What Do Purchasing Agents Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Purchasing Agents purchase machinery, equipment, tools, parts, supplies, or services necessary for the operation of an establishment. Purchase raw or semi-finished materials for manufacturing. They also monitor and follow applicable laws and regulations.

Other tasks include:

• Prepare purchase orders, solicit bid proposals, and review requisitions for goods and services.
• Negotiate, renegotiate, and administer contracts with suppliers, vendors, and other representatives.
• Purchase the highest quality merchandise at the lowest possible price and in correct amounts.
• Analyze price proposals, financial reports, and other data and information to determine reasonable prices.
• Formulate policies and procedures for bid proposals and procurement of goods and services.
• Hire, train, or supervise purchasing clerks, buyers, and expediters.

We asked Purchasing Agents how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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65% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 43% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Purchasing Agents monitor and follow applicable laws and regulations. They purchase the highest quality merchandise at the lowest possible price and in correct amounts.

A typical day for a Purchasing Agent will also include:

• Hire, train, or supervise purchasing clerks, buyers, and expediters.
• Prepare purchase orders, solicit bid proposals, and review requisitions for goods and services.
• Maintain and review computerized or manual records of purchased items, costs, deliveries, product performance, and inventories.
• Negotiate, renegotiate, and administer contracts with suppliers, vendors, and other representatives.
• Monitor changes affecting supply and demand, tracking market conditions, price trends, or futures markets.

We asked some Purchasing Agents a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	95% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	48% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	76% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	19% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	0% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	71% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Purchasing Agents also review catalogs, industry periodicals, directories, trade journals, and Internet sites and consult with other department personnel to locate necessary goods and services. They may also analyze price proposals, financial reports, and other data and information to determine reasonable prices.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Purchasing Agents Evaluate and monitor contract performance to ensure compliance with contractual obligations and to determine need for changes. They might also Write and review product specifications, maintaining a working technical knowledge of the goods or services to be purchased.

In addition, they Confer with staff, users, and vendors to discuss defective or unacceptable goods or services and determine corrective action.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Study sales records and inventory levels of current stock to develop strategic purchasing programs that facilitate employee access to supplies.

To some Purchasing Agents, it is also their responsibility to Negotiate, renegotiate, and administer contracts with suppliers, vendors, and other representatives.

Working life

More than 40 hours per week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Purchasing Agent, you can expect to work more than 40 hours per week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas..

They also like starting up and carrying out projects. They like leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/business-and-financial/buyers-and-purchasing-agents.htm

http://www.american-purchasing.com/

http://www.apics.org/

http://www.nigp.org/