Purchasing officer

Purchasing officers buy goods and services for an organisation. They may prepare purchase orders, get quotes from suppliers and make sure deliveries and orders are on schedule.

Also known as

Procurement adviser, procurement officer, purchasing coordinator, stock buyer, stock officer, purchasing clerk

Work environment

  • Usually work regular business hours
  • Usually work in offices and may travel locally and nationally to meet suppliers
  • Need to be organised, accurate and communicate well

Salary information

MOST COMMON
UPPER
LOWER
$53K-$133K 53000

Typical tasks

  • Order supplies, materials and equipment
  • Check stock levels and inventory
  • Compare prices and product costs
  • Process payments
  • Inspect deliveries to ensure correct orders
  • Check invoices and payment information
  • Prepare purchasing forms and documents
  • Analyse financial information
  • Check records for errors

Outlook

Purchasing officers support organisations to obtain goods and services accurately, on time and within budget. Cloud-based systems, electronic invoices and automated approval processes are reducing some manual work. However, changing supply costs, delivery delays and sustainability requirements mean purchasing remains important. In New Zealand, organisations are also expected to follow fair and transparent procurement practices, particularly in the public sector.

What employers and industry want in graduates

  • Accuracy with orders, records and purchasing information
  • Good organisation and ability to meet deadlines
  • Clear communication with suppliers and colleagues
  • Confidence using procurement software and spreadsheets
  • Ability to check prices, deliveries and invoices carefully
  • Understanding of purchasing procedures and ethical practice

AUT programmes

The above is a suggestion only and a starting point. You may need to meet other criteria or take additional steps to work in this career.

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This data is sourced from the Tertiary Education Commission through the Tahatū Career Navigator website (www.tahtu.govt.nz) and used under the CC BY 4.0 licence. Some of the information has been modified by AUT. TEC has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. TEC will not be held accountable for any errors within this data.