Buyers and
procurement officers
Description
Buyers and procurement officers organise and undertake the buying of raw materials, equipment and merchandise from manufacturers, importers, wholesalers and other sources for wholesale distribution, resale or for own internal use.
Tasks
- attends trade fairs, shows and demonstrations to research new product lines and suppliers, checks catalogues
- keeps up with market trends and chooses products/services
- assesses budgetary limitations and customer requirements and decides on quantity, type, range and quality of goods or services to be bought
- assesses bids from suppliers, finds suppliers and negotiates prices
- helps negotiate contract with supplier and specifies details of goods or services required
- looks at ways to improve supply networks, presents new ideas to senior management team
- ensures that delivered items comply with order, monitors quality of incoming goods and returns unsatisfactory or faulty items, monitors performance and makes sure targets are met
- supervises clerical, administrative and warehouse distribution staff, deals with recruitment and training
- works closely with merchandisers who allocate stock and develop sales forecasts
- maintains records and prepares reports as necessary.
Educational Requirements
There are no formal academic requirements although some employers expect A levels/H grades, BTEC/SQA awards or degrees. Employers may ask for specific experience for a particular role. Professional qualifications and NVQs/SVQs in Procurement at Levels 2, 3 and 4 are available.
