Purchasing Agent job summary
A great job description starts with a compelling summary of the position and its role within your company. Your summary should provide an overview of your company and expectations for the position. Outline the types of activities and responsibilities required for the job so job seekers can determine if they are qualified, or if the job is a good fit.
Example of a Purchasing Agent job summary
Our pre-owned car dealership seeks an entry-level Purchasing Agent to join our growing team. We’re opening a new location across town and sending our purchasing department to that campus, so we’re hiring a Purchasing Agent to start at our flagship location. If you love cars and understand how they work, you might be perfect for this position. We need someone who has experience working on cars or who is willing to learn. We offer in-house training during the first two weeks of employment, but we’d like you to hit the ground running. The benefits package includes generous paid time off.
Purchasing Agent responsibilities and duties
The responsibilities and duties section is the most important part of the job description. Here you should outline the functions this position will perform on a regular basis, how the job functions within the organization and who the job reports to.
- Seek out and evaluate used cars for sale through local and out-of-state vendors
- Negotiate purchase prices on used cars and determine whether to purchase or pass based on our in-house guidelines
- Visit local dealers on a regular basis to peruse new inventory and maintain positive working relationships with those vendors
- Keep meticulous records on all transactions and submit them to our accounting department monthly for auditing
- Inform vendors of our purchasing requirements and ensure all tasks are fulfilled, from producing new keys to providing maintenance records
Purchasing Agent qualifications and skills
Next, outline the required and preferred skills for your position. This may include education, previous job experience, certifications and technical skills. You may also include soft skills and personality traits that you envision for a successful hire. While it may be tempting to include a long list of skills and requirements, including too many could dissuade qualified candidates from applying. Keep your list of qualifications concise, but provide enough detail with relevant keywords and terms.
- Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration or related field required
- Prior knowledge of vehicles and their mechanics highly desired
- Working knowledge of major makes and models of popular vehicles
- Excellent written and oral communication skills and negotiating skills
- Reliable transportation required