Purchasing Assistant

Remote

💰 Finance

Purchasing Assistants typically work for corporations across industries, including retail, healthcare and other industries that require the purchase or sale of products. They work closely with other Purchasing Assistants, Salespeople, Accountants and Logistics Specialists to determine budgets for purchasing products, the types of products to buy and the progress of inventory shipments. Their job is it review sales numbers and order products based on customer demand and seasonal trends. They may be responsible for updating Vendor or Wholesaler contact information and renewing Vendor contracts.

What does a Purchasing Assistant do?

A Purchasing Assistant, or Assistant Buyer, is responsible for supporting business operations by ordering products or materials that agree with their employer’s brand. Their duties include maintaining relationships with Suppliers, Vendors or Wholesalers, placing orders for products based on current inventory needs and tracking shipments from manufacturing locations to retail stores or company warehouses.

Responsibilities

A Purchasing Assistant should be able to fulfill various duties and responsibilities. The following are some duties and responsibilities a Purchasing Assistant should be able to execute:

Working with the purchasing manager to run the purchasing department
Performing vendor research and selection to enhance profitability, reducing operating costs and boosting efficiency
Maintaining cordial working relationships with vendors and supervising vendor activities
Signing and reviewing purchasing agreements with vendors, monitoring their performance and renegotiating contracts
Using quarterly and annual data to determine purchasing needs and performing inventory management
Managing purchase orders, overseeing shipping schedules and maintaining purchase records

Required Skills

A competitive Purchasing Assistant will have certain skills and qualifications, including:

High school diploma or equivalent (Associate Degree or B.Sc. in Logistics, Purchase and Supply, Business Administration or related fields are typically preferred)
At least two years of experience in a purchasing position
In-depth knowledge of purchasing functions, inventory and supply management systems
Excellent communication, negotiation and interpersonal skills
Ability to work with minimal supervision
Strong organizational skills, a good understanding of sourcing and the ability to maintain vendor relationships

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