For companies that sell goods, supply management is of paramount importance. The purchasing manager's mission is to create a balance in inventory calculations. In collaboration with general management, he or she will deal with several aspects of the company's purchasing: organizational, contractual, financial and logistical. His or her primary role is to achieve the company's quantitative and qualitative objectives in terms of the acquisition of goods and services. In fact, the purchasing manager will negotiate and conclude the purchase of any product or service required for the production and operation of the company, at the best price, under the best conditions and within the shortest lead-times. Let's take a closer look at this profession and discover its day-to-day missions, the skills and qualities required, the training needed and how the job can evolve. 

Working with the sales department and within a defined budget, the purchasing manager defines the company's purchasing strategy and oversees its implementation. He or she is responsible for every task involving purchasing. He or she is responsible for acquiring the raw materials, tools, services and suppliers required for production activities. This expert takes part in meetings with his superiors to discuss the company's purchasing policies. He or she then takes decisions on behalf of the company during various commercial operations (calls for tender, negotiation). The purchasing manager may modify his or her purchasing strategy in line with the growing dimension of CSR. This professional works in the sales or marketing department. They may head a team of buyers or field agents.

The purchasing manager's main mission is to minimize the purchasing expenses of the group for which he works, and to maximize profits on sales. Here are his other missions. Defining purchasing strategy : 

• Maintain an economic and technological watch to keep abreast of market developments.
• Support management in understanding the company's overall strategy and in setting objectives: costs, volume, quality, deadlines.
• Define purchasing procedures for services and products.
• Development of cost reduction programs.
• Drawing up technical specifications, expressing the company's needs.

Managing a team of buyers : 

• Coordinate the activities of a team of buyers: ensure that teams are correctly sized according to the objectives defined by the purchasing director and the company's general management.
• Department budget management.
• Definition of recruitment needs (in conjunction with the HR department) and workforce management.
• Implementation of professional interviews, appraisals and training.
• Skills development within the team.

Commercial negotiation with suppliers : 

• Monitor ongoing calls for tender. 
• Work on complicated/strategic tenders or negotiations.
• Take charge of negotiations for large categories of products or services.
• Participate in the final choice of a supplier when responding to calls for tender.
• Negotiate with suppliers on prices, obligations and payment terms.  
• Drafting or approval of contracts and framework agreements. 
• Launch of purchase orders. 
• Identify, anticipate and manage supplier risks. 
• Follow-up of procurement and correct routing of goods to the relevant departments.

Sourcing supervision (to anticipate financial risks, the purchasing manager establishes criteria for selecting suppliers) : 

• Optimize purchasing sourcing by constantly auditing the supplier group, in line with the objectives set by the Purchasing Director. 
• Define the supplier referencing program. 
• Supervision of supplier database.
• Implementation of tender automation projects.
• Follow-up of contractual agreements.
• Intervention in the event of serious disputes with suppliers, with the support of the company's legal department. 

Activity reporting : 

• Monitoring of purchasing budgets and presentation of general activity reports to the purchasing department and the company's business divisions.
• Tracking of performance indicators (quantitative and qualitative) to measure business unit satisfaction. 
• Analyze the main market indices (cost drivers, energy, inflation, transport) that have an impact on purchasing conditions with management. 

Purchasing managers are highly adaptable and resistant to stress. Their professional environment can change rapidly. An emergency can happen very quickly. This job also requires anticipation. The purchasing manager anticipates possible financial risks and finds appropriate solutions to avoid them. A force to be reckoned with, this professional builds confidence in order to win over potential suppliers and obtain the best offers. This means mastering the art of negotiation and argumentation with diplomacy.

Tenacity is a key quality of a purchasing manager. He or she knows how to take risks and react quickly if a supplier goes bankrupt, or if a procurement or project is unsuccessful. They are also patient and interested in technical issues. Buyers are particularly rigorous and organized. It's impossible to be a good buyer without being able to meet numerous deadlines, manage different projects, prioritize them and bring them to a successful conclusion. He knows how to work alone, but also as part of a team. Managing, motivating and leading teams are all part of the job. Managerial skills and the ability to listen are essential.

The following are the specific skills required for the position of purchasing manager: 

• Knowledge of the products in its portfolio and production techniques to be able to negotiate with suppliers.  
• Knowledge of the entire purchasing process and of the logistics and supply chain.
• Knowledge of the company's equipment.
• Knowledge of suppliers and supplier identification databases.
• Legal knowledge to understand the regulatory constraints to which companies are subject.
• Knowledge of e-sourcing and marketplace software offerings.
• Update a database containing various information: product references, materials, techniques, etc.
• Negotiate with suppliers: create specifications, prepare sales pitches, negotiate prices and conditions, draw up contracts. 
• Negotiate internally with the design office, sales representatives and the factory.
• Proficiency in one or more foreign languages.
• Proficiency in the IT tools used by the company.
• Quality management (supplier quality assurance).

To access this position, several levels of education are possible: 

• At BAC+3 level After a professional bachelor's degree, where numerous specialties are offered (international industrial product marketing, industrial buyer, purchasing specialties).
• At BAC+5 level Purchasing: after training at a higher education institution (engineering school or master's degree with a purchasing specialization). You can also take a Master's degree specialized in the company's field of activity or in management, with a specialization in purchasing.

At ISAL Paris, a school that trains students in the fashion and luxury industries, there are several courses leading to this job. 

Visit Bachelor Luxe Mode et Merchandisingor the Bachelor in Fashion and Digital Marketing accessible in 3rd year, offers real knowledge of products, materials and know-how. Every student who graduates with a certification has skills in digital marketing, digital communications, website design, business management, fashion and luxury goods, and foreign languages. 

Visit Master of Fashion and Luxury Management enables students to obtain RNCP level 7 professional certification: "Manager des Organisations", Corporate Strategy course. Over the course of two years, students learn the fundamentals of the fashion and luxury business, as well as fashion and luxury professions (sourcing, purchasing and production follow-up, management and procurement). These formative courses are given in English and French, a real asset when recruiting. 

Visit Marketing and Strategy Masters is a specialization in the fashion and luxury industries. This work-study program offers a wide range of subjects: corporate control and management & digital, fashion and the digital experience (sourcing, purchasing and collections), modern European languages, project management and management, digital management and entrepreneurship. After graduating in Paris, students can turn their career plans into reality.

The average salary for a purchasing manager is between €60,000 and €70,000 gross per year. Once confirmed, their salary can rise to a minimum of €80,000 gross. The overall salary varies enormously depending on the sector of activity chosen and the employer (private or public). After several years' experience, experts can move on to other job titles, such as sales account manager, logistics manager, procurement manager or industrial account manager.