Nature of work
Purchasing managers and purchasing agents are responsible for buying products for organizations to use/resell. They interview vendors and visit suppliers' distribution centers to assess their capabilities and examine products, services, and prices. Besides, they analyze price proposals, financial reports, and other information to determine reasonable prices. Purchasing managers/agents negotiate contracts on behalf of the organization and work out policies with suppliers who meet the organization’s needs.Mainly, they use many resources to find out about potential suppliers and learn about new industry trends by attending meetings, trade shows, and conferences. They evaluate and monitor contracts to ensure that vendors and supplies comply with the conditions and determine need for changes. Meeting with staff and vendors is essential to discuss defective/unacceptable goods or services and determine corrective action. Finally, purchasing managers should maintain records of items bought, costs, deliveries and product performance.
They must predict what will appeal to the customers to know which items they should buy. Their decisions are critical because being wrong means jeopardizing the profits and reputation of the organization
Environment of work
This job is generally a full-time job. Purchasing Manager should expect to work overtime when necessary. His job is based in comfortable offices; however, sometimes he has to travel to other places. He should also be ready for the idea of traveling outside Syria to get some work done. Professional life
In this domain there are several types of purchasing managers, buyers, and purchasing agents. He can be a wholesale and retail buyer where he purchase goods for resale to consumers (e.g. clothing and electronics). If he buy finished goods for resale, he will be known as a buyer or merchandise manager. Working for a large organization generally means he will specialize in one or two lines of merchandise (e.g. men's clothing, women's shoes or children's toys). Whereas working for small stores means he may be responsible for buying everything the store sells.If you are interested in agriculture, you can specialize in buying farm and agricultural products (e.g. grain, cotton, and tobacco) for further processing or resale.
A purchasing manager plans and coordinates the work of buyers and purchasing agents, and usually handle more complicated purchases. If he is employed by government agencies or manufacturing firms, he will be called a purchasing director, manager, or agent; sometimes he will be known as contract specialist. He can also specialize in negotiating and supervising contracts for supplies, and here he will be called a supply manager.
The median annual wage get is 40000 SYP.
Getting the job
In order to work as a buyer or purchasing agent in a small organization, it is generally enough to have a high school diploma and on-the-job training for more than one year. During this time, students learn how to perform basic duties, including monitoring inventory levels and negotiating with suppliers.However, if someone chooses to work for large stores, he will need a Bachelor's Degree and some business or accounting classes. Regarding the position of a purchasing manager, he should have at least a Bachelor’s Degree and some work experience in the field. A Master’s degree is required if he want to advance to some top-level purchasing manager job. He should also know that there are many manufacturing firms that put a greater emphasis on formal training, preferring applicants who have a Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Engineering, Business, Economics, or one of the Applied Sciences.
If he wants to be ahead of other applicants, it would be a good idea to support his knowledge with some more certification because it shows professional competence in a specialized field of purchasing. For example, he may go for CPSM - Certified Professional in Supply Management, or ISM - Certification - Certified Purchasing Manager.
Skills
Along with the academic qualifications and experience, A purchasing manager needs some essential skills that would help him be successful in his job. For example, he needs analytical skills when evaluating suppliers. He must analyze their options and choose a supplier with the best combination of price and quality.He should also have decision-making skills –he must have the ability to make informed and timely decisions in choosing products that will sell.
Basic math skills are required too because he must be able to compare prices from different suppliers to ensure that organization is getting the best deal.
Finally, it is truly important to possess negotiating skills because he has to negotiate the terms of a contract with a supplier. Interpersonal skills and self-confidence, in addition to knowledge of the product, can help lead to successful negotiation.
Sources and references
If you need any further information on what is included in this file, you can visit the following websites: www.ism.ws, Institute for Supply Management
Arab Standard Classification of Occupations, 2008, Ed. Arab Labor Organization.