Purchasing Manager skills employers ask for

The most-asked skills

Share of Purchasing Manager postings that mention each skill.

1. Procurementdistinctive88%
2. Contract negotiationdistinctive72%
3. Supply chaindistinctive68%
4. Leadership52%
5. Stakeholder managementdistinctive49%
6. Manufacturingdistinctive45%
7. Vendor managementdistinctive43%
8. Inventory management31%
9. Exceldistinctive27%
10. Process improvementdistinctive25%
11. Communication21%
12. ERP systemsdistinctive20%
13. Problem solving20%
14. Forecastingdistinctive19%
15. Project managementdistinctive19%

“Distinctive” means Purchasing Manager 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,Stakeholder management,Inventory management,Excel,Project management

Where Purchasing Manager skills carry over

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

• Buyer96% overlapShared: Procurement, Contract negotiation, Supply chain, Vendor managementHow to switch
• Purchasing Agent81% overlapShared: Procurement, Contract negotiation, Contract management, Supply chainHow to switch
• Supply Chain Manager75% overlapShared: Supply chain, Procurement, Stakeholder management, ManufacturingHow to switch
• Logistics Specialist71% overlapShared: Supply chain, Procurement, Manufacturing, Production planningHow to switch

Questions

What skills does a Purchasing Manager need?

In 505 current Purchasing Manager job postings, the skills asked for most often are Procurement (88%), Contract negotiation (72%), Supply chain (68%), Leadership (52%), Stakeholder management (49%). Percentages are the share of postings that mention each skill.

What jobs can a Purchasing Manager move into?

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