Procurement Specialist Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Are you searching for a procurement specialist job description? Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a procurement specialist. Feel free to use our procurement specialist job description template to produce your own procurement specialist job description. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a procurement specialist.
Who is a Procurement Specialist?
A procurement specialist is responsible for ensuring that a company has the appropriate materials and necessary equipment to function. A Procurement Specialist is someone who works for the retail and supply chain businesses to procure various materials for the company’s goods and services business at a competitive rate and with suitable quality. This role is a top-notch role and it mandates long hours and precision management a serious business should enroll to execute a system to automate and streamline the procurement cycle and the duties associated with the role. Procurement, as most people feel, is the most under-recognized corporate job as its basic responsibility which is purchasing is an aspect that most businesses cannot do without. A procurement specialist must be a very good creative thinker and be able to appreciate the needs of the company and negotiate other issues as expected.
Procurement managers have diverse kinds of contracts and suppliers. Supply chain management can take the shape of performance-based providers, shared services models, and quality partnerships. The contracts can take different forms and can be utilized for goods, services, and other businesses. They invest most of their time in researching and finding suppliers who produce quality products that they can afford. Procurement Specialists are typically given key business standards and they ensure that all products follow the criteria and specifications of enlistment.
They are also solely responsible for compiling and preparing documents such as quotes, purchase terms, proposals, and conditions from suppliers for their supervisor to analyze. A supplier can also be hired and it is the sole responsibility of the Procurement Specialist to carefully evaluate them and monitor their performance. They are also responsible for answering any question the supplier has.
A good procurement specialist should possess good computer and technical skills to effectively carry out research on potential suppliers to get the best products and also to document important product information into the procurement software system. A good procurement specialist must also possess mathematical and financial skills to be able to compare and evaluate the costs of certain products.
The work setting of a procurement specialist in the office usually spends their time completing office tasks and researching new suppliers. They invest their time at their desk, calling and sending emails to suppliers about updates on the product’s progress and addressing any other issues the supplier might have. Procurement Specialists also spend the majority of their time traveling from one supplier’s country to another in different regions. They meet suppliers to negotiate contracts and also renew contracts as the need arises.
Procurement Specialists report directly to purchasing managers who are responsible for supervising the entire procedures of an organization. Procurement specialist also reports to purchasing managers and inquire about any issue they are not conversant with. For instance, if they have an issue with the suppliers, the purchasing managers will work tediously to resolve it. They also work with a team of experts and they usually receive the requisite training they need from Purchasing Managers before they are on board.
Procurement specialists can be employed at any senior level that is from entry positions to senior management. The job responsibilities for the role may differ based on the years of experiencing the organization’s demands. They can be employed in both private and public sectors and they can often interact with other experts from related departments such as accounting, finance, and senior management level.
Procurement Specialist Job Description
What is a procurement specialist job description? A procurement specialist job description is simply a list of duties and responsibilities of a procurement specialist in an organization. Below are the procurement specialist job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a procurement specialist job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The jobs and duties of a procurement specialist include the following:
- Distinguish prices between various vendors to make good purchasing decisions
- Guarantee that products are delivered promptly and the quality of the goods delivered is satisfactory
- Work within a given budget to buy goods and services for an organization
- Negotiate with contractors on price, mode of shipping, and delivery time
- Assess invoices for accuracy and authorizes the accounts payable department to issue payment
- Order goods such as office supplies continuously to maintain certain inventory levels
- Analyze the performance of certain vendors to decide whether or not to continue buying from them
- Assess Inventories items to determine which one needs to be purchased
- Interact with key stakeholders in identifying business needs, building relationships, and selling the features and benefits of early procurement involvement
- Manage preparation, performance, and execution of procurement processes
- Help vendor manager in vendor selection, management, and performance
- Accomplish sourcing, liaising, and negotiating with new and existing suppliers to improve business
- Develop the necessary for the acquisition of materials and services
- Implement procurement process to ensure efficiency, cost saving, and best practices
- Work with the finance team throughout the procurement cycle to assist with forecasting and budgeting
- Survey supplies, works, and services to ensure compliance with company procedures and best procurement practice
- Retain positive work relationships with strategic suppliers to assure costs, quality, and delivery targets are met
- Analyze market and delivery trends to develop procurement technologies and processes that support trends
Qualifications
- A bachelor’s degree in Economics, Engineering, Business Administration, and Supply Chain management
- Strong negotiation Skills
- Past proven experience as a procurement specialist
- Have good verbal and written communication skills
- Mathematics skills
- Problem-solving Skills
- Analytical Skills
- Project management skills
- Interpersonal Skills
- Multi-tasking Skills
Essential Skills
- Communication Skills: procurement specialists need to possess strong communication skills both verbal and written to be able to communicate effectively with suppliers, vendors, and purchasing managers about a product. They need to hone their skills to determine their company product’s needs and establish a relationship with clients. They must also ensure that the message they pass across is clearly understood. For instance, if their supplier misinterprets the message, they will end up supplying the wrong product. They can also use their communication skills to address any question a supplier might have and also address any pending issues
- Project management: project management is the ability to manage a task as expected; procurement specialists usually handle projects and these projects can be multiple. It is the responsibility of the procurement manager to also verify if the materials delivered by suppliers are up to standard. For them to achieve this, they invest most of their time planning, delegating, and analyzing procedures that will help them to manage these projects.
