When you read a procurement job description you will see that you need to be able to evaluate reports, trends of prices, statistical data, and even market factors. These requirements are not things you can walk into a position and learn in the first week of training. You will already need to possess these skills before you apply for a procurement manager job if you really want to be considered. You will need the ability to watch prices and know how they are affected by different things that go on in the market with the economy and within the local community. You might be working for a company that sells candy and you will be required to know how the prices are affected during holidays like Valentine's Day and Christmas.
When you work in procurement manager jobs you will be required to maintain contracts with suppliers. Almost every procurement job description will require this. You will be required to keep track of everyone who supplies products to the business and most inventory issues. If there are problems with a supplier you will be the first person staff comes to. You will be required to cut the check to the supplier and make negotiations with them also. If you can find a product cheaper from a different supplier then you will need to negotiate deals and how to get the best rates.
Suppliers often want to visit companies and even perform an audit to see how their products are being used or distributed. You will be responsible for setting up these visits and audits. This requires more than picking up the phone and making a call. You will be required to be sure the entire organization is ready for an audit and all necessary actions have been taken care of to ensure you are going to pass an audit.
Most procurement manager jobs are looking at the bottom line and for a way to cut costs in the most effective way. This position may be responsible for the entire organization's revenues and liabilities. You will have to find ways to perform cost reductions to show a return on the bottom line.
Knowledge of business taxes is expected when you apply for a procurement manager job. You may have to spend days or weeks on the company taxes by yourself. You need to know how to do taxes for a business that is large or small. If you are only experienced in doing a small business's taxes then you might not want to apply for a large organization until you have extensive experience with taxes. Procurement manager jobs are responsible for the taxes and it could mean your job if you do not know how to prepare and file these properly.
A procurement job description will usually require a bachelor's degree in business management, finance, accounting, or a related field. It is common for someone who has an associate's degree to be considered for a position like this if he or she has any state issued certifications that prove he or she has the ability to maintain the books and finances of a business.
You need to prove to a company that you have the ability to save them a lot of money if they hire you for a posted procurement manger job. Your best bet is to have a proven track record of cutting costs and saving money in a positive way for each company you have worked for. When an employer reads your resume they do not want to read a procurement job description; they want to see your accomplishments.
When you work in procurement manager jobs you will need to be a team player. You will be required to supervise a staff and maintain confidentiality within the company. As a team player within the company you will also need to have excellent leadership skills. You may be required to train employees in positions and even give presentations. This will require excellent communication skills, both verbal and written. Being responsible for a staff may require you to hire, fire, train, perform disciplinary action, give annual reviews, and much more.
You may not see a requirement in a procurement job description for good math skills, but this is one of the unwritten expectations that is considered to be common sense. You should have excellent math skills and be very good at accounting. Because you are managing finances and budgets, math is expected.
There are many requirements when you work in a procurement manager job. You will be required to bring costs of a company down so revenues are higher than liabilities. You will be in charge of a staff of people and have to lead them. When you work in procurement manager jobs you do need an education because this is a professional position that holds a lot of responsibility. A company trusts you with their finances when they hire you for a position like this.
