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The differences between senior purchasing 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 senior purchasing manager and a director of purchasing. Additionally, a senior purchasing manager has an average salary of $109,837, which is higher than the $106,945 average annual salary of a director of purchasing.
The top three skills for a senior purchasing manager include supply chain, purchase orders and logistics. The most important skills for a director of purchasing are supply chain, purchase orders, and product development.
| Senior Purchasing Manager | Director Of Purchasing | |
| Yearly salary | $109,837 | $106,945 |
| Hourly rate | $52.81 | $51.42 |
| Growth rate | -6% | -6% |
| Number of jobs | 19,183 | 17,847 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A senior purchasing manager is responsible for spearheading and overseeing the efforts in purchasing supplies for a company. They are in charge of managing purchasing teams, gathering purchase requests, identifying the company's needs, and setting goals in adherence to the budget. They must also liaise with vendors and suppliers, negotiate contracts, and build positive relationships with them. Furthermore, as a senior manager, it is essential to lead and encourage teams to reach goals, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
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.
Senior purchasing managers and directors of purchasing have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Purchasing Manager | Director Of Purchasing | |
| Average salary | $109,837 | $106,945 |
| Salary range | Between $79,000 And $152,000 | Between $68,000 And $166,000 |
| Highest paying City | Oakland, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Tonix Pharmaceuticals | Rivian |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a senior purchasing manager and a director of purchasing in terms of educational background:
| Senior Purchasing Manager | Director Of Purchasing | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between senior purchasing managers' and directors of purchasing' demographics:
| Senior Purchasing Manager | Director Of Purchasing | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 68.0% Female, 32.0% | Male, 75.1% Female, 24.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 7.4% White, 67.5% 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% |