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HomeJob Description Samples & ExamplesPurchasing Agent Job Description Template

Purchasing Agent Job Description Template

Are you on the hunt for a new purchasing agent that will be able to get the job done now and grow in the future? A successful recruitment process starts with a great job description. You want to strike the right balance between informative and engaging. Use the Purchasing Agent job description sample below as a guide.

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Purchasing Agent Job Summary

As a purchasing agent, you will be responsible for managing purchase orders from initial preparation to final verifications. You will authorize payments for purchases and verify receipts for ordered items.

Purchasing Agent Responsibilities and Duties

  • Verify purchase orders with available stock via comparison to the master lists.
  • Correct mistakes or unclear orders and recommend comparable alternatives when products are out of stock.
  • Schedule delivery of available stock items.
  • Collaborate with suppliers to recommend substitute items for fast-selling inventory.
  • Forward purchase orders to suppliers to ensure proper inventory.
  • Verify product shipments by comparing purchase order against package list.
  • Forward payment receipt documentation to authorize purchase payments.
  • Maintain accurate and easily accessible files.
  • Provide sound advice regarding scheduling, inventory planning and other control information based on your own collection, analysis and summarization of data and tends.
  • Update professional skill sets through participation in educational opportunities.

Qualifications and Skills

  • Associate’s degree or equivalent certifications
  • 3+ years experience
  • Developed documentation skills
  • Experience with inventory management
  • Customer service experience preferred

Company Profile

At Very Best Drug Store, we are happy to offer our customers a little bit of everything. Our position is based at our Western Stanton store and warehouse, which serves the local urban area and Western Stanton University. Because of our location, many of our customers come to us at the last minute in search of those little things they need to get through the day. From a college student in need of batteries to a professor picking up a prescription, we try to provide our customers with what they need in life’s unpredictable moments.

With new trends, our customers frequently change their taste in snacks while notebook paper and pencils are staple best sellers. We strive to offer a responsive experience for our customers as we continue to compete against larger national corporations. Our staff values the customer experience and we are looking for a purchase agent who feels the same. If you are seeking a challenging career opportunity in a supportive, small town environment, follow our resume submission guidelines to apply.

Best Practices for Writing a Job Description

  • You should tailor the above example to match your specific needs. As you do, use these best practices in mind to help you stay on track with writing an engaging and informative job description:

    • Use specific language. Do you want an entry-level employee? Do you need a professional with experience in exotic bubble bath soap? If you want to attract professionals who are a good match, you will have to be clear about what you need.
    • Use bullets. Paragraphs are fantastic for novels, but when it comes to the job market, you want to maximize your space and make your description easy to scan. When it is logical, use bullets over lengthy paragraphs.
    • Make it short, but not too short. Try to keep your description under 700 words. At this length, your audience’s attention won’t wander and you’ll have plenty of space to really the most important aspects of the job.
    • Try to evoke a response. How should your reader feel after coming to the end of your description? Do you want them to feel excited to apply or moved to join a cause? If you can evoke a deeper emotional response, you’ll have a greater chance of getting the attention of top shelf candidates.
    • Spell check, proofread, and then edit. Each is a separate task. Spell check will help you catch a few missing apostrophes and misspelled words, but we all know it can miss silly and otherwise obvious mistakes. That’s why you proofread: to catch what spell check can’t. Next, you edit. Try to eliminate unclear phrasing and really economize on your space without loosing the message.
    • Offer value over tangible benefits. An amazing benefit package doesn’t make coming into the office is enjoyable and it might not advance a professional career either. Focus on what value and experience your company can offer to your ideal candidate.

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Purchasing Agent Job Responsibilities

As you prepare a purchasing agent job description, you will want to devote considerable attention to refining the job responsibilities section. Applicants rely on this section to determine whether their background is suitable for meeting the daily and overarching requirements of a purchasing agent position. Choose your words carefully, as many applicants will present themselves in accordance with the language used in this part of the description.

The more precise and organized that you can make this section of the purchasing agent job description, the more qualified candidates are likely to apply. Write a bulleted list describing the most important elements of this position, starting each point with a strong action verb. Aim for a sufficient level of detail, and include no more than eight points in the list.

Here are several examples of purchasing agent job responsibilities:

  • Plan and prepare accurate orders and bids, arrange for timely delivery and review orders received
  • Evaluate all suppliers and negotiate with contacts to achieve the most affordable, reliable and high-quality sources for supplies
  • Assess financial data to ensure that all purchasing orders remain within an approved budget
  • Maintain detailed records on all orders including prices, quantities ordered, delivery schedules and the origins of products
  • Establish and maintain relationships with regular vendors as well as best practices for contacting suppliers to adjust standing orders
  • Develop strategic purchasing programs to ensure that inventory supplies correspond to changes in demand over time
Purchasing Agent Job Specifications

In addition to the requirements of the purchasing agent position, potential applicants should be aware of the skills and qualifications they need to fill this position. Including a straightforward statement of your expectations with regard to education and experience in your purchasing agent job description can narrow down the number of applications you receive.

If you are unsure of which skills to include, you might ask a purchasing manager, other agents or employees in related positions for input. Having plenty of accurate information can help you target candidates who are likely to be assets to the purchasing department of your company.

You might consider creating two subsections with essential and preferred qualifications to give applicants a better sense of the type of candidate you are most interested in hiring for this position. The more detail you provide, the greater the likelihood that candidates who carefully read the purchasing agent job description should fulfill at least the baseline standards.

The following purchasing agent job specifications may help to attract qualified candidates:

  • Experience making purchases for business in a similar area or on a comparable scale
  • Skills in using financial analysis, database and enterprise resource planning software
  • Financial resource management and record keeping skills
  • Bachelor’s degree or a minimum of 3-5 years of purchasing experience

Making better hires starts with building better job descriptions

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Do’s and Don’ts for Writing Your Purchasing Agent Job Description

Remember, the above is a great guideline, but you should tailor the job description to your ideal audience. As you do that, use these do’s and don’ts to guide your efforts:

• Don’t include salary or benefit information until you consult with company policy. You may also want to consult with common industry practice as well.
• Do be clear about the job level. For example, you don’t want entry-level professionals applying to a senior position.
• Do clearly mention the job’s location. If you will except remote candidates or only want local applicants, say so.
• Don’t use a complicated submission process for applications or resumes. Completing the application process should be easy and simple.

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