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The differences between supply chain leads 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 supply chain lead and a director of purchasing. Additionally, a director of purchasing has an average salary of $106,945, which is higher than the $101,348 average annual salary of a supply chain lead.
The top three skills for a supply chain lead include supply chain, project management and kpis. The most important skills for a director of purchasing are supply chain, purchase orders, and product development.
| Supply Chain Lead | Director Of Purchasing | |
| Yearly salary | $101,348 | $106,945 |
| Hourly rate | $48.73 | $51.42 |
| Growth rate | - | -6% |
| Number of jobs | 34,069 | 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 supply chain lead specializes in overseeing the supply chain in a company, ensuring that everything is running smoothly. They are primarily responsible for managing schedules, monitoring supplies and logistics, addressing and resolving issues and concerns, and building positive relationships with vendors and suppliers. Supply chain leaders must also maintain quality control and inventory, coordinate workers, and produce progress reports for supervisors and high-ranking personnel. Furthermore, it is essential to lead and encourage staff, all while implementing the policies and standards of the company.
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.
Supply chain leads and directors of purchasing have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Supply Chain Lead | Director Of Purchasing | |
| Average salary | $101,348 | $106,945 |
| Salary range | Between $75,000 And $136,000 | Between $68,000 And $166,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Rivian |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a supply chain lead and a director of purchasing in terms of educational background:
| Supply Chain Lead | 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 supply chain leads' and directors of purchasing' demographics:
| Supply Chain Lead | Director Of Purchasing | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 71.5% Female, 28.5% | Male, 75.1% Female, 24.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.4% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 8.8% White, 66.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | 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 | 10% | 11% |