Being a Purchasing Officer

A Purchasing Officer usually works with and co-ordinates the logistics of the physical or service product that a business transacts. They plan and co-ordinate the delivery of these products between business partners or to consumer. Purchasing officers are employed in most industries.

An important part of their position is to ensure that suppliers are reliable; there are major consequences if a supplier is unable to supply, not just to the company's profit margin but also legal, customer loyalty and reputation issues. Purchasing Officers need to have good negotiating, communication, planning and analytical skills, as they are required to find the best prices and options for their employers.

In this field career progression includes the Purchasing Manager and from there other management roles in the business area such as logistics, brand, marketing or senior management. To enter this field, having a degree in the business field is the easiest way. Most business and commerce degrees offer a specialisation in supply chain management, logistics or operations management. Diplomas in similar fields are also a good starting point, with these usually focusing on areas such as transport, purchasing or supply chain principles.

Purchasing officers have an array of job functions depending on the size of the company. A large company will have more logistics staff therefore jobs are more specialised. In a smaller firm, roles will be more diverse and cover a wider range of purchasing areas. The average person in the Purchasing industry earns approximately $73K, however this includes both officers and management. For an officer the industry average is likely to be around $50 - $55K.

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