Purchasing Assistant job summary
A good job description starts with an attention-grabbing summary of the position and its role within your company. Your summary should provide an overview of your company and expectations for the position. Outline the types of activities and responsibilities required for the job so job seekers can determine if they are qualified, or if the job is suitable for them.
Example of a Purchasing Assistant job summary
Our organization is seeking a Purchasing Assistant to help maintain our supply inventory levels and negotiate deals with potential vendors. The Purchasing Assistant will be responsible for learning company purchasing policies and procedures, and maintaining supply inventory levels required for effective company operation. The successful candidate will also be charged with conducting regular price comparisons to ensure that the company is always getting the best price for each product that is purchased.
Purchasing Assistant responsibilities and duties
The responsibilities and duties section is the most important part of the job description. Here you should outline the functions this position will perform on a regular basis, how the job functions within the organization and the title of the manager the person will report to.
- Maintain strong working relationships with our vendors
- Review purchasing agreements with vendors and maintain open lines of communications with those vendors
- Develop an active process for measuring supply inventory and determining purchasing needs based on quarterly and annual numbers
- Stay up to date with industry trends and establish long-term purchasing arrangements with vendors when it is beneficial to the company
- Compare product deliveries with issued purchase orders and contact vendors when there are discrepancies
Purchasing Assistant qualifications and skills
Next, outline the required and preferred skills for your position. This may include education, previous job experience, certifications and technical skills. You may also include soft skills and personality traits that you expect from a successful candidate. While it may be tempting to include a long list of skills and requirements, including too many could dissuade qualified candidates from applying. Keep your list of qualifications concise, but provide enough detail with relevant keywords and terms.
- Diploma required (Associate degree or higher preferred)
- 3+ years’ experience in a purchasing role
- Excellent communication and negotiation skills
- Proven history of effective supply management
- Able to create and administer a task priority list based on company needs