Purchasing Managers Go Back to List Plan, direct, or coordinate the activities of buyers, purchasing officers, and related workers involved in purchasing materials, products, and services. Includes wholesale or retail trade merchandising managers and procurement managers.

Technology used in this occupation:
	Financial analysis software

Tasks
	Maintain records of goods ordered and received.
	Locate vendors of materials, equipment or supplies, and interview them to determine product availability and terms of sales.
	Prepare and process requisitions and purchase orders for supplies and equipment.
	Control purchasing department budgets.
	Interview and hire staff, and oversee staff training.
	Review purchase order claims and contracts for conformance to company policy.
	Analyze market and delivery systems to assess present and future material availability.
	Develop and implement purchasing and contract management instructions, policies, and procedures.
	Participate in the development of specifications for equipment, products or substitute materials.
	Resolve vendor or contractor grievances, and claims against suppliers.

Skills
	Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
	Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
	Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
	Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
	Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
	Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
	Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
	Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
	Management of Personnel Resources - Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
	Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Knowledge
	Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
	English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
	Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
	Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
	Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
	Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
	Transportation - Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
	Personnel and Human Resources - Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
	Economics and Accounting - Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
	Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

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Education & Training   Education:   Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.   Related Experience:   A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.

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Wage Information
	Region Average Entry Level  Mid-Range  Annual  Hourly  Statewide $144,039.00 $69.25  $45.90  $53.00 - $82.26  Bridgeport/Stamford $165,334.00 $79.49  $52.58  $61.56 - $90.99  Danbury $132,106.00 $63.52  $43.27  $50.71 - $72.62  Hartford $136,653.00 $65.70  $44.02  $51.45 - $77.70  New Haven $132,075.00 $63.50  $44.06  $49.58 - $70.95  New London/Norwich $151,383.00 $72.78  $50.49  $54.83 - $81.77  Waterbury $115,071.00 $55.32  $37.08  $43.78 - $61.62  Torrington $120,541.00 $57.96  $43.57  $47.66 - $61.89

Occupation Outlook ( 2016 - 2026 ) Average Annual Job Openings:   133   Employment in this occupation is expected to grow more slowly than average, and the number of annual openings will offer limited job opportunities.

Related Occupations
	General and Operations Managers
	Marketing Managers
	Transportation Managers
	Storage and Distribution Managers
	Logistics Managers
	Training and Development Managers
	Supply Chain Managers
	Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products
	Logisticians
	Logistics Analysts

	Some of the occupational information on this page is formulated from O*NETTM v17.0 data. O*NETTM is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.