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What is a technical buyer and how to become one
Technical buyers are people responsible for keeping track of purchase orders of their establishment. A high school diploma and on-the-job training are the basic qualifications for this role. They have the option to obtain a certificate or an associate's degree in procurement, supply chain, or a similar area.
The main responsibility of a technical buyer is to prepare orders on behalf of their clients. In addition, they also review pricing and product requirements from multiple vendors to have the best value. Other activities for this role include the formation and management of acquisitions and pricelists, and whether their businesses have adequate inventory at their disposal. Often, they inspect packages manually to ensure they have the necessary products.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics or BLS, the annual average pay for technical buyers is around $43,180. A technical buyer must have strong communication and management skills, and knowledge of numerous software programs.
Avg. Salary $60,382
Avg. Salary $59,228
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.78%
Asian 7.56%
Black or African American 9.09%
Hispanic or Latino 12.46%
Unknown 4.41%
White 65.71%
Genderfemale 37.52%
male 62.48%
Age - 49American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 49Stress level is high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work life balance is poor
6.4 - fair
Technical buyer career paths
Key steps to become a technical buyer
Explore technical buyer education requirements
Start to develop specific technical buyer skills
Skills Percentages Purchase Orders 13.90% Supplier Performance 9.95% Strategic Sourcing 4.92% Vendor Relationships 4.69% POS 4.47% Complete relevant technical buyer training and internships
Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New technical buyers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a technical buyer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real technical buyer resumes.Research technical buyer duties and responsibilities
- Manage assign plastics, metals and electronic commodities, to ensure quality, quantity and delivery standards are attain.
- Support cross-region store openings and manage various procurement programs including hardware and POS systems.
- Manage activities of purchasing, production planning and scheduling, inventory management, warehousing and logistics.
- Develop RFP's and RFI's to leverage buying power with vendors.
Prepare your technical buyer resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your technical buyer resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a technical buyer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable technical buyer resume templates
Build a professional technical buyer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your technical buyer resume.
Apply for technical buyer jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a technical buyer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first technical buyer job
Are you a technical buyer?
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Average technical buyer salary
The average technical buyer salary in the United States is $60,382 per year or $29 per hour. Technical buyer salaries range between $44,000 and $81,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do technical buyers rate their job?
Technical buyer reviews
Have a direct impact of the company bottom targets.
To be involved in negotiations
I like all in this job, because I have the choise to be in relation with a lot of persons and know what they are doing against purchasing also what the use to buy and under what coondition
I learned all that I knew by doing. I had no college just hands on by day to day interaction with vendors and co workers.
In most cases I'm finding you need a college degree to do what I did without it. I know there is a company out there that would train me. I could be an asset if given a chance.
Updated January 8, 2025
