Office & Administrative Support
Procurement Clerks
Also called: Buyer, Procurement Assistant, Procurement Officer, Procurement Specialist
US median pay
$50,580
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
-8.1%
declining
Openings a year (US)
3,700
56,900 employed
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
Preparation 2/5 · Some preparation
What this job is
Compile information and records to draw up purchase orders for procurement of materials and services.
What they do day to day
- Track the status of requisitions, contracts, and orders.
- Perform buying duties when necessary.
- Prepare purchase orders and send copies to suppliers and to departments originating requests.
- Calculate costs of orders, and charge or forward invoices to appropriate accounts.
- Compare prices, specifications, and delivery dates to determine the best bid among potential suppliers.
- Approve and pay bills.
- Maintain knowledge of all organizational and governmental rules affecting purchases, and provide information about these rules to organization staff members and to vendors.
- Determine if inventory quantities are sufficient for needs, ordering more materials when necessary.
- Check shipments when they arrive to ensure that orders have been filled correctly and that goods meet specifications.
- Contact suppliers to schedule or expedite deliveries and to resolve shortages, missed or late deliveries, and other problems.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Social Perceptiveness3.6/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.5/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.5/5
- Service Orientation3.1/5
- Coordination3.1/5
- Time Management3.0/5
- Persuasion2.9/5
- Negotiation2.9/5
Knowledge
- English Language4.0/5
- Administrative3.8/5
- Customer and Personal Service3.8/5
- Economics and Accounting3.5/5
- Administration and Management3.4/5
- Mathematics3.4/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 2 of 5 — Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma; some previous work experience or training helps.
Typical entry education (BLS): High school diploma or equivalent.
Highest education of people in this job:
- High school diploma48%
- Bachelor's degree33%
- Some college17%
Who this job suits
Mostly Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Enterprising
Leading, persuading and starting things
Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.