Responsibilities of a Procurement Officer
Procurement officers have important job responsibilities and duties to perform. He or she has to do the execution and the management of all of the purchases that the organization has purchased for the company. It is the procurement officer's duty to maintain compile all the vital information and data related to the purchases. He or she has to report and communicate with the chief financial officer and the chief executive officer, with the information related to the purchases and their metrics. Negotiation with the vendors, so as to obtain best deals and prices, working with them to ensure timely delivery and maintenance of relationship with them and with their contracts are tasks undertaken by the procurement officer. Liaisons with financial figures, so that vendors are paid as per the schedule and maintenance of all the inventory levels etc are part of the procurement officer's responsibilities.
Skills That a Procurement Officer Must Have
All procurement officers are entitled to work without any kind of supervisions and independently. He or she must possess superior negotiation and interpersonal skills. This is required because it is the officer that has the duty to buy the best quality product within the best price possible. It is important for a procurement office to have excellent communication skills, both written and oral. Management skills are also required to oversee all employees, staff and teams. Fluency in the English language is a must along with the knowledge of where vendors are located in order to place orders at the appropriate time.
Educational Requirements a Procurement Officer Must Have
Basic formal educational qualifications are required by all candidates applying for the post of a procurement officer. A regular four-year degree is a must and it would be better if it specialized in engineering or similar fields. Since, the post of a procurement officer is an advanced level position candidates with a minimum of 10 years of experience professionally is required. This experience should be achieved from any purchasing department or a firm.
A procurement officer in the highest level has an average salary of around $155,335 per year. There is an anticipation of the position to remain stagnant till 2016 but there is a normal flow of opportunity. To get a job as a procurement officer, you can register on reputable job boards. American Purchasing Society is a professional organization that offers information and networking opportunities for job seekers looking for a good job as a procurement officer.
