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Purchasing supervisor skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

7 min read

Quoted expert

Adrian Tan

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical purchasing supervisor skills. We ranked the top skills for purchasing supervisors based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 19.6% of purchasing supervisor resumes contained purchase orders as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a purchasing supervisor needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 purchasing supervisor skills for your resume and career

1. Purchase Orders

Here's how purchasing supervisors use purchase orders:

Developed a computer generated system of tracking purchase orders and invoices facilitating easier access to pertinent data and eliminating unnecessary paperwork.
Systematized products receiving, documented and coordinated purchase orders, and maintained glass inventories in fast-paced, high pressure environment.

2. MRP

MRP is an abbreviation of Material Requirements Planning and refers to the control system which is implemented in the planning and management of the activities related to manufacturing. Through MRP, manufacturers can easily schedule the production and it can also be used for inventory. MRP systems are mostly software-based but the process can also be carried out manually.

Here's how purchasing supervisors use mrp:

Managed increasing procurement demands of inventory/supplies for manufacturing activities based on an ERP MRP system.
Lead continuous improvement activities that resolved inaccurate MRP demands.

3. Supplier Performance

Supplier performance refers to practices aimed at optimizing a supplier's performance and capabilities.

Here's how purchasing supervisors use supplier performance:

Developed Supplier Database to record On-Time Delivery, performance and quality information used in Quarterly Supplier Performance Reviews.
Measured supplier performance using rating system based on quality, delivery, relationship management and cost.

4. Logistics

Logistics is a complete organization and implementation of a problem. Logistics are often considered in a complex business operation, as some works need detailed plannings. Logistics are also used in military action.

Here's how purchasing supervisors use logistics:

Maintained customer delivery time windows, the customer database system, and all communications associated with logistics distribution of materials.
Interviewed current and prospective suppliers to determine supplier capabilities, logistics and inventory control and management while negotiated delivery terms.

5. Corrective Action

Here's how purchasing supervisors use corrective action:

Perform ongoing supplier evaluations and identify problem areas that impact supplier delivery/quality performance and initiate corrective action.
Perform Vendor evaluations, address Customer complaints identify root cause and implement corrective action.

6. On-Time Delivery

On-Time Delivery, or OTD, is a metric that measures the rate at which finished goods and deliveries are completed on time. This rate is measured by the overall number of units shipped within a specified time frame agreed upon by the consumer and supplier. On-Time Delivery allows suppliers' compliance with delivery deadlines, and hence their consistency, to be assessed using a continuous and collaborative development approach.

Here's how purchasing supervisors use on-time delivery:

Implemented Best-Practice methods to achieve organizational goals for on-time delivery, quality and materials shortage avoidance.
Purchased and managed all material components to support production schedules and on-time delivery.

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7. ERP

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is computer software used by major corporations and organizations for conducting their management and accounting tasks efficiently. ERP systems bind different business processes with each other allowing smoother flow of data between them resulting in swift project assessment and completion.

Here's how purchasing supervisors use erp:

Renovated purchasing policies after ERP implementation.
Supply Chain lead for the implementation of new ERP system, JD Edwards Enterprise One.

8. Continuous Improvement

Continuous improvement is an ongoing process of improvement of products, services, and processes with the help of innovative ideas. It is an organized approach that helps an organization to find its weaknesses and improve them.

Here's how purchasing supervisors use continuous improvement:

Led continuous improvement activities to reduce overall costs by identifying and implementing best practices across raw materials.
Promoted environment of continuous improvement resulting in greater than 50% of PVO procured via preferred sourcing models.

9. Inventory Control

Here's how purchasing supervisors use inventory control:

Organized labor for Procurement Department including order processing, production planning, inventory control and monthly purchasing report.
Coordinated, scheduled and directed personnel in Materials Handling and Inventory Control through manual and computerized systems.

10. Cost Reduction

Here's how purchasing supervisors use cost reduction:

Focused on cost reduction actions by implementing new business solutions on outsourced activities, increasing sales and elevating customer satisfaction levels.
Maintained accurate material cost data and assisted in cost reduction program by identifying and qualifying schedules as required.

