Senior sourcing manager vs purchasing manager

The differences between senior sourcing managers and purchasing managers 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 sourcing manager and a purchasing manager. Additionally, a senior sourcing manager has an average salary of $113,406, which is higher than the $98,118 average annual salary of a purchasing manager.

The top three skills for a senior sourcing manager include strategic sourcing, project management and category strategies. The most important skills for a purchasing manager are supply chain, strategic sourcing, and project management.

Senior sourcing manager vs purchasing manager overview

	Senior Sourcing Manager	Purchasing Manager
Yearly salary	$113,406	$98,118
Hourly rate	$54.52	$47.17
Growth rate	-6%	-6%
Number of jobs	12,200	30,430
Job satisfaction	-	4
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 69%	Bachelor's Degree, 66%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	6	6

What does a senior sourcing manager do?

A senior sourcing manager is an individual who manages a team that is responsible for identifying necessary products and services that support the daily operations of an organization. Senior sourcing managers are required to manage the overall sourcing strategy of the organization and conduct research to understand its operations needs and requirements. They must build relationships with vendors and key suppliers so that they can negotiate on pricing and control costs. Senior sourcing managers must also propose a yearly budget that depends on the organization's sourcing needs.

What does a purchasing manager do?

A purchasing manager is responsible for organizing and managing products to order or sell. Purchasing managers review product specifications, negotiate pricing details with the vendors, evaluate and choose the best suppliers, and assist purchasing agents. Purchase managers are also responsible for resolving order processing issues and analyzing current market trends to determine which products to purchase. A purchasing manager must have excellent decision-making and strategical skills to examine effects, inspect defective items, and create an in-depth analysis of customers' needs to improve their performance and sales.

Senior sourcing manager vs purchasing manager salary

Senior sourcing managers and purchasing managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Senior Sourcing Manager	Purchasing Manager
Average salary	$113,406	$98,118
Salary range	Between $76,000 And $168,000	Between $70,000 And $136,000
Highest paying City	San Bruno, CA	Richmond, CA
Highest paying state	California	Maine
Best paying company	Airbnb	McKinsey & Company Inc
Best paying industry	Telecommunication	Technology

Differences between senior sourcing manager and purchasing manager education

There are a few differences between a senior sourcing manager and a purchasing manager in terms of educational background:

	Senior Sourcing Manager	Purchasing Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 69%	Bachelor's Degree, 66%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Stanford University	Stanford University

Senior sourcing manager vs purchasing manager demographics

Here are the differences between senior sourcing managers' and purchasing managers' demographics:

	Senior Sourcing Manager	Purchasing Manager
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 63.9% Female, 36.1%	Male, 67.0% Female, 33.0%
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, 12.5% Asian, 7.5% White, 66.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	11%	11%

Differences between senior sourcing manager and purchasing manager duties and responsibilities

Senior sourcing manager example responsibilities.

Manage and lead identified team through all sourcing activities including RFP development and analysis, auctioning, consortium buying, etc.
Manage OEM purchase FG & new product device introduction.
Manage domestic material suppliers, service providers and MRO vendors.
Lead selection process for reverse auction and on-line RFx technology by service providers.
Execute RFP for manage print services resulting in refresh of 2100 MFD's while saving $240K.
Manage all aspects of RFQ, price/cost analysis, negotiation and award of contracts to vendors worldwide.

Purchasing manager example responsibilities.

Manage payroll and accounts payable.
Lead major purchasing projects for automotive OEM vehicles.
Used RFI, RFP, RFQ techniques to identify, select, and engage with suppliers to ensure competitive market advantage.
Establish an integrate MRO supply program which eliminate specific company manage buying, inventory control and warehousing functions.
Manage all procurement activities to support manufacturing operations including raw materials, tooling, components and MRO services.
Manage several indirect sourcing RFP projects including categories for translation services, payroll services, capital equipment and engineering services.

Senior sourcing manager vs purchasing manager skills

Common senior sourcing manager skills

Strategic Sourcing, 9%
Project Management, 8%
Category Strategies, 5%
Supplier Performance, 5%
Supplier Relationships, 4%
Supplier Management, 4%

Common purchasing manager skills

Supply Chain, 15%
Strategic Sourcing, 7%
Project Management, 5%
Supplier Performance, 5%
Continuous Improvement, 4%
Purchase Orders, 4%

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Senior Sourcing Manager
Senior Sourcing Manager vs Purchasing Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

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