Purchasing Agent

Job Overview

Job Category

Business and Operations Support

Sectors

Education

Environment

Office only

About This Career

Everybody needs something, and the people who can get them what they need are often just as valuable. In the oil and gas industry, companies need three main things: materials, equipment and services. The people who can get them those things are Purchasing Agents.

In oil and gas, Purchasing Agents buy goods, materials, supplies and services and ensure that they are of the quantity, quality, price and availability required by their organization. Purchasing Agents typically work within a Supply Chain Management group to support procurement requirements of materials, equipment and services for a specific business area or project. As Purchasing Agents move up in seniority, their responsibilities change from the day-to-day purchasing activities to strategic purchasing, sourcing decisions and policy development.

In general, a Purchasing Agent manages the procurement process and negotiates and drafts contracts or agreements for needed supplies. They build out purchasing and delivery schedules. Attention to detail is vital in this role, as following up to ensure the quality of the supplies, consistency and compliance with terms and conditions of the contracts are a key component of the Purchasing Agent’s role.

In this occupation activities may include:

Developing bid strategies and evaluation criteria with Project Team members.
Recommending and selecting the appropriate procurement method to satisfy the business requirement, which may vary in size, value and complexity.
Negotiating orders and/or contracts to achieve best value for the company.
Recording, monitoring, reconciling and reporting contracting and procurement activities, expenditures and commitments.
Tracking shipments, following up undelivered goods and resolve problems and disputes.

Education

A high school/GED is a minimum requirement. A bachelor's degree or college diploma in business administration, commerce or economics may be preferred by employers.
Purchasing agents buying specialized materials or business services may require a related university degree or college diploma. For example, a bachelor's degree in engineering may be required in some cases.

Certifications

Certification is not required, as there is currently no legislation regulating this occupation.

Additional Requirements

Specific health and safety certifications may be required, determined by location of work and company requirements

A keen attention to detail is the most important skill a Purchasing Agent needs to have. From drafting purchase agreements to building out delivery schedules, they need to be sure that every detail has been considered by the time the goods or services are delivered. Then, they need to be able to confirm that what’s been delivered is exactly what they ordered.

Senior Purchasing agents also need to have an eye on the future of their company, understanding strategic purchasing, sourcing decisions and policy development. In the long term, their attention to detail will mean the difference between a company that gets what it needs and one that doesn’t.