Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products
Also called: Buyer, Contract Administrator (Contract Admin), Contract Analyst, Contract Specialist, Contractor Buyer, Contracts Manager, Equipment, Supplies, and Tools Purchasing Agent, Fuel Agent
Purchase machinery, equipment, tools, parts, supplies, or services necessary for the operation of an establishment.
What Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products do
Typical tasks
- Monitor and follow applicable laws and regulations.
- Purchase the highest quality merchandise at the lowest possible price and in correct amounts.
- Formulate policies and procedures for bid proposals and procurement of goods and services.
- Prepare purchase orders, solicit bid proposals, and review requisitions for goods and services.
- Write and review product specifications, maintaining a working technical knowledge of the goods or services to be purchased.
- Analyze price proposals, financial reports, and other data and information to determine reasonable prices.
- Hire, train, or supervise purchasing clerks, buyers, and expediters.
- Research and evaluate suppliers, based on price, quality, selection, service, support, availability, reliability, production and distribution capabilities, and the supplier's reputation and history.
- Evaluate and monitor contract performance to ensure compliance with contractual obligations and to determine need for changes.
- Negotiate, renegotiate, and administer contracts with suppliers, vendors, and other representatives.
- Study sales records and inventory levels of current stock to develop strategic purchasing programs that facilitate employee access to supplies.
- Confer with staff, users, and vendors to discuss defective or unacceptable goods or services and determine corrective action.
Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products salary
No pay statistics are available for this occupation yet.
Projected pay for Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
No projection yet because pay statistics are missing.
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (10-year). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
Skills, education and requirements for Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 4 — considerable preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★★☆☆ Moderate (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products
Career-path guidance is being prepared.