Purchasing Manager (Procurement Manager)
A Purchasing Manager is responsible for ensuring that a company has a clear purchasing and procurement strategy when purchasing goods so that they meet budgetary and other operational requirements of the company and that this buying strategy is adhered to. Some companies require suppliers to meet certain standards such as ISO accreditation and the Purchasing Manager will be responsible for ensuring that suppliers meet these requirements from a Procurement perspective and an Ethical Compliance perspective.
Typical day to day tasks undertaken by a Procurement Manager might include producing tenders, forecasting future business needs (Opex or Capex) by liaising with internal colleagues, researching potential suppliers, supplier onboarding, developing and maintaining relationships with key suppliers, monitoring the timely delivery of products and services and ensuring all projects meet financial, legal and regulatory compliance. If the Purchasing Manager has a team of staff, she/he will also need to manage, motivate and support the team.
Skills & Experience Required for a Career in Purchasing
- A Bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject such as science, business, project management or supply chain
- An additional professional qualification from the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply would be helpful
- Good working knowledge of Material Requirements Planning (MRP) systems, for either Capital Expenditure (Capex) or Operational Expenditure (OpEx) and strong general IT skills.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to communicate with influence colleagues, clients and suppliers
- Good negotiating skills to achieve the best price from suppliers.
- Understanding of OpEx / Capex budget management processes
Salary Levels/Career Progression
Although a degree and several years’ experience would typically be required for a Procurement or Purchasing manager position, there are opportunities for non-graduates to have a career in Procurement or Purchasing. Typical entry level roles might include Buyer’s Assistant, Junior Buyer, Buyer, Purchasing Assistant or Procurement Assistant.
A Purchasing Manager in a large organisation may have the opportunity to progress to roles such as Head Buyer, Head of Procurement, Director of Procurement and Purchasing or similar. Salaries of a typical Procurement Manager start in the region of £45k upward dependent on the size of the organisation and location.