Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between senior sourcing specialists and purchasers 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 specialist and a purchaser. Additionally, a senior sourcing specialist has an average salary of $79,213, which is higher than the $50,031 average annual salary of a purchaser.
The top three skills for a senior sourcing specialist include linkedin, HR and applicant tracking systems. The most important skills for a purchaser are purchase orders, FDA, and POS.
| Senior Sourcing Specialist | Purchaser | |
| Yearly salary | $79,213 | $50,031 |
| Hourly rate | $38.08 | $24.05 |
| Growth rate | -6% | - |
| Number of jobs | 7,764 | 6,852 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
The job of a senior sourcing specialist is to help companies implement more effective processes and systems to reduce costs and increase profitability. You will be responsible for negotiating with suppliers to procure materials, products, and services at the best possible price using your in-depth knowledge of their industry and strategic sourcing strategies. As a senior source specialist, you are expected to develop and implement inventory optimization strategies across the company. You will also need to find or develop solutions to improve company outsourcing and spending.
A Purchaser is responsible for buying goods and services from distribution centers to sell to customers or other companies. They conduct data analysis and research current market trends to identify public demands and generate resources that would increase the company's revenues and profitability. They also ensure the adequacy of supply inventories for deliveries, respond to customers' inquiries and concerns, and recommend products according to their needs and budget requirements. A Purchaser must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in documenting purchase transactions and negotiating contracts with suppliers and vendors.
Senior sourcing specialists and purchasers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Sourcing Specialist | Purchaser | |
| Average salary | $79,213 | $50,031 |
| Salary range | Between $60,000 And $103,000 | Between $36,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Atlantic City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | PayPal | Barnes Group |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Technology |
There are a few differences between a senior sourcing specialist and a purchaser in terms of educational background:
| Senior Sourcing Specialist | Purchaser | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between senior sourcing specialists' and purchasers' demographics:
| Senior Sourcing Specialist | Purchaser | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 51.8% Female, 48.2% | Male, 49.2% Female, 50.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 7.9% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 7.7% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |