Virtually no enterprise — manufacturing or trading — can do without material resources. They are necessary for the smooth operation of the entire company, and the procurement manager is responsible for ensuring their availability. What are the professional responsibilities of this specialist?
The procurement manager must ensure the availability of the necessary goods for sale, raw materials for production, materials for the provision of services.
In part, he can
perform the functions of a storekeeper, that is, know the state of stocks, keep records of receipt and delivery. However, in most modern enterprises, the procurement manager is responsible not only for availability, but also for deliveries. It is he who must find reliable partners from whom the company will purchase goods or raw materials at affordable prices. He must be aware of the needs and performance of the enterprise. In some companies, the procurement manager also acts as a buyer (purchaser). That is, he not only searches for suppliers, but also conducts the entire procedure of material support of the enterprise, starting from the calculation of needs and ending with the management of the warehouse.
Instructions for the procurement manager are compiled individually, depending on the industry and the number of staff. At large enterprises there are several such specialists; each is responsible for a certain group of goods. For example, one deals only with raw materials, the other with office materials. The third is responsible for household maintenance: the presence of soap, cleaning products, tea, coffee, and
also household appliances. Accounting, warranty service, depreciation, inventory, write-offs may also be included in his responsibilities.
The procurement manager is also responsible for the supply of quality goods. That is, complaint procedures, marriage handling, delays, transportation can also be part of his duties. In addition, such a specialist must correctly execute any of his transaction: accept the invoice, pay (or transfer it to the accounting department), submit a request, sign the order. The procurement manager, whose responsibilities depend primarily on the industry and the scale of production or trade volumes, must constantly monitor the availability of goods in the warehouse. This function is especially important for industrial enterprises. Any downtime is a huge loss for the company. The procurement manager must ensure the availability or uninterrupted supply of raw materials, as well as, for example, spare parts or consumables. Such a specialist maintains contacts with all departments - both with accounting and direct management, as well as with storekeepers, drivers, freight forwarders. Outside the enterprise, this is one of the first persons who contacts suppliers and contractors, therefore it is extremely important that he knows how to maintain good relations and competently negotiate.
If the company imports, such a specialist may be required to know a foreign language and the principles of international transport and
customs clearance of goods.Knowledge of computer programs should not be limited to office applications only. It is advisable that such a specialist be able to work both with accounting documents and with transport documents. Procurement Manager is one of the key positions of the company. This specialist has a huge responsibility to ensure the proper performance of the enterprise.