Every organization, especially the ones that are involved in manufacturing products for mass consumption or business to business use employ an associate buyer. These professionals are involved in the purchasing of materials that are either used in the production of goods or for the consumption of the organization itself.
Associate buyer responsibilities are to assist in the purchasing and disbursement of materials. A lot of tasks go hand in hand with the procurement of materials. When not buying the materials, an associate buyer is busy in researching for substitutes for existing materials used by the organization. He will also be engaged in meeting and communicating with new vendors to analyze the differences in price offered by different vendors. This saves a great deal of money spent in procurement of materials.
Organizations today also require services of experts in order to facilitate smooth business. This task is also assigned to the associate buyer who communicates with other professionals and organizations and finds out who can offer the best service to the organization at a reasonable cost. Example of these service providers may include internet service providers or caterers.
Associate buyer also works for the departmental stores where he has to keep a track of the inventory and place orders according to the consumption pattern of the customers regularly. With the advent of e-commerce, assistant buyers have found one more sector where they can contribute their buying skills.
Find a detailed description of the associate buyer responsibilities below. It will definitely help you to realize the significance of this job.
Maintaining and Disbursing Inventory
An associate buyer maintains the inventory and disburses the different materials as required by the departments and personnel. He has to maintain of record of the materials distributed and the material retained on a weekly or monthly basis. Associate buyer also maintains the receipts of purchases and the payments made to the vendors.
Researching for New Materials and Suppliers
An associate buyer researches for new substitutes that can replace the existing materials consumed by the organization. For example, using advanced equipments and machineries to save time labor expenses. The associate buyer thus contributes in the progress of the organization. He also searches for suppliers who provide better quality materials at a cheaper rate than other suppliers.
Budgeting
An associate buyer helps in determining the budget for annual procurement depending on the past trends.
Replace Damaged Stock
An associate buyer has to check whether the stock received and stored is in a proper condition. He immediately notifies about the damaged or expired stock to the vendor and arranges for replacement either through the same vendor or by purchasing from different vendor to meet consumption requirements.
Working in the position of assistant buyer requires excellent negotiation skills. You also need to be attentive enough to analyze the quality of materials and compare different materials to decide which will suffice the requirements. Excellent organizational skills combined with proficiency in a number of software used in maintaining inventory is very important if you want to deliver perfection at work. Be prepared to travel a lot and work for extra hours as and when required.
Organizations prefer to employ individuals with at least an associate or a bachelor's degree in business management, economics, marketing or a related course. Prior experience of working in the purchase department can be beneficial, though not necessary.
An associate buyer is offered an annual salary that is around $57,000. The salary offered to you while joining will depend on your qualifications and the way you negotiate with the employer. Associate buyers have to work for a few years before they can apply for a higher position.
Associate buyer responsibilities are primarily important because a senior buyer may not be able to fulfill all the requirements of purchasing department.