What is a Purchasing Coordinator?
Purchasing Coordinators are primarily responsible for arranging for the purchase of of raw materials, supplies and services on behalf of their employers. Purchasing Coordinators are an integral part of any business that revolves around selling physical products. Purchasing Coordinators are in demand across many sectors, including manufacturing, textiles and food production.
Also known as a Buyer or Purchasing Agent, the role of Purchasing Coordinator is considered an entry-level position. Supermarket chains, fashion retailers and any other company with a brick-and-mortar retail operation are the main employers of Purchasing Coordinators. Hospitals and other healthcare facilities also rely on Purchasing Coordinators to stay stocked with vital medical supplies. According to the National Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for Purchasing Coordinators is set to grow 2 percent through 2024.
Need a strong cover letter can help set you apart from the completion. Our professional cover letter builder shows you how.
Create your professional resume in just minutes.
- Choose from 20+ recommended templates
- Add pre-written experiences, skills and summary
- Download and send
Purchasing Coordinator Duties and Responsibilities
Research and Evaluate Suppliers
Negotiate and Renegotiate Contracts With Suppliers
Create and Send Purchasing Orders
Monitor Purchases Through the Delivery Process
Evaluate Supplier Performance
Purchasing Coordinator Skills
Purchasing Coordinators need to be smooth talkers who love to negotiate. They need to have analytical minds that allow them to process information quickly. This is a position where being a people person is essential. In addition to these qualities, we found some core and advanced skills that companies want Purchasing Coordinator candidates to have.
Core Skills: The following are some core skills that popped up in almost every job description we analyzed.
- Strong knowledge of Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word
- High attention to detail
- Ability to make quick decisions
- Organizational skills
- Written and verbal communication skills
- Customer service skills
- Negotiation and conflict resolution skills
- Ability to work independently
Advanced Skills The following skills were not listed as required, but possessing these skills is sure to make you stand out to employers.
- Leadership skills
- Ability to thrive under pressure
- Advanced sales skills
GO PRO
Choose from fully customizable
GET PAST THE BOTS
Ensure compatibility with Applicant Tracking Systems
LOOK YOUR BEST
Save time with sleek and stylish professional design templates
Purchasing Coordinator Q & A
What are some of the core duties performed by a Purchasing Coordinator?
To define the role of a purchasing coordinator as simply someone who does the purchasing for a company is misleading. Yes, of course they make the purchases needed by everyone in the company, from the goods being sold to everything else the company uses, including the toilet paper, but someone who does the job well does so much more. In addition to making the purchases they also make sure everything is on budget; screen the purchases being made to ensure there’s no waste; and to negotiate pricing with suppliers.
What challenges does a Purchasing Coordinator face?
Learning every part of the business. You need to make sure that all purchases are necessary and profitable, which is only possible if you understand what everyone is doing. How can you challenge the software guys on their monthly subscriptions if you don’t know what they are trying to accomplish. It’s worth the extra time to understand everything, at least peripherally, in order to make good purchases.
What skills do Purchasing Coordinators use most?
Juggling skills. Not in the sense of literal juggling but figurative juggling. You play an integral role in making sure the business is profitable; bad purchasing can be the difference between a profit and loss, even if the departments that asked you to make the purchase said it was necessary. You must juggle everyone’s needs with your need to be profitable; you need to juggle what purchases need to be made this month or which purchases can be pushed off a month to when there’s more room in the budget; and you need to juggle your responsibilities to the company with your responsibilities as a co-worker.
What should someone consider before becoming a Purchasing Coordinator?
Do they have the thick skin to make tough decisions; will they be able to challenge fellow employees on items they say they need, or prices they say they need to pay. It’s not a sit-at-your-job-and-click-buy type of job.
What type of person is successful in this job?
Someone who is good at balancing budgets and someone who can handle a lot coming in at once.
What do you find to be the most rewarding about being a Purchasing Coordinator?
If you’re in business there’s nothing more rewarding than being part of a business’s growth. A Purchasing Coordinator is an integral part of any company’s day-to-day operations and growth, something that will be highly rewarding in the long run.
Purchasing Coordinator Salary
Purchasing Coordinator Resources
Below is a list of additional resources to help you further explore the Purchasing Coordinator career path.
Industry Groups
The American Purchasing SocietyFounded in 1969, the American Purchasing Society was the first to offer a professional certification for Purchasing Coordinators. In addition to certification, the APS website has resources on professional development and career advice. There are several courses, seminars and books that are offered at a discount to members.
Next Level Purchasing AssociationThe NLPA is a professional organization that offers training and courses for Purchasing Coordinators. They have a free basic membership that gives users access to their biweekly newsletter, monthly publication and live webinars.
American Production and Inventory Control SocietyThe APICS is a professional organization filled with people who have positions all along the supply chain. With over 45,000 members and 300 channel partners, the APICS is a large and diverse group that is worth joining.
Books
Contract and Risk Management for Supply Chain ProfessionalsWritten by X. Paul Humbert and Robert C. Mastice, this book is a goto manual for those Purchasing Coordinators looking to learn strategies for navigating contract negotiations with suppliers.
Green Purchasing and SustainabilityWritten by Robert Menard, this book debunks the myths surrounding “going green”. It proves how environmentally friendly purchasing is not as expensive as people think, and then goes on to discuss the concepts behind green purchasing.
Essentials of Inventory ManagementWritten by Max Muller, this book dives deep into the concepts and strategies of managing inventory. Since this is one of a Purchasing Coordinator’s duties, this book is a great read for those looking to enter the field.
Purchasing Coordinator Resume Help
Explore these related job titles from our database of hundreds of thousands of expert-approved resume samples:
