Buyer Position Description
Buyers, also known as purchasing agents, are employed in many industries, and their purchasing duties can range from retail or wholesale procurement to direct purchasing or purchasing of raw materials.
Other People Are Reading
-
Reporting Structure
-
In most organizations, a buyer typically reports directly to a purchasing manager, who, in turn, reports to the purchasing director.
General Job Duties
-
Buyers are responsible for monitoring inventory levels at their company and for purchasing supplies or items to replenish those inventory levels. In addition, buyers deal with vendors and suppliers on a daily basis, so they should possess good supplier relations skills. In many organizations, buyers are also tasked with maintaining supplier contracts and ensuring that the company is paying the right price for each item it is purchasing.
-
Education
-
Educational requirements vary from organization to organization. Some companies prefer recent college graduates, while other companies seek to promote and train from within the organization. Generally, a bachelor's degree in business is preferred.
Qualifications
-
Buyers are expected to work with computers and procurement information systems on a routine basis, and some analytical proficiency is a requirement, as well. In addition, buyers should possess skills necessary for negotiating sales contracts or deals.
Experience
-
As with education, experience requirements differ between organizations. As mentioned above, some companies like to hire recent college graduates who will have little, if any, experience. However, other companies prefer to hire people who have had many years of experience, either in purchasing/procurement or in a specific industry itself. In many situations, a company who requires much experience will pay relative to that experience. Therefore, it can afford to be selective.
-
