Profession purchaser
Purchasers select and purchase stock, materials, services or goods. They organise tender procedures and select suppliers.
Would you like to know what kind of career and professions suit you best? Take our free Holland code career test and find out.
Personality Type
- Enterprising / Conventional
Knowledge
- International import export regulations
Know the principles that govern the import and export of products and equipment, trade restrictions, health and safety measures, licenses, etc.
- Embargo regulations
The national, international and foreign sanctions and embargo regulations, e.g. Council Regulation (EU) No 961/2010.
- Export control principles
The restrictions a country imposes on its exported products and goods.
- Supply chain management
The flow of goods in the supply chain, movement and storage of raw materials, work-in-process inventory, and finished goods from point of origin to point of consumption.
Skills
- Ensure compliance with purchasing and contracting regulations
Implement and monitor company activities in compliance with legal contracting and purchasing legislations.
- Coordinate purchasing activities
Coordinate and manage procurement and renting processes including purchasing, renting, planning, tracking and reporting in a cost efficient way on an organisational level.
- Apply procurement
Undertake ordering of services, equipment, goods or ingredients, compare costs and check the quality to ensure optimal payoff for the organisation.
- Issue purchase orders
Produce and review the documents needed to authorise shipment of a product from the supplier at a specified price and within specific terms.
- Identify suppliers
Determine potential suppliers for further negotiation. Take into consideration aspects such as product quality, sustainability, local sourcing, seasonality and coverage of the area. Evaluate the likelihood of obtaining beneficial contracts and agreements with them.
- Compare contractors' bids
Compare proposals to award a contract in order to execute specified jobs within a prescribed frame of time.
- Assess supplier risks
Evaluate supplier performance in order to assess which suppliers do or may not perform adequately, stick to the agreed contracts, meet the standard requirements and desired quality at all times or who may pose future risks.
- Have computer literacy
Utilise computers, IT equipment and modern day technology in an efficient way.
- Manage tender processes
Organise the process of writing and designing proposals or bids for tenders.
- Manage contracts
Negotiate the terms, conditions, costs and other specifications of a contract while making sure they comply with legal requirements and are legally enforceable. Oversee the execution of the contract, agree on and document any changes.
- Track price trends
Monitor the direction and momentum of the product prices on a long-term basis, identify and predict the movement of prices as well as identify the recurring trends.
- Speak different languages
Master foreign languages to be able to communicate in one or more foreign languages.
- Maintain relationship with customers
Build a lasting and meaningful relationship with customers in order to ensure satisfaction and fidelity by providing accurate and friendly advice and support, by delivering quality products and services and by supplying after-sales information and service.
- Manage purchasing cycle
Oversee complete purchasing cycle, including generating requisitions, PO creation, PO follow-up, goods reception, and final payment actions.
- Maintain relationship with suppliers
Build a lasting and meaningful relationship with suppliers and service providers in order to establish a positive, profitable and enduring collaboration, co-operation and contract negotiation.