Purchasing managers
High opportunity occupation
Career Overview
Purchasing managers:
- Plan, organize, direct, control and check the activities of a purchasing department
- Create, design and carry out the purchasing policies of a business or institution
- Are employed in the public and private sectors
Job Titles
Duties
Purchasing managers perform some or all of the following duties:
- Plan, organize, direct, control and check the purchasing activities of a company or institution
- Create purchasing policies and procedures
- Control purchasing department budgets
- Identify dealers of materials, equipment or supplies
- Check cost and quality of goods or services
- Discuss or oversee the bargaining of purchase contracts
- Take part in the creation of requirements for equipment, products or other materials
- Look over and process claims against suppliers
- Interview, hire and oversee training of staff
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
3,095% Employed Full Time
83%Work in this occupation is typically performed in a structured environment, such as an office.
Career Pathways
Career path information is currently not available.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.
For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
- A bachelor's degree or college diploma in business administration, commerce or economics is usually required
- Purchasing managers responsible for units purchasing specialized materials or business services may require a related degree or diploma. For example, a bachelor's degree or college diploma in engineering may be required for purchasing managers responsible for purchasing industrial products
- The designation Supply Chain Management Professional (S.C.M.P.) or registration in the educational program of the Purchasing Management Association of Canada may be required
- Several years of experience as a purchasing agent or officer are required
Education programs in B.C.
The following program areas are related to this occupation:
- Business Administration/Management/Commerce
- International Business
- Operations Management/Supervision
- Economics (Arts)
- Economics (Science)
- Economics
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
3,095Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 60 | 1.9% |
| Kootenay | 60 | 1.9% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 2,210 | 71.3% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 45 | 1.5% |
| Northeast | 35 | 1.1% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 230 | 7.4% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 455 | 14.7% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
1,950Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 30 | -0.7% |
| Kootenay | 30 | 0.3% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 1,480 | 1.6% |
| North Coast and Nechako | Not available | Not available |
| Northeast | 10 | -1.9% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 170 | 0.4% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 230 | 0.5% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Wholesale Trade | 310 |
| Manufacturing | 260 |
| Retail Trade | 240 |
| Public Administration | 210 |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 190 |
Resources
Resource information is currently not available.
