Are you good at negotiating deals? Can you communicate effectively with others? Do you have excellent attention to detail? If so, a career as a purchasing agent might be the right fit for you. As a purchasing agent, your main responsibility is to buy goods, materials, supplies, and services for an organization while ensuring that those purchases meet their specific needs.
Purchasing Agent Duties and Responsibilities
Purchasing agents have a range of duties, including:
- Collaborating with other departments to determine their needs for goods and services
- Developing buying programs to streamline company spending on specific commodities
- Managing the process of requesting information and proposals
- Tendering contracts to ensure a fair and competitive purchasing process
- Reviewing proposals and tenders
- Selecting the right quality and quantity of products from the best sources possible
- Overseeing budgets and contracts for the supply of goods, services, and space
- Monitoring shipments, resolving problems, and following up on any issues
- Arranging payments for duty and freight charges
Key Skills for Purchasing Agents
In smaller companies, purchasing agents may also be involved in expediting orders and ensuring timely delivery. Depending on the urgency and value of the products needed, orders may be placed through various means such as computer, phone, or fax. Purchasing agents often request written quotes or call for public tenders and may even advertise in local newspapers or online. Their ultimate goal is to obtain the best value while meeting all the specific requirements, as errors in the purchasing process can be costly for a company.
In larger organizations, experienced purchasing agents may take on additional responsibilities such as supervising buyers and expediters, negotiating with suppliers, developing purchasing policies and procedures, and managing supplier performance. Their work involves staying up to date with industry trends and gathering relevant information through the internet, catalogs, trade journals, and attending trade shows, seminars, and training sessions.
Working Environment and Requirements
Purchasing agents typically work in office settings, but their hours may vary due to travel, deadlines, or inventory-taking. To succeed in this profession, purchasing agents should possess strong communication and organizational skills, negotiation skills, and the ability to work well with different types of people. They must also be able to analyze purchasing options, make decisions involving large sums of money, work independently or as part of a team, and adapt to change.
If this career path interests you, it's essential to note that purchasing agents are categorized under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes. These codes for purchasing agents include:
- 2006 NOC: Purchasing Agents and Officers (1225)
- 2006 NOC-S: Purchasing Agents and Officers (B315)
- 2011 NOC: Purchasing agents and officers (1225)
- 2016 NOC: Purchasing agents and officers (1225)
- 2021 NOC: Procurement and purchasing agents and officers (12102)
By staying informed and continuously improving their skills, purchasing agents can excel in their roles and contribute to the success of their organizations.