11. Production Schedules

The project plan of a film or a documentary that highlights how a production budget will be spent over a given period until its completion is called a production schedule. The scheduling process starts with writing and analyzing the script, which is then broken down to determine and allocate the budget for each scene. The production schedule also includes several elements of the film including; cast actors, special effects, wardrobe, special equipment, stunts, extras, silent bits, production equipment, and many others.

Here's how purchasing supervisors use production schedules:

Communicate among departments to proactively maintain production schedules are met and delays to customers are reduced.
Coordinate material requirements with production schedules, customer requirements and provide feedback to scheduling and management.

12. Commodities

Here's how purchasing supervisors use commodities:

Consolidated purchasing departments eliminating duplication of commodities and procurement systems, resulting in a first-year savings of $125k.
Managed nine-member team of purchasing professionals responsible for key component commodities required by manufacturing.

13. Process Improvement

Here's how purchasing supervisors use process improvement:

Hired and trained qualified purchasing associates, developed and implemented process improvement plans and managed a department budget.
Manage supplier relationships and developed productivity process improvements in order to increase customer satisfaction and improve supplier relations.

14. Inventory Management

Here's how purchasing supervisors use inventory management:

Support engineering, program management, business development, sales, inventory management, accounting, and manufacturing business units.
Supervised all new and existing catalog products inventory management, production planning and scheduling and graphic component purchasing.

15. Direct Reports

Here's how purchasing supervisors use direct reports:

Managed five direct reports including four buyer/planners and one material coordinator with over $10 million inventory responsibility
Set priorities and assigned workload among direct reports commensurate with their experience and procurement authority.

5 Purchasing Supervisor resume examples

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What skills help Purchasing Supervisors find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What type of skills will young purchasing supervisors need?

Adrian Tan

Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator, Pennsylvania State University - New Kensington

The feedback from business leaders is that they wish to see a balanced mix of different skills in new graduates. An unexpected skill mentioned is the ability to use spreadsheets such as Excel. Companies do not expect to have to train new employees to use spreadsheets, though it turned out that spreadsheets are widely used (at varying levels of complexity) at all levels in organizations. An assumption here is that if a graduate already has good spreadsheet skills, then the graduate should also have the ability to quickly pick up on other more complex business IT skills required by the organization.
Businesses also need to know if their new employees can effectively interact with internal or external audiences. In this regard, excellent presentation skills are the minimum expectation from businesses. Presentation skills (both formal and informal) include the ability to read people, to communicate, and to covey information appropriately to the different types of audiences they may encounter - and these may sometimes include bored, skeptical, adversarial or even hostile audiences.
Every organization also requires graduates to show that they are good team-players. In addition to that, it is a big advantage if graduates can also demonstrate sound leadership skills in the context of teamwork. This is because new employees with leadership potential are viewed as those who are willing to go the extra mile, able to function with minimum supervision, can roll with the punches to jump back into the fray, and trusted to welcome (instead of to avoid) new assignments or challenges. Leadership skills are also seen as closely aligned with the possession of a corporate entrepreneurial mindset in that such employees are more willing to challenge the status quo, come up with out-of-the-box ideas, and help lead transformation efforts that can guide the organization in the future.

Do you want to know more?

List of purchasing supervisor skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a purchasing supervisor resume and required skills for a purchasing supervisor to have include:

Purchase Orders
MRP
Supplier Performance
Logistics
Corrective Action
On-Time Delivery
ERP
Continuous Improvement
Inventory Control
Cost Reduction
Production Schedules
Commodities
Process Improvement
Inventory Management
Direct Reports
R
Procurement Process

Performance Reviews
ISO
Strategic Sourcing
MRO
Supplier Selection
RFQ
Vendor Performance
RFP
Vendor Relations
Payment Terms
Strong Management
Kanban
Physical Inventory
Cycle Counts
KPI
FDA
Capital Equipment

Bid Proposals
Contract Terms
EDI
International Suppliers
Cost Analysis
Product Line
BOM
Buy Analysis
VMI
AS400
JIT
OEM
Contract Negotiations
Part Numbers
Service Contracts
Electronic Components

Updated January 8, 2025

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.

Updated January 8, 2025

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