|
Tell me about it
Buyers are responsible for obtaining the products and services needed
by an organisation to support its key activities. This could include,
for example, purchasing the raw materials or components for a manufacturing
process, sourcing spare parts for machinery maintenance, ordering
the merchandise for a retail outlet or updating the IT facilities
in an office environment. Buyers are expected to negotiate competitive
prices at the same time as building relationships with suppliers
who understand their needs, can meet quality specifications and
can deliver the right quantity of materials on a reliable basis.
Buyers must maintain adequate reserve stock levels to cope with
fluctuations in demand and ensure that supplies reach their intended
destination on time. They might set up automated systems to cope
with some of these functions but would need to discuss contracts
with suppliers, monitor deliveries and stock levels, challenge price
changes, check sources of new materials and keep pace with technological
and design improvements. They could work in almost any sort of manufacturing
or service organisation, although they would need special skills
to act as a buyer in, say, the retail fashion business or a technical
background before they could purchase engineering components.
Entry level
While there are no specific entry requirements, most employers look
for a degree, HND or equivalent qualification. This could be in
any subject, although business studies, management science, computing
or logistics could be useful. In the engineering/manufacturing industries,
a technological qualification would be an advantage, as would chemistry
in the chemical industry or computing in IT. For degree entry, you
would normally be expected to have at least two A level/Advanced
Higher/three Higher or equivalent qualifications, together with
four or five GCSE/S Grade passes at A-C/1-3, including English and
maths.
Making the grade
Most employers would expect you to work towards Chartered Institute
of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) qualifications. These are available
on a full- or part-time basis or by distance learning and range
from the clerical level Certificate in Purchasing and Supply to
the CIPS Graduate Diploma. The CIPS qualifications would usually
be supported in many companies by an internal training scheme. With
appropriate qualifications and experience, you could become a member
and then a fellow of CIPS. CIPS qualifications are changing from
September 2006, so you should check their website for details of
the latest developments.
Personal qualities
As an essential link in the supply chain, you would need to be an
excellent communicator, who enjoys meeting people. You must be confident
and have a flair for negotiation, influencing and networking. You
would need to understand the overall requirements of your own organisation
and to be able to assess the relative merits of suppliers' goods
or services. You should have strong numerical skills and a grasp
of finance and accounting, since you would often be handling large
sums of money.
Looking ahead
Buyers tend to be based at head offices, many of which are based
in London or the south east. Although many of the retail and manufacturing
companies employing buyers have thousands of staff, typically there
will be just a small number of staff in each buying department.
Most organisations need to buy goods, services or materials, so
your skills should be transferable across a range of sectors.
You might achieve promotion - to senior management or even to board
level - within your existing organisation. Alternatively, you could
develop your career by moving elsewhere.
Alternative suggestions
Other possibilities might include freight forwarder, logistics
manager, retail manager or sales executive.
Take-home pay
You could expect to start at around £17,000 as a graduate
trainee, with your income rising significantly to, say, £30,000
to £60,000 once you reach middle or senior management levels.
If you can demonstrate that your buying skills lead to savings in
costs and improvements in efficiency, you could earn significant
performance-related bonuses.
Effects
You would work normal office hours but would occasionally need to
take work home at night or over weekends, so that you could formulate
your strategic plans and analyse your departmental performance,
check levels of stock or write a monthly report for directors. You
may need to travel fairly extensively, including making trips overseas,
in order to check suppliers' procedures, transport systems and quality
controls.
Sources of information
Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply: www.cips.org
Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport: www.ciltuk.org.uk
CRCI: WC
|
