inventory of frequently used supplies to create an instant fulfillment system for WTE worldwide - Create, implement, and maintain a system for tracking all fixed assets, AOU, and other required equipment and run yearly fixed asset audit for WTE SCV and worldwide - Budgeting, managing and tracking CAPEX/OPEX spending for WTE SCV and worldwide - Managing the data collection of budget planning proposals for WTE orgs and teams, rolling up to a consolidated budget plan - Work closely with finance to assess priorities for tracking and spending - Handle purchase requisitions for non-US divisions & non-SCV sites - Partner with cross-functional management to create and implement cost center level policies to ensure adherence to corporate policies and procedures - Troubleshooting orders, shipments, and/or supplier setup request roadblocks and unblocking them providing quick resolutions - Create, maintain, and document efficient processes for our purchasing and inventory team from end to end (including fixed asset inventory) for and non-US sites - Other various finance related tasks including, but not limited to: utilization of internal systems such as Supplier Connect, SAP and other finance tools, managing and tracking Work closely with WTE, WTE Construction PM, Admins, and RE&D to facilitate the expansion of WTE in SCV
   
   **Education & Experience**
   
   BA/BS degree or equivalent experience in a related field desired
   
   **Additional Requirements**
   
   + - Experience building and instituting an inventory system from the ground up a plus
   
   + - Experience with Apple products a plus
   
   **Apple Footer**
   
   Apple is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to inclusion and diversity. We take affirmative action to ensure equal opportunity for all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics. Learn more about your EEO rights as an applicant (Opens in a new window) .
   
   Apple will not discriminate or retaliate against applicants who inquire about, disclose, or discuss their compensation or that of other applicants. United States Department of Labor. Learn more (Opens in a new window) .
   
   Apple is required to comply with a COVID-19 vaccination mandate issued by the New York City Department of Health. We will verify the vaccination status of all New York City team members who are working at an Apple Store, office, or partner store in New York City. New York City Department of Health Learn more (Opens in a new window) .
   
   Apple will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable law. If you're applying for a position in San Francisco, review the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance guidelines (opens in a new window) applicable in your area.
   
   Apple participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations as required by law. Learn more about the E-Verify program (Opens in a new window) .
   
   Apple is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to applicants with physical and mental disabilities. Apple is a drug-free workplace. Reasonable Accommodation and Drug Free Workplace policy Learn more (Opens in a new window) .

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right purchasing project manager for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with purchasing project managers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit purchasing project managers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your purchasing project manager job on Zippia to find and recruit purchasing project manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with purchasing project manager candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new purchasing project manager

   Once you've decided on a perfect purchasing project manager candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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