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Purchasing Manager

Logistics

Plan, direct, or coordinate the activities of buyers, purchasing officers, and related workers involved in purchasing materials, products, and services. Includes wholesale or retail trade merchandising managers and procurement managers.

Logistics & Supply ChainBusiness

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Develop and implement purchasing and contract management instructions, policies, and procedures.
  2. 2Locate vendors of materials, equipment or supplies, and interview them to determine product availability and terms of sales.
  3. 3Prepare bid awards requiring board approval.
  4. 4Direct and coordinate activities of personnel engaged in buying, selling, and distributing materials, equipment, machinery, and supplies.
  5. 5Review purchase order claims and contracts for conformance to company policy.
  6. 6Review, evaluate, and approve specifications for issuing and awarding bids.
  7. 7Administer online purchasing systems.
  8. 8Prepare and process requisitions and purchase orders for supplies and equipment.
  9. 9Control purchasing department budgets.
  10. 10Interview and hire staff, and oversee staff training.
  11. 11Develop cost reduction strategies and savings plans.
  12. 12Resolve vendor or contractor grievances and claims against suppliers.
  13. 13Analyze market and delivery systems to assess present and future material availability.
  14. 14Maintain records of goods ordered and received.
  15. 15Participate in the development of specifications for equipment, products, or substitute materials.
  16. 16Represent companies in negotiating contracts and formulating policies with suppliers.
  17. 17Prepare reports regarding market conditions and merchandise costs.
  18. 18Arrange for disposal of surplus materials.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • DMM
  • Vendor Manager
  • Contract Manager
  • Sourcing Manager
  • Commodity Manager
  • Materials Manager
  • Materials Director
  • Purchasing Manager
  • Contracting Manager
  • Merchandise Manager

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. Typical entry

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationBachelor's degree

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

BusinessDraws directly on Administration and Management — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
EconomicsDraws directly on Administration and Management — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
EnglishDraws directly on English Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
History (Sejarah)Draws directly on Law and Government — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Principles of AccountingDraws directly on Economics and Accounting — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Administration and Management85%

    BusinessEconomics

  • Customer and Personal Service80%
  • English Language79%

    English

  • Law and Government77%

    History (Sejarah)

  • Economics and Accounting75%

    Principles of AccountingEconomics

  • Computers and Electronics70%

    Computer Science / ICTElectrical & Electronic Eng. Studies

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleConstant contact
  • Dealing with customers or the publicHigh
  • Leading or coordinating othersHigh
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Noisy environmentAlmost never
  • Time spent sittingAlmost all the time

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

11%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

Related careers

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Purchasing Managers

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org