Purchasing Agent job description: duties, skills and qualifications.

Core duties

16

O*NET task statements

Preparation

Job Zone 4 of 5

considerable preparation

Typical entry education

Bachelor's degree

BLS 2025–35 · broader occupation

Data Government data groups this job as Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products (O*NET-SOC 13-1023.00). O*NET figures on this page are for that occupation; BLS pay and projections are for the broader BLS occupation, labelled where shown.

1. Monitor and follow applicable laws and regulations. importance 4.8 of 5
2. Purchase the highest quality merchandise at the lowest possible price and in correct amounts. importance 4.5 of 5
3. Formulate policies and procedures for bid proposals and procurement of goods and services. importance 4.4 of 5
4. Prepare purchase orders, solicit bid proposals, and review requisitions for goods and services. importance 4.4 of 5
5. Write and review product specifications, maintaining a working technical knowledge of the goods or services to be purchased. importance 4.2 of 5
6. Analyze price proposals, financial reports, and other data and information to determine reasonable prices. importance 4.2 of 5
7. Hire, train, or supervise purchasing clerks, buyers, and expediters. importance 4.2 of 5
8. Research and evaluate suppliers, based on price, quality, selection, service, support, availability, reliability, production and distribution capabilities, and the supplier's reputation and history. importance 4.2 of 5
9. Evaluate and monitor contract performance to ensure compliance with contractual obligations and to determine need for changes. importance 4.0 of 5
10. Negotiate, renegotiate, and administer contracts with suppliers, vendors, and other representatives. importance 4.0 of 5
11. Study sales records and inventory levels of current stock to develop strategic purchasing programs that facilitate employee access to supplies. importance 3.8 of 5
12. Confer with staff, users, and vendors to discuss defective or unacceptable goods or services and determine corrective action. importance 3.7 of 5
13. Maintain and review computerized or manual records of purchased items, costs, deliveries, product performance, and inventories. importance 3.7 of 5
14. Monitor changes affecting supply and demand, tracking market conditions, price trends, or futures markets. importance 3.7 of 5
15. Monitor shipments to ensure that goods come in on time, and resolve problems related to undelivered goods. importance 3.6 of 5
16. Review catalogs, industry periodicals, directories, trade journals, and Internet sites and consult with other department personnel to locate necessary goods and services. importance 3.5 of 5

Work activities O*NET rates most important here: Getting Information, Communicating with People Outside the Organization, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Working with Computers and Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships.

Also part of the job

Supplemental tasks O*NET lists for this occupation: less central than the core duties above, and not done in every job.

• Arrange the payment of duty and freight charges.
• Interview vendors and visit suppliers' plants and distribution centers to examine and learn about products, services, and prices.

Knowledge areas: English Language, Law and Government, Customer and Personal Service, Administration and Management and Administrative.

Software O*NET lists for this occupation: Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft SharePoint, Microsoft Word. These are examples O*NET records for the job, not a list of tools every employer uses or a checklist of what you must know.

• Education: BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for the broader occupation.
• Experience: BLS lists no work experience in a related occupation as typical to enter.
• Training on the job: BLS lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical once hired.
• Preparation: O*NET places the job in Job Zone 4 of 5 (considerable preparation). A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations.
• Licenses and certifications: not listed here. A license is a legal requirement set by a state; a certification is a credential from a private or professional body. Rules vary by state and employer, and a missing entry on this page does not mean none is required: check with your state's licensing board.

Most O*NET's occupation experts for this occupation (65%) name a bachelor's degree as the education the job requires.

Job title: Purchasing Agent
[Company] · [City, State] · [Full-time or part-time] · [Pay range, where your state requires one]

About the role
[Company] is hiring a Purchasing Agent to purchase machinery, equipment, tools, parts, supplies, or services necessary for the operation of an establishment.
[One sentence on your team and why this role matters.]

What you will do
- Monitor and follow applicable laws and regulations.
- Purchase the highest quality merchandise at the lowest possible price and in correct amounts.
- Formulate policies and procedures for bid proposals and procurement of goods and services.
- Prepare purchase orders, solicit bid proposals, and review requisitions for goods and services.
- Write and review product specifications, maintaining a working technical knowledge of the goods or services to be purchased.
- Analyze price proposals, financial reports, and other data and information to determine reasonable prices.
- Hire, train, or supervise purchasing clerks, buyers, and expediters.
- Research and evaluate suppliers, based on price, quality, selection, service, support, availability, reliability, production and distribution capabilities, and the supplier's reputation and history.

What we are looking for
- [Education: BLS lists a bachelor's degree as typical for this occupation; set the level this role truly needs]
- [Experience: BLS lists no related work experience as typical to enter; set what this role needs]
- Strength in negotiation, reading comprehension and complex problem solving
- Working knowledge of English Language and Law and Government
- [Software your team uses, e.g. Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Office software]
- [Any license or certification your state or company requires]

[Schedule, benefits and how to apply]

Illustrative: every name, employer, school, date and number in these samples is fictional or a bracketed placeholder. Replace each bracket with your own true details; never copy a result you did not achieve.

Not a real job posting. This template is TryHired's illustration built from government occupational data. It is not an opening at any employer, and no employer wrote it.

BLS projects employment in the broader occupation Buyers and purchasing agents to grow 6.0% from 2025 to 2035, with about 47,200 openings a year over that period, including openings to replace workers who leave.

• Read a real purchasing agent posting next to the core duties above. Duties it repeats, such as “Monitor and follow applicable laws and regulations”, tell you what that employer weighs most; anything it adds is specific to that team.
• Tailor your resume to the posting, not to this page: describe only purchasing agent work you have actually done, with your own results.
• Prepare a story for each of the top-rated skills (negotiation and reading comprehension).