Purchasing Agent

NOC #12102

  • Environment Primarily indoor/office work
  • Education High school diploma
  • Average salary $65,000 to $119,000

Career profile

Purchasing agents are essential for securing the materials, equipment, and services needed for energy project planning construction, operations and management. They excel in procurement by ensuring the right quantity, quality, price, and availability for wide variety of goods and services needed across a company’s business. They working collaboratively with supply chain management groups to support specific business areas or projects. Purchasing agents develop, plan and manage a company’s procurement process. They negotiate and draft contracts or agreements for needed supplies to ensure defined delivery schedules to support business operations.

As they advance in their career, their role shifts from routine procurement to strategic decision-making, including sourcing choices and policy development. They are adept negotiators who draft contracts, manage schedules, and maintain a keen eye for quality assurance, guaranteeing that supplies meet organizational standards.

Exploration and production, Oil and gas services, Pipelines, Offshore, Oil sands, Carbon capture, utilization and storage, Well site decommissioning, Contracted and turnaround maintenance, Engineering, design and procurement, Modular fabrication, Construction, Start-up and commissioning, Geothermal, Solar, Wind

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

  • Travel likely required
  • Primarily indoor/office work
  • Work not physically demanding
  • Work away from home/in camps

You have keen attention to detail. From drafting purchase agreements to building out delivery schedules, you have every detail considered. Then, you can confirm that what’s been delivered is exactly what you ordered.

As your career progresses, you’ll also have an eye on your company’s future, understanding strategic purchasing, sourcing decisions and policy development. In the long term, your attention to detail will mean the difference between a company that gets what it needs and one that doesn’t.

  • Clerical
  • Customer and Personal Service
  • Understanding Risk
  • Transportation
  • Data Entry
  • Managing Material Resources
  • Quality Control Analysis
  • Complex Problem Solving
  • Cost Benefit Analysis
  • Negotiation
  • Persuasion
  • Attention to Detail