Buyer skills employers ask for

The most-asked skills

Share of Buyer postings that mention each skill.

1. Procurementdistinctive77%
2. Contract negotiationdistinctive65%
3. Supply chaindistinctive54%
4. Exceldistinctive45%
5. Inventory management40%
6. Manufacturingdistinctive36%
7. Vendor managementdistinctive34%
8. Stakeholder managementdistinctive33%
9. Leadership33%
10. ERP systemsdistinctive28%
11. Communication25%
12. Problem solving25%
13. Sales25%
14. Marketing22%
15. Process improvementdistinctive22%

“Distinctive” means Buyer postings ask for it at least three times as often as jobs overall.

Prove it with a free skill badge:Procurement & purchasing,Supply chain planning,Excel,Inventory management,Stakeholder management

Where Buyer skills carry over

Roles whose postings ask for the most similar skills. Overlap counts the skills that define each role most.

• Purchasing Manager96% overlapShared: Procurement, Contract negotiation, Supply chain, Vendor managementHow to switch
• Purchasing Agent83% overlapShared: Procurement, Contract negotiation, Excel, Supply chainHow to switch
• Supply Chain Manager73% overlapShared: Supply chain, Procurement, Excel, ManufacturingHow to switch
• Logistics Specialist71% overlapShared: Supply chain, Procurement, Demand planning, ExcelHow to switch

Questions

What skills does a Buyer need?

In 373 current Buyer job postings, the skills asked for most often are Procurement (77%), Contract negotiation (65%), Supply chain (54%), Excel (45%), Inventory management (40%). Percentages are the share of postings that mention each skill.

What jobs can a Buyer move into?

Measured by shared skill demand, the closest roles are Purchasing Manager, Purchasing Agent, Supply Chain Manager, Logistics Specialist. Purchasing Manager shares skills such as Procurement, Contract negotiation, Supply chain.