Sourcing purchaser

The Sourcing Purchaser is an essential element in purchasing and supply chain management. This professional is responsible for identifying, evaluating and selecting the most suitable suppliers to meet a company’s specific needs in terms of products, services or raw materials. To do this, he needs certain skills.

In summary:

• Sourcing Purchasers help optimize the quality, cost and performance of the supply chain.
• They ensure compliance with a company’s standards and requirements.
• There are certain skills and qualities you need to be a Sourcing Purchaser: good negotiating skills, good communication skills.

What is a Sourcing Purchaser?

A Sourcing Purchaser is a professional responsible for the strategic management of purchasing within a company. Its main role is to identify potential suppliers. To achieve this, he needs to implement strategies.

The Sourcing Purchaser will then negotiate the purchase contracts. He or she will draw up the relevant documents, manage supplier relations and monitor supplier performance.

What does a Sourcing Purchaser do?

The tasks of a Sourcing Purchaser include several key aspects of purchasing management:

• identifying potential suppliers: the Sourcing Purchaser must seek out and select the suppliers who best match the company’s needs in terms of quality, price and reliability;
• negotiation of purchasing contracts: responsible for negotiating the terms and conditions of contracts with suppliers in order to obtain the best purchasing conditions for the company;
• Supplier relationship management: the Sourcing Purchaser maintains a close relationship with suppliers, ensuring that contractual commitments are met and resolving any problems that may arise;
• supplier performance monitoring: regularly assesses supplier performance in terms of quality, delivery times and costs. It takes the necessary steps to improve overall supply chain performance.

What skills does a Sourcing Purchaser need?

To work effectively as a Sourcing Purchaser, you need a number of skills:

• negotiation skills: a proven ability to negotiate effectively with suppliers to obtain the best purchasing terms;
• project management skills: the ability to manage several purchasing projects simultaneously, respecting deadlines and coordinating the various stakeholders;
• English skills: a good command of English is often essential, especially in an international context where many suppliers may be based abroad;
• people skills: the ability to establish and maintain solid professional relationships with suppliers;
• analytical skills: the ability to analyze data and information in order to make informed purchasing decisions.

How much does a Sourcing Purchaser earn?

The salary of a Sourcing Purchaser can vary depending on several factors, such as experience, sector of activity, company size and geographical location. In general, beginners expect lower salaries. More experienced employees benefit from more attractive remuneration packages.

What are the career prospects for a Sourcing Purchaser?

Career prospects for Sourcing Purchasers are generally good. With experience, they can progress to positions of greater responsibility, such as purchasing project manager, purchasing manager or purchasing director. They can also choose to specialize further in a specific area of purchasing, such as strategic purchasing, sustainable purchasing or international purchasing.

What are the career prospects for a Sourcing Purchaser?

ESCE offers specialized training in purchasing as part of its Programme Grandes Écoles (PGE). This specialization provides students with the knowledge and skills they need to perform Sourcing Purchaser functions in a variety of sectors.

ESCE’s Purchasing Specialization program covers various aspects of purchasing, including strategic purchasing management, negotiation, supply chain management, risk management and corporate social responsibility (CSR) in purchasing. Students also benefit from internship opportunities, which enable them to gain practical experience in the purchasing field.

At the end of their training, students are equipped to take up Sourcing Purchaser positions in national or international companies, or to continue their studies by specializing further in the purchasing field.

Updated 7 May 2024