Buyer Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications

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Your job description is the first touchpoint between your company and your new hire. With millions of people searching for jobs on Indeed each month, a great job description can help you attract the most qualified candidates to your open position. To get you started, here are some tips for creating an effective job description.

Buyer job title

A great job title typically includes a general term, level of experience and any special requirements. The general term will optimise your job title to show up in a general search for jobs of the same nature. The level of experience will help you attract the most qualified applicants by outlining the amount of responsibility and prior knowledge required. And if your position is specialised, consider including the specialisation in the job title as well. But avoid using internal titles, abbreviations or acronyms to make sure people understand what your job posting is before clicking.

  • Buyer
  • Senior Buyer
  • Buyer (with SAP proficiency)
  • Buyer (Part-Time)
  • Procurement Specialist
  • Purchasing Coordinator

Hire your next Buyer today.

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Hire your next Buyer today.

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Buyer Job Description Examples:

Our mission

Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

Read our editorial guidelines

Buyer job summary

A great job description starts with a compelling 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 a good fit.

Example of a Buyer job summary

Our firm is searching for an experienced Buyer who will be able to process purchasing requisitions from the managers in the field and turn those requisitions into purchase orders. The Buyer will be responsible for creating purchase order tracking systems, alerting management when orders have been filled and invoices from vendors have been issued, answering vendor questions and providing them with additional order documentation as needed. The successful candidate for this position has experience in the manufacturing industry and a strong understanding of supply chain management concepts.

Buyer 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 organisation and who the employee reports to.

  • Develop an efficient and accurate system for monitoring all open purchase orders
  • Deliver a weekly purchase order report to management that indicates the vendor invoice number for all closed purchase orders
  • Work with the inventory management team to ensure that all deliveries satisfy the assigned purchase orders and report any back-ordered or missing products
  • Assist the Supply Chain Manager with maintaining proper inventory levels of materials used on a regular basis
  • Establish reliable lines of contact with field management team to ensure that all field purchase orders are accurate

Buyer 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 envision for a successful hire. 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.

  • Bachelor’s degree in accounting or a related field required
  • Strong negotiating skills
  • Comprehensive understanding of MS Excel, MS Word and industry standard purchase order software platforms
  • Impeccable attention to detail
  • Ability to work well with a team
  • Able to thrive in a high-stress and fast-paced environment

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Job Description Examples

Need help writing a job description for a specific role? Use these job description examples to create your next great job posting. Or if you’re ready to hire, post your job on Indeed.

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