3551 — Buyers and procurement officers
Medium Skilled
Sources checked 26 October 2026. Match the actual duties before choosing a code.
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What this occupation covers
Buyers and procurement officers organise and undertake the buying of raw materials, equipment and merchandise from manufacturers, importers, wholesalers and other sources for distribution, resale or for own internal use.
Typical duties
attends trade fairs, shows and demonstrations to research new product lines and suppliers, checks catalogues
keeps up with market trends and chooses products/services
assesses budgetary limitations and customer requirements and decides on quantity, type, range and quality of goods or services to be bought
assesses bids from suppliers, finds suppliers and negotiates prices
helps negotiate contract with supplier and specifies details of goods or services required
looks at ways to improve supply networks, presents new ideas to senior management team
ensures that delivered items comply with order, monitors quality of incoming goods and returns unsatisfactory or faulty items, monitors performance and makes sure targets are met
supervises clerical, administrative and warehouse distribution staff, deals with recruitment and training
works closely with merchandisers who allocate stock and develop sales forecasts
maintains records and prepares reports as necessary
Entry routes and qualifications
There are no formal academic requirements although some employers expect A levels/H grades, BTEC/SQA awards or degrees. Employers may ask for specific experience for a particular role. Professional qualifications and vocational qualifications in Procurement at levels 3, 4 and 5 are available.
Sponsorship information
Medium Skilled. Actual duties, sponsor, applicant, salary and any transitional or shortage-list conditions must be checked.
DBS assessment
No code-wide DBS assessment is assigned. Check actual duties, activities, workplace, frequency and jurisdiction. This code does not determine the level of check.
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