CareerGPS

Purchasing Managers
Summary Occupational Forecast Data for Purchasing Managers
Employment Employment Change Average Annual Job Openings Wage & Training Levels
2020 2025 Numerical Percent New Jobs Replacement Jobs Total Median Hourly Median Annual Training Levels
380 416 36 9.60% 7 35 42 $58.58 $121,840 Bachelor's degree
Description: Plan, direct, or coordinate the activities of buyers, purchasing officers, and related workers involved in purchasing materials, products, and services.
Forecast Data Source: EMSI (4th Quarter 2023)

Occupation Details

The information in this section represents occupational characteristics included in O*NET which defines key features of an occupation as a standardized, measurable set of variables called "descriptors". These distinguishing characteristics of an occupation are described in greater detail in the O*NET Content Model. All items are listed in descending order of importance.

  • Maintain records of goods ordered and received.
  • Locate vendors of materials, equipment or supplies, and interview them to determine product availability and terms of sales.
  • Prepare and process requisitions and purchase orders for supplies and equipment.
  • Control purchasing department budgets.
  • Interview and hire staff, and oversee staff training.
  • Review purchase order claims and contracts for conformance to company policy.
  • Analyze market and delivery systems to assess present and future material availability.
  • Develop and implement purchasing and contract management instructions, policies, and procedures.
  • Participate in the development of specifications for equipment, products or substitute materials.
  • Resolve vendor or contractor grievances, and claims against suppliers.
  • Represent companies in negotiating contracts and formulating policies with suppliers.
  • Review, evaluate, and approve specifications for issuing and awarding bids.
  • Direct and coordinate activities of personnel engaged in buying, selling, and distributing materials, equipment, machinery, and supplies.
  • Prepare reports regarding market conditions and merchandise costs.
  • Administer online purchasing systems.

Knowledge

76%
Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
75%
English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
72%
Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
65%
Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
65%
Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
63%
Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
62%
Transportation - Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
61%
Economics and Accounting - Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
61%
Personnel and Human Resources - Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

Skills

75%
Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
72%
Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
72%
Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
72%
Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
69%
Management of Personnel Resources - Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
69%
Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
69%
Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
69%
Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
69%
Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
65%
Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
65%
Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
65%
Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
65%
Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
62%
Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
60%
Management of Financial Resources - Determining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures.
60%
Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
60%
Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
60%
Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
56%
Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
56%
Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
53%
Management of Material Resources - Obtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain work.
53%
Systems Evaluation - Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.

Abilities

72%
Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
72%
Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
72%
Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
72%
Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
72%
Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
69%
Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
69%
Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
69%
Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
65%
Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
62%
Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
62%
Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
60%
Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
60%
Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
56%
Number Facility - The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
56%
Mathematical Reasoning - The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
53%
Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
53%
Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
50%
Perceptual Speed - The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes compa

Work Activities

87%
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
83%
Communicating with Persons Outside Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
83%
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
81%
Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
81%
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
81%
Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
78%
Interacting With Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
76%
Monitoring and Controlling Resources - Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
75%
Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
75%
Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
74%
Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
74%
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
73%
Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
71%
Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
70%
Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
70%
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
67%
Selling or Influencing Others - Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
65%
Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
64%
Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
63%
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
63%
Staffing Organizational Units - Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
63%
Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
62%
Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
62%
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
62%
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
62%
Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
61%
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
61%
Provide Consultation and Advice to Others - Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
60%
Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
58%
Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
55%
Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information - Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
Title Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Overall Experience A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Job Training Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Job Zone Examples Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include accountants, sales managers, database administrators, teachers, chemists, environmental engineers, criminal investigators, and special agents.
Education Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Interests

Enterprising - Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Work Styles

Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Self Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

Work Values

Working Conditions - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.