Buyers / Purchasing Agents
A Buyer or Purchasing Agent buys products, materials or services needed by a company or organization. Manages inventory and schedule for purchasing, works with vendors and negotiates contracts, monitors quality of supplies and services purchased. May work in farm products, manufacturing, trade or services industries.
About this Career
Average Salary
£31,051New workers start at around £21,177. Normal pay is £31,051 per year. Highly experienced workers can earn up to £62,852
Annual Openings
51Job counts include both employed and self-employed persons in London, and do not distinguish between full and part-time jobs
Daily Tasks
- Maintains records and prepares reports as necessary.
- Works closely with merchandisers who allocate stock and develop sales forecasts.
- Supervises clerical, administrative and warehouse distribution staff, deals with recruitment and training.
- 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.
- Looks at ways to improve supply networks, presents new ideas to senior management team.
- Helps negotiate contract with supplier and specifies details of goods or services required.
- Assesses bids from suppliers, finds suppliers and negotiates prices.
- Assesses budgetary limitations and customer requirements and decides on quantity, type, range and quality of goods or services to be bought.
- Keeps up with market trends and chooses products/services.
- Attends trade fairs, shows and demonstrations to research new product lines and suppliers, checks catalogues.
Skills Employers are looking for
| Skills | Importance |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 67% |
| Critical Thinking | 66% |
| Reading Comprehension | 65% |
| Speaking | 63% |
| Learning Strategies | 63% |
| Writing | 60% |
| Monitoring | 60% |
| Mathematics | 59% |
| Active Learning | 57% |
| Science | 11% |