Does Procurement Administrator

What Does a Procurement Administrator Do?

A procurement administrator oversees the process of obtaining services from a vendor as well as managing procurement and purchasing staff. The role requires knowledge of procedures for the purchase of services and goods for a company. Businesses are often looking for ways to acquire goods at a competitive price, and it is the job of the procurement administrator to oversee the processes involved in making those acquisitions.

The administrator in a procurement department is responsible for managing the daily operations of the purchasing and procurement division of a company. He or she is in charge of supervising personnel as well as reviewing contract agreements. The administrator also reviews purchasing requirements for contracts when the company is soliciting goods and services from vendors. The procurement department may review the qualifications of vendors to ensure the best and most reliable service available is being used.

In most companies, the procurement administrator reports directly to a senior manager. The administrator has to consider the company's fiscal status and capabilities when obtaining contracts for goods and services. He or she is also often responsible for conducting meetings concerning the hiring of new staff, personnel issues, and the technical needs of the purchasing or procurement division. Administrators may also assign, supervise, and review the work of procurement operations staff.

The procurement administrator may meet regularly with senior management to keep them abreast of any changes in the procurement process. Administrators may also offer instruction and training to procurement personnel, as well as visiting buyers and vendors. They may also review bids for services and contracts to ensure that those bids are in compliance with current procurement policies.

Analytical skills are important for a procurement administrator, and he or she may need to quickly review contracts to identify any issues that may come up. Administrators must also have the ability to efficiently use computer applications and have a thorough understanding of the procurement information system used by the company. Procurement information systems are often used to create detailed purchasing reports.

The procurement administrator also conducts cost analyses and works with company purchasing budgets. Budgeting is a critical component of an effective procurement process and the management of a company as a whole.

Procurement administrators usually provide support for their organizations' procurement team. Some organizations refer to them as purchasing administrators. As each workplace has its own unique structure and workflows, the procurement administrator's role adapts to best meet the team's needs.

Depending on how an organization defines the role, a procurement administrator may have a mix of clerical and general administrative duties. This position may or may not be a managerial role, but that can vary with each workplace.

Besides analytical and communication skills, this professional should possess other key abilities to perform the job:

• Time management
• Critical thinking
• Negotiation
• Finance

Technical skills are also essential, but the specifics depend on the organization and industry. Procurement administrators should also be familiar with industry specifics, especially purchasing practices. You don't need a degree in chemistry to work in procurement for a chemical company, but you should at least know how the chemicals industry operates and what supplies and services are typically required.

Procurement administrator salaries vary by industry, organization and location. Most earn between $37,000 and $60,000 per year, with a median nationwide salary of $47,000 annually. Procurement administrators tend to receive the highest salaries if they work on the West Coast, in the Northeast or the Upper Great Lakes region.

When job hunting and negotiating your salary, you may find some annual salary statistics helpful:

• Highest average salary:
  Oregon, $59,291
• Closest to nationwide median:
  Nort…