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The differences between senior purchasing managers and purchasing supervisors 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 purchasing supervisor. Additionally, a senior purchasing manager has an average salary of $109,837, which is higher than the $68,702 average annual salary of a purchasing supervisor.
The top three skills for a senior purchasing manager include supply chain, purchase orders and logistics. The most important skills for a purchasing supervisor are purchase orders, MRP, and supplier performance.
| Senior Purchasing Manager | Purchasing Supervisor | |
| Yearly salary | $109,837 | $68,702 |
| Hourly rate | $52.81 | $33.03 |
| Growth rate | -6% | -6% |
| Number of jobs | 19,183 | 19,412 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 47 | 48 |
| 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 purchasing supervisor orders supplies, equipment, and materials from vendors by buyers. The purchasing supervisors assess, select, and build relationships with the vendors. They do the negotiation for the contracts of goods and services. It is their job to review the purchase orders for accuracy and ensure to obtain the best prices. The skills supervisors need to develop include marketing, communication, leadership, and management. They should also know about purchasing products and services.
Senior purchasing managers and purchasing supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Purchasing Manager | Purchasing Supervisor | |
| Average salary | $109,837 | $68,702 |
| Salary range | Between $79,000 And $152,000 | Between $45,000 And $104,000 |
| Highest paying City | Oakland, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Tonix Pharmaceuticals | CDW |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a senior purchasing manager and a purchasing supervisor in terms of educational background:
| Senior Purchasing Manager | Purchasing Supervisor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between senior purchasing managers' and purchasing supervisors' demographics:
| Senior Purchasing Manager | Purchasing Supervisor | |
| Average age | 47 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 68.0% Female, 32.0% | Male, 57.4% Female, 42.6% |
| 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, 9.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 7.8% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 7% |