Where a purchasing manager can go next
12 destinations recorded, ranked by how much of the target role a purchasing manager already meets. The closer to the top of Table 1, the less there is to learn.
Purchasing managers are in charge of buying goods, equipment and services for their company, and try to ensure the most competitive prices. They are also responsible for negotiating contracts, reviewing the quality of products and analysing suppliers, and for the use and resale of goods and services.
Managers 53 skills on file 12 career moves 2 above 60% overlap Closest: forecast manager, 66%
- 70% and above · short step
- 50 to 70% · real move
- Below 50% · substantial retraining
Table 2 · A bigger jump
Possible, but expect real retraining rather than a sideways step.
- supply chain manager 53% covered · difficulty 59.4
- purchaser 48% covered · difficulty 55.5
- ICT vendor relationship manager 46% covered · difficulty 56.7
- ICT buyer 42% covered · difficulty 59.9
- purchase planner 38% covered · difficulty 65.8
- procurement support officer 32% covered · difficulty 65.7
- hardware and paint shop manager 32% covered · difficulty 70.2
- contract manager 32% covered · difficulty 70.4
- shop supervisor 31% covered · difficulty 63.7
Look up another occupation
purchasing manager is filed under Managers, ISCO major group 1. The full index lists all ten groups.
How these figures were compiled
Coverage is the share of the target role’s weighted skill requirement a purchasing manager already meets, counting required skills in full and supplementary ones at 0.35. It is directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. Every entry above opens the full comparison for that move: what carries over, what is missing, and where to start. The full method.