Procurement Manager key duties and responsibilities

Procurement management is a complex business function that involves the process of planning, managing, and purchasing goods and services from external suppliers and sources to meet company needs.As a key business administration function, procurement officers and managers are responsible for acquiring goods and services of the highest quality at the lowest cost.Effective procurement activities include identifying requirements, selecting suppliers and managing supplier relationships, contract negotiations, and managing purchase orders from start to finish. The head of procurement and procurement managers are ultimately responsible for getting the most out of the company’s purchasing power and ensuring high levels of risk management.Ensuring a high-performing procurement function is essential for businesses that want to gain an edge over their direct competitors, realize cost savings while meeting business needs, streamline operations, increase their profitability, and optimize their processes.

Procurement managers — sometimes known as purchasing managers — play a critical role in ensuring that organizations have the resources they need to operate effectively. They use a combination of management skills and negotiation skills to identify and source the best products and services for their organizations.To understand the business’s procurement needs, procurement managers excel at working closely with various departments and stakeholders to ensure that the organization has the resources it needs to operate effectively.They also select new suppliers based on an analysis of factors such as quality, price, and delivery time, and negotiate contracts to obtain the best deals. They’re also responsible for managing supplier and vendor relationships, approving purchase orders, and performing risk assessments on potential contracts and agreements.Procurement professionals also have strong leadership skills that help them oversee the entire procurement lifecycle, manage and motivate a procurement team to achieve organizational objectives and make difficult decisions.Procurement managers also rely on their strong communication skills to help them build strong relationships with various stakeholders, suppliers, and internal departments. They’re able to articulate the organization's procurement strategy and goals to both their teams and external audiences with the goal of obtaining the best goods at the best prices to protect the business’s bottom line.

A procurement manager’s job will vary depending on the business and industry they work in. A varied skill set and years of experience in relevant industries enable them to manage all stages of the procurement process, partnerships, and purchasing processes.While some procurement manager roles are entry-level, others require additional certifications such as a master’s degree or bachelor’s degree.However, while there are many different types of procurement and procurement roles, there are many duties that are commonly found within any procurement manager job description.