Procurement officer in Nigeria: role, duties, courses, jobs and salaries
Procurement manager is a specialist engaged in the purchase of goods from suppliers on the most favorable conditions for a company. This profession is still relatively young, and therefore there is a shortage of good specialists with the necessary knowledge and skills. Today we will analyze procurement officer in Nigeria: role, duties, courses, jobs and salaries!
Source: UGC
Procurement officer job description
Depending on the company, the responsibilities of the procurement officer can vary greatly. For example, there are such types of businesses where sales for each of the items can be calculated with a sufficient degree of accuracy in advance. In this situation, the manager should only follow the original procurement plan with the utmost care.
Sometimes it can be some kind of an exclusive product: clothing, shoes, furniture, perfumes, jewelry and so on. In this case, you need to find what will be sold shortly, and the volume, in which such a product is indeed traded. Among the procurement officers, there are real pros who know how to communicate effectively with people and get what they want.
Roles of procurement officer
Many companies that open the vacancy of a supply manager, prefer young professionals, as they quickly learn new information and adapt to changes in the modern market.
The result of the specialists’ activity will be to find a good supplier who is ready to provide the best product at the lowest prices, with the right of deferred payment or even return of the unsold batch. However, the conditions of the current market are such that finding low prices sometimes becomes difficult to achieve.
Companies prefer to work with proven suppliers on long-agreed terms. Given the above, the primary responsibilities of the procurement officer are to optimize the procurement process, find the optimal quantity of goods and ensure that this product is at the right time and in the right place and will find its consumer.
Where do procurement officers come from
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Some retrain from logisticians, sales managers, dispatchers, and office managers. Others are initially engaged in procurement and purposefully grow in this direction.
Education
Good staff needs quality education. The management of large companies prefers to hire employees with higher education. Education close to the direction of the company (construction, medical, artistic, technical) is valued. Sometimes a big plus is an economic education. Procurement managers have to travel around the world themselves, negotiate with partners, evaluate the quality of their work, test product samples.
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Consequently, such a manager requires knowledge of English (Chinese, Turkish, Italian, etc.) and communication skills. Special higher education may not be, but it is recommended to take specialized courses and seminars to quickly immerse yourself in the specifics of the profession and begin to perform their duties effectively.
Procurement officer duties
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The procurement officer must:
- continually ensure the availability of goods in their product groups;
- build relationships with existing suppliers and find new ones offering the desired product at competitive prices;
- make orders for suppliers;
- provide information support to other departments;
- compile information and bring it to the attention of management;
- track whether the order is completed or not;
- monitor the market and ensure the availability of goods that are in high demand;
- track sales for each product; provide the required amount of goods in stock;
- study the new offers of suppliers;
- determine the types of goods that must be withdrawn from the range or enter into it;
- ensure that the company always has promotional materials from suppliers;
- control the performance of duties towards suppliers;
- advise sellers, and sometimes buyers;
- control the movement of goods and the timing of shipment of goods;
- review supplier claims and resolves conflicts; control product quality.
Additional procurement officer responsibilities:
- in case of a decrease in demand for certain products, taking corrective measures with the marketing department;
- achievement of the required level of turnover;
- business trips for dialogue with suppliers and procurement;
- research of new markets;
- fulfillment of individual official assignments of the management.
Necessary qualities, knowledge, and skills
Source: UGC
A procurement officer should have such personal attributes and skills as:
- an analytical, practical mindset;
- PC proficiency at the level of the confident user;
- knowledge of the basics of economics; understanding of the transport, logistics and customs system;
- knowledge of English and other languages (depending on the specifics of the company);
- ability to handle large amounts of information;
- stress tolerance and the ability to quickly make effective decisions;
- knowledge of supplies and contractual terms;
- effective planning and prioritization skills;
- mastering the basics of working in corporate information systems;
- ability to negotiate, possession of practical communication skills.
In some companies, the procurement officer is a regular executor who implements the tasks set by the management. In others, acquires the role of a “gray cardinal,” with the ability to effectively influence the company's procurement policy.
Salary of procurement officer
Source: UGC
The salary will vary greatly depending on the scale of the company’s activities, the experience of the employee, his professional skills, and the level of responsibility. The most appreciated are those managers who can negotiate with different suppliers at different levels (including foreign languages), can keep in mind and analyze large amounts of information.
The primary responsibilities of an advertising manager are analyzing large amounts of information and making the right decisions for an effective advertising campaign.
Career prospects
The demand for this profession does not diminish, especially if the applicant understands marketing, manufacturing, logistics and the specifics of a particular company.
Top job board for procurement officer jobs in Nigeria is here
After several years of successful and productive work, the manager can grow to a purchasing director. You can go to related areas, such as logistics, sales and become the head of such units.
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Source: Legit.ng
