Procurement is rapidly becoming one of the most important roles in business, and across a variety of industries. The role of a Procurement Officer or Purchasing Manager is to optimise their company’s spending, ensuring that they are acquiring goods, services, or sub-contracted work, at a competitive price.
With such an important role, it is always beneficial to have the educational support of a Diploma behind you when it comes time to work in the supply chain area.
As a purchasing officer, your role would be to ensure that all purchases made by your company are at best possible value, while still receiving the highest quality product. You will be responsible for analysing data that would help you to make an informed decision about purchases. You would also be responsible for ensuring that the decision you make based on this data does not create shortages or surplus for your company.
Average salary: $55,000 – $60,000 a year
Working up to a purchasing manager, you will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the purchasing process for your company. Your role will be to oversee all development, cost-saving, strategy implementation, production, and more. Your ability to be successful in this position will rest on your ability to maintain strong working partnerships with your suppliers and stakeholders, review proposals and contracts, and having an informed opinion about the most effective strategies.
Average salary: $71,800
The role of a buyer is a more hands-on job than the previous two roles. Tasks for this position include selecting adequate merchandise, negotiating appropriate sales and prices, overseeing deliveries, and ensuring products are of the highest quality. Another important role of this position is to ensure that the supply chain processes are running smoothly and efficiently.
Average salary: $73,000
You are the primary contact for all suppliers, internal employees, and stakeholders. As the Procurement Manager, it would be your responsibility to identify potential suppliers and evaluate the benefits of using them, monitoring the performance of suppliers, and guaranteeing that the supply process is both profitable and well-organised.
Average salary: $104,900
When it comes to what industry that you would realistically be working in, the options are varied. Many industries have a Procurement role with the most popular being:
The beauty of the Business (Procurement) Diploma is that it sets you up to work in a variety of industries and a variety of roles. The skills that you learn are easily transferable across fields and positions. What this means for you in your day-to-day working environment, is that no two days will ever be the same.
Your day might start with you analysing a variety of strategies for your business, then estimating, budgeting for present or future jobs, or evaluating the procurement and inventory costs of a project. In the afternoon, you might find yourself creating new procedures and plans that will help to optimise processes, or you’ll be negotiating contracts and policies with suppliers and other relevant parties.
You’ll always be looking to create positive relationships with your suppliers and other business contacts and working to identify any inefficiencies in your processes and create solutions to rectify them going forward. Your job will be to keep a close eye on everything, to make sure it runs smoothly and productively.
In Australia, the need for more Procurement specialists is growing each year. It is estimated that over 22,000 jobs will be added to the existing 40,000+ jobs in the next five years. Although the demand does vary from state to state in Australia, there is a direct need for procurement and supply chain professionals.
The percentages of all current procurement jobs when looking at occupations state-wide show that the job outcomes in Australia are realistic and plentiful:
The Business (Procurement) Diploma outcomes provide a solid foundation for an employee in the workforce. The value of this lies in the abilities that it leaves students with, giving them the foundation needed to have a long and successful career. By choosing to study the diploma online, you are allowing yourself to gain a wealth of knowledge and skills that will aid you in finding a job that will be fulfilling and interesting. Every benefit you receive from the Procurement Diploma will be evident in your everyday role in the industry, and in your ability to be highly successful at the tasks in front of you.
Going into this profession with a recognised qualification, you will feel confident that you have done everything possible to prepare yourself by adding value to your knowledge. You will be able to understand and apply your skills to appropriate procurement situations, no matter what your role is, whether you are a buyer, a manager, an officer or assistant.
