Becoming a Purchasing Coordinator

Purchasing basically means to procure goods or services that are important for an organization to carry out its business and achieve the objectives. Every organization these days has a purchasing department. This department is the one responsible for ensuring that the necessary materials are present in the organization when they are required. In an organization, every department directly or indirectly has to communicate with the purchase department. The material requirements for all departments are different. So, whenever any department requires anything, the purchase department has to be contacted.

No materials can enter the premises of an organization without the approval of the purchase department. Every other department within the organization submits a properly filled purchase order to the purchase department. The officials of the purchase department review the requirements and depending on their analysis, approve or disapprove the order. With so much work being in hands of the purchase department of an organization, there are several career options that are available in this particular department. The job of a purchasing coordinator is one of the career options that one can look at.

A purchasing coordinator is the one who manages and guides the procurement or the purchasing process within an organization. A purchasing coordinator has several duties to perform. The nature of responsibility differs from one organization to another. Typically, the responsibilities of such a coordinator include the following:

• He coordinates the purchasing process of various departments
• The coordinator analyzes the need for particular materials and equipment in the organization
• The coordinator is also responsible for finding local suppliers and settling prices of materials with them
• The purchasing coordinator has to ensure that the right materials are available at the required place at the right time
• This coordinator is also responsible for communicating with the purchasing manager and other staff members who are at a level above him and even with employees who work at a level below him
• He also has to resolve any issues that may arise in the organization related to the purchase of materials
• The purchasing coordinator also has to prepare and submit reports to the manager
• The coordinator is also responsible for ensuring that the budget set for purchases does not exceed the set amount
• The purchasing coordinator is also responsible for maintaining data about the purchases made
• He also has to ensure that the materials purchased are obtained in the exact quantity that was ordered for

A purchasing coordinator needs to be at least a graduate in marketing or business. He must be proficient in using computers and also have knowledge about products and services and their prices. It is not necessary that a purchasing coordinator should have prior experience in the same field, though an experienced person is always preferred.

A coordinator who manages purchases in an organization requires having a few necessary skills that will enable him to perform to the best of his abilities. These skills include good communication skills. The coordinator needs to have interpersonal skills as well as motivational skills. The purchasing coordinator needs to have knowledge about the products and services that are being purchased so as to ensure that whatever is being purchased is of the best quality. A purchasing coordinator needs to have good negotiation skills as well as a few managerial skills. He needs to be good at problem solving and making reports. The coordinator also needs to have analytical skills and the ability to work as a part of a team.

The salary of a purchasing coordinator is generally on the higher side. In addition to the basic salary, the coordinator also gets many benefits. The working conditions are generally very good. Most of the time, the officers need to work from within their offices. Their working hours are fixed and putting in extra hours is required only some times.

Purchasing coordinators are usually provided training on the job so that they can get practical knowledge of how a purchase department works. They are often required to work on projects when undergoing training. Most times, the coordinators may be required to receive training from a training institution. Training mainly aims at improving the skills of these coordinators. These coordinators have good career development prospects. They may be promoted to a higher position in the department if they perform well.

The job of a purchasing coordinator is not an easy one. However, many people are opting for this job as a career as it offers a good salary and benefits as well as a good working environment.