0114-NOC

Purchasing managers

(NOC 0113)
High opportunity occupation High opportunity occupation
Annual Earnings
$93,247
Typical Education Background
Degree
Job Openings
(2022-2032)
1,580

Career Overview

Purchasing managers:

  • Plan, organize, direct, control and check the activities of a purchasing department
  • Create, design and carry out the purchasing policies of a business or institution
  • Are employed in the public and private sectors

Duties

Purchasing managers perform some or all of the following duties:

  • Plan, organize, direct, control and check the purchasing activities of a company or institution
  • Create purchasing policies and procedures
  • Control purchasing department budgets
  • Identify dealers of materials, equipment or supplies
  • Check cost and quality of goods or services
  • Discuss or oversee the bargaining of purchase contracts
  • Take part in the creation of requirements for equipment, products or other materials
  • Look over and process claims against suppliers
  • Interview, hire and oversee training of staff

Earnings

Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.

Annual Earnings

$93,247

Provincial Hourly Rate

High$62.00/hr
Median$44.71/hr
Low$31.25/hr
Source: B.C. Labour Market Information Office, derived from 2022 Job Bank Wage data

Work Environment

# Workers Employed

2,300

% Employed Full Time

72%
Source: 2016 Census

Work in this occupation is typically performed in a structured environment, such as an office.

Career Pathways

Career path information is currently not available.

Occupational Interests

It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.

For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.

Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:

Enterprising
Enterprising

Job Titles

Director, procurement
Manager, contracts
Manager, material and services purchasing
Manager, supply chain logistics
Purchasing manager, office equipment

Education, Training and Skills

  • A bachelor's degree or college diploma in business administration, commerce or economics is usually required.
  • Purchasing managers responsible for units purchasing specialized materials or business services may require a related degree or diploma. For example, a bachelor's degree or college diploma in engineering may be required for purchasing managers responsible for purchasing industrial products.
  • The designation Supply Chain Management Professional (S.C.M.P.) or registration in the educational program of the Purchasing Management Association of Canada may be required.
  • Several years of experience as a purchasing agent or officer are required.

Education programs in B.C.

The following program areas are related to this occupation:

  • Business Administration/Management/Commerce
  • International Business
  • Operations Management/Supervision
  • Economics (Arts)
  • Economics (Science)
  • Economics
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Find out more information about programs offered specifically for this career.

Skills

Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.

Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.

See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!

Speaking

Talking to others to share information effectively.

73%
Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

72%
Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

72%
Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

70%
Coordination

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

70%
Monitoring

Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

68%
Time Management

Managing one’s own time and the time of others.

66%
Writing

Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

66%
Management of Personnel Resources

Motivating, developing and directing people as they work, and identifying the best people for the job.

63%
Social Perceptiveness

Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

63%

Labour Market Statistics

Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.

Employment

Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.

Employment

2,300
Source: 2016 Census

Employment by Region

Map of BC Map of Cariboo region Map of Kootenay region Map of Mainland/Southwest region Map of North Coast and Nechako region Map of Northeast region Map of Thompson-Okanagan region Map of Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
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Region Employment (2022) % Employment of this Occupation
Cariboo 80 3.0%
Kootenay 20 1.1%
Mainland/Southwest 2,050 75.7%
North Coast and Nechako 20 1.3%
Northeast 30 1.1%
Thompson-Okanagan 170 5.9%
Vancouver Island/Coast 300 12.2%
Source: 2016 Census and B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Labour Market Outlook

The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.

Forecasted Job Openings (2022-2032)

1,580
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Forecasted Job Openings

Forecasted Employment Growth Rate

Composition of Job Openings

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Job Openings by Region (2022-2032)

Map of BC Map of Cariboo region Map of Kootenay region Map of Mainland/Southwest region Map of North Coast and Nechako region Map of Northeast region Map of Thompson-Okanagan region Map of Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
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Region Job Openings Avg. Annual Employment Growth
Cariboo 0 0.0%
Kootenay 0 0.0%
Mainland/Southwest 1,190 1.1%
North Coast and Nechako 0 4.1%
Northeast 0 0.0%
Thompson-Okanagan 110 1.6%
Vancouver Island/Coast 200 1.3%
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Industry Highlights

Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.

Forecasted Job Openings by Industry

IndustryJob Openings (2022-2032)
Manufacturing49,200
Wholesale Trade33,100
Retail Trade115,500
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services148,000
Public Administration49,200
For additional industry information, visit the Industry Profiles page.
Source: 2016 Census and B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Resources

Resource information is currently not available.