Purchasing Basics for the New Buyer

Gain an understanding of procurement concepts and how best to utilize the technologies available.

Individuals who are new to being a buyer within procurement may not be aware of the responsibility and opportunities that come with the position. The role can be high pressure at times and may differ from industry to industry, but as a rule the buyer will have to constantly balance the expectations of their customers against a supplier's capabilities and at the same time hold themselves to a higher ethical standard than others in the organization. With these challenges the role can reap organizational recognition and provide potential career progression not found in other professions. This topic will provide the new buyer with an enhanced understanding of procurement concepts and how best to utilize the technologies available for processing their work. The material will also explain in detail the ethical obligations of the role and reasons why buyers are held to a higher standard. This higher level of responsibility in the organization brings with it opportunities to directly benefit the budget bottom line as well as other value-adds such as minimizing organizational risk. This information is critical for anyone who is a new buyer or new to supervising buyers and will send participants away with future training topics to explore as they advance their career in procurement.