Table 1Transition record

procurement department managertopurchasing manager

A procurement department manager already meets 23% of what the purchasing manager role asks for. The move turns on 20 required skills not yet in the profile.

From procurement department manager

23%

Overlap1

To purchasing manager

14 Skills carried over

20 Required, not held

79.3 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 79.3

This move: 79.3 of 100 · career change

1 Share of the purchasing manager role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the procurement department manager profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 14 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A purchasing manager role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a procurement department manager background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held manage procurement planning management skills
already held assess procurement needs communication, collaboration and creativity
already held implement sustainable procurement communication, collaboration and creativity
already held procurement lifecycle business, administration and law
already held implement procurement of innovation communication, collaboration and creativity
already held use e-procurement working with computers

All 14 carried skills, including the 5 the purchasing manager role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 39 missing skills fall into 6 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 information skills 6 required, 7 supplementary

required, not held analyse supply chain trends required
required, not held assess supplier risks required
required, not held analyse logistic changes required
required, not held analyse supply chain strategies required
required, not held estimate costs of required supplies required
required, not held study sales levels of products required

optional, not held monitor stock level optional
optional, not held perform procurement market analysis optional
optional, not held track price trends optional
optional, not held analyse consumer buying trends optional
optional, not held calculate purchasing levels of raw materials optional
optional, not held carry out statistical forecasts optional
optional, not held maintain contract administration optional

02 communication, collaboration and creativity 5 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held coordinate purchasing activities required
required, not held maintain relationship with customers required
required, not held negotiate sales contracts required
required, not held liaise with managers required
required, not held order supplies required

optional, not held advise on sustainable management policies optional
optional, not held attend trade fairs optional

03 management skills 4 required, 5 supplementary

required, not held issue sales invoices required
required, not held manage inventory required
required, not held identify suppliers required
required, not held strive for company growth required

optional, not held ensure equipment availability optional
optional, not held manage rented goods returns optional
optional, not held manage staff optional
optional, not held manage supplies optional
optional, not held recruit employees optional

04 business, administration and law 4 required, 4 supplementary

required, not held corporate social responsibility required
required, not held quality standards required
required, not held supply chain management required
required, not held supply chain principles required

optional, not held category specific expertise optional
optional, not held market pricing optional
optional, not held pricing strategies optional
optional, not held risk management optional

05 assisting and caring 1 required

required, not held follow company standards required

06 engineering, manufacturing and construction 1 supplementary

optional, not held sustainable manufacturing optional

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a purchasing manager role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 14 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held maintain relationship with suppliers skill
already held manage budgets skill
already held manage contracts skill
already held negotiate buying conditions skill
already held supplier management knowledge
already held assess procurement needs skill
already held implement procurement of innovation skill
already held implement sustainable procurement skill
already held international business knowledge
already held manage procurement planning skill
already held procurement legislation knowledge
already held procurement lifecycle knowledge
already held train employees skill
already held use e-procurement skill

19 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held category specific expertise optional
optional, not held market pricing optional
optional, not held monitor stock level optional
optional, not held perform procurement market analysis optional
optional, not held track price trends optional
optional, not held advise on sustainable management policies optional
optional, not held analyse consumer buying trends optional
optional, not held attend trade fairs optional
optional, not held calculate purchasing levels of raw materials optional
optional, not held carry out statistical forecasts optional
optional, not held ensure equipment availability optional
optional, not held maintain contract administration optional
optional, not held manage rented goods returns optional
optional, not held manage staff optional
optional, not held manage supplies optional
optional, not held pricing strategies optional
optional, not held recruit employees optional
optional, not held risk management optional
optional, not held sustainable manufacturing optional

35 held skills the purchasing manager role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role adapt to changing situations skill
not needed by the target role address problems critically skill
not needed by the target role adhere to organisational code of ethics skill
not needed by the target role adhere to organisational guidelines skill
not needed by the target role analyse business processes skill
not needed by the target role analyse legal enforceability skill
not needed by the target role apply certification and payment procedures skill
not needed by the target role apply change management skill
not needed by the target role communication principles knowledge
not needed by the target role continuous improvement philosophies knowledge
not needed by the target role control financial resources skill
not needed by the target role cooperate with colleagues skill
not needed by the target role develop organisational policies skill
not needed by the target role develop performance orientation in public administration skill
not needed by the target role develop procurement strategy skill
not needed by the target role e-procurement knowledge
not needed by the target role evaluate tender skill
not needed by the target role gather feedback from employees skill
not needed by the target role government policy knowledge
not needed by the target role implement risk management in procurement skill
not needed by the target role keep up-to-date with regulations skill
not needed by the target role leadership principles knowledge
not needed by the target role manage a team skill
not needed by the target role manage contract disputes skill
not needed by the target role manage relationships with stakeholders skill
not needed by the target role management department processes knowledge
not needed by the target role monitor developments in field of expertise skill
not needed by the target role morality knowledge
not needed by the target role negotiate improvement with suppliers skill
not needed by the target role negotiate supplier arrangements skill
not needed by the target role organisational structure knowledge
not needed by the target role perform contract reporting and evaluation skill
not needed by the target role project management knowledge
not needed by the target role teamwork principles knowledge
not needed by the target role use communication techniques skill

9 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

required, not held corporate social responsibility required
required, not held quality standards required
required, not held supply chain management required
required, not held supply chain principles required
optional, not held category specific expertise optional
optional, not held market pricing optional
optional, not held pricing strategies optional
optional, not held risk management optional
optional, not held sustainable manufacturing optional

Index

Other moves recorded from procurement department manager

Full index of moves from procurement department manager

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.