- Negotiation: A Procurement Specialists’sole responsibility is to negotiate a contract with vendors and so they must have an in-depth understanding of price points to negotiate effectively. They must also have an analytical mind to examine vendors who are not doing their work as expected and end the working relationship with them. Negotiation skills cannot be underestimated because it helps procurement specialists to secure the best or quality products for the company. They need to also possess analytical skills to properly evaluate inventory needs.
- Problem-Solving Skills: A Procurement may likely encounter a problem when working with suppliers, vendors, and other people; it is highly requisite for the procurement specialist to possess problem-solving skills to counterfeit these challenges. For instance, they may also need to solve a problem or a service of goods that do not meet the organization or company’s standard.
How to Become a Procurement Specialist
- Acquire a Bachelor’s Degree
The first step to becoming a procurement specialist is to acquire a bachelor’s degree in finance, logistics, engineering, supply chain management, business administration, or any related field. This bachelor’s degree usually takes four to five years to complete and during the degree; you will get to harness some salient skills that will help you fit perfectly into the role of a procurement specialist. During the degree, you will get to study some aspects such as accounting, legal standards of global supply chains, procurement practices, product distribution, and financial management. This degree will also give you the first-hand opportunity to acquire knowledge of financial transactions.
- Get Work Experience
No employer wants to employ a novice and it is highly requisite for you as a job candidate to have an experience after your bachelor’s degree program. Some schools may mandate that you enroll for an industrial attachment during your degree which will help you get some job experience. Most companies also design internship or graduate training programs for job candidates before fully employing them in the company. Some internships are paid for while others are voluntary.
The level at which you launch your career as a procurement specialist will determine the amount of experience you will have before you start applying for jobs. For instance, as an entry-level procurement specialist; you need to enroll in an internship after your bachelor’s degree but for a managerial role, you may have to work as a procurement specialist for four to six years before you attain it.
- Enroll for a Master’s Degree
A Procurement is a top-notch role in the industry and you will need to get a master’s degree to beat other job candidates especially when you are looking for a more senior position. You can acquire a master’s degree in finance, business administration, or a similar field. The master’s degree usually takes 18 months to complete and you will be exposed to topics such as applied statistics, business ethics, finance, human resources, marketing, supply chain management, and accounting.
- Research the Industry
There are diverse industries procurement specialists can work and you need to research the industry your skills and expertise will fit into. You can research disciplines such as information technology, retails, manufacturing, and construction. If possible; you can enroll for an internship in various industries and to discover the industry that you perfectly fit into.
- Get Certified
Procurement specialists can work in diverse kinds of industries and there are a lot of certifications they can acquire to fit into the job description of that industry. Getting a professional certification is not compulsory but it can show potential employers that you are competent enough for the job. Below are some certifications:
- Certified Procurement Professional (CPP): this certification is usually gotten from the American Purchasing Society and it is open to anyone in the field of materials management and people who work for companies. In requirement is that you must have a minimum of two experience in the field as an additional requirement as dictated by the body.
- Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP): This certification is gotten from the American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS) which empowers a candidate to know technology ideas and methodologies within the supply chain and it is accepted across different industries. To be qualified for the test, you must have at least three years of experience in business or a degree in active supply chain certification from APICS.
- Join a Member Organization
You can also join a professional body where a group of procurement specialists is found or a group of purchasing managers. These professionals can mentor you in the industry and also help you in your pursuit of a job. The following are groups of procurement specialists:
- American Purchasing Society
- Institute for Supply Management
- National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO)
- National Institute of Government Purchasing (NIGP)
- Supply of Manufacturing Engineers
Where Can a Procurement Work?
Procurement Specialists can work in diverse industries or sectors of the economy. They spend most of the time in an office environment contacting suppliers and vendors but sometimes they may need to travel to meet clients outdoors although this solely depends on the organization’s specialty. They can also work remotely although this depends on the organizational policy of the organization.
Procurement Specialist Salary Scale
Procurement Specialists have different salary scales around the globe and it is very important to look at some of the salaries of procurement specialists in different countries. They are:
- In Kenya, a Procurement Specialist earns a monthly salary of 178,000 KES. The salaries from 87,200 KES (lowest) to 277,000 KES (highest). The salary also comes with other benefits such as housing and medical
- In the United States of America, Procurement earns $62,968 per year. The salary comes with other benefits such as Dental insurance, flexible spending account, gym membership, health insurance, life insurance, paid time off, pet insurance, visa sponsorship, and vision insurance.
- In Malaysia, a person working as a procurement specialist earns RM 3230 per month. The salary varies based on the geographical location of the procurement specialist.
- In South Africa, the salary of a procurement specialist is R 840,000 per year and R 431 per hour. Entry-level procurement specialist who is just starting their career earns R 415,700 per year while more experienced specialist earns R 6,642,000 per year.
- In Nigeria, a procurement Specialist earns NGN 160,000 per month. The salary varies based on the location of the procurement specialist.
- In Australia, the average salary of a procurement specialist is $112,000 per year or $57.44 per hour. Entry-level positions start their career by earning $104,191 per year, while experienced procurement specialist earns up to $148,047 per year.