The purchasing manager position is in high demand and all indications are that this will continue for some time. The companies that deal with the suppliers need purchasing managers as they have to coordinate with them and accomplish the acquisition of various products or services to service customers. The roles and responsibilities of a purchasing manager revolve around the supply chain management and therefore it is very important that they efficiently perform the duties. They need to negotiate costs as well so that the best quality products can be purchased at the most optimum prices. Let us have a closer look at their responsibilities, qualifications, and career outlook.
Roles and responsibilities
The purchasing manager has to accomplish a number of tasks that include dealing with the suppliers and the vendors. They need to regularly monitor supply levels so that the stock is ordered and received on time. It is their responsibility to stay up-to-date with the current market trends to introduce a fresh range of products keeping in mind the demands of the people and the goals of the company they represent. They prepare a plan, execute it and ensure that everything runs smoothly. The vendor performance is also evaluated by them to ensure that all the transactions take place on time. Managers must be knowledgeable to perform all the duties to the best of their efforts.
Educational qualifications
The minimum qualification to become a purchasing manager is a bachelor’s degree in the field of Supply Chain Management. You need to excel in your communication; you must know how to talk to people and deal with them. If you have a little experience, it will be an added advantage and will help you to move one step ahead in your career. To move to higher positions, it is necessary that you gain quite a bit of experience and go on to attain your master’s degree as well.
Job outlook
Compared to other professional careers, the job outlook for purchasing managers looks more favorable than the national average. Projections show that by 2020 industry jobs will see at least 7 percent growth. Despite the advance in technology and purchasing software there still needs to be a person on the other end of this to set up rules, monitor usage, evaluate reports, and look for new avenues of cutting costs. There is no doubt that this industry is highly favorable and with hard work, proper goals, and professional degrees there is plenty of upward mobility for a better future.
