Procurement clerks compile information and records to draw up purchase orders for procurement of materials and services.

  • Perform buying duties when necessary.
  • Prepare purchase orders and send copies to suppliers and to departments originating requests.
  • Compare suppliers' bills with bids and purchase orders to verify accuracy.
  • Prepare, maintain, and review purchasing files, reports and price lists.
  • Check shipments when they arrive to ensure that orders have been filled correctly and that goods meet specifications.
  • Compare prices, specifications, and delivery dates to determine the best bid among potential suppliers.
  • Review requisition orders to verify accuracy, terminology, and specifications.
  • Determine if inventory quantities are sufficient for needs, ordering more materials when necessary.
  • Calculate costs of orders, and charge or forward invoices to appropriate accounts.
  • Maintain knowledge of all organizational and governmental rules affecting purchases, and provide information about these rules to organization staff members and to vendors.
  • Contact suppliers to schedule or expedite deliveries and to resolve shortages, missed or late deliveries, and other problems.
  • Track the status of requisitions, contracts, and orders.
  • Respond to customer and supplier inquiries about order status, changes, or cancellations.
  • Locate suppliers, using sources such as catalogs and the internet, and interview them to gather information about products to be ordered.
  • Train and supervise subordinates and other staff.
  • Approve and pay bills.
  • Monitor contractor performance, recommending contract modifications when necessary.
  • Prepare invitation-of-bid forms, and mail forms to supplier firms or distribute forms for public posting.
  • Monitor in-house inventory movement and complete inventory transfer forms for bookkeeping purposes.
Work Context
  • Electronic Mail — 100% responded "Every day".
  • Telephone — 98% responded "Every day".
  • Contact With Others — 87% responded "Constant contact with others".
  • Work With Work Group or Team — 64% responded "Extremely important".
  • Spend Time Sitting — 73% responded "Continually or almost continually".
  • Face-to-Face Discussions — 78% responded "Every day".
  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate — 60% responded "Extremely important".
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Work Activities
  • Interacting With Computers — Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
  • Performing Administrative Activities — Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
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Detailed Work Activities
  • Train personnel.
  • Supervise clerical or administrative personnel.
  • Execute sales or other financial transactions.
  • Prepare documentation for contracts, transactions, or regulatory compliance.
  • Send information, materials or documentation.
  • Monitor inventories of products or materials.
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Knowledge

Clerical
  • Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Customer and Personal Service
  • Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Administration and Management
  • Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
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Skills

Reading Comprehension
  • Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Speaking
  • Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Listening
  • Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Writing
  • Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
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Abilities

Written Comprehension
  • The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Oral Comprehension
  • The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression
  • The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Written Expression
  • The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
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Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Achievement/Effort
  • Persistence
  • Initiative
  • Leadership
  • Cooperation
  • Concern for Others
  • Social Orientation
  • Self Control
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Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Enterprise resource planning ERP software
  • Autotask Hot Technology
  • SAP Business Objects Hot Technology
  • Radiant Systems CounterPoint Hot Technology
  • Oracle PeopleSoft Hot Technology
  • Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Hot Technology
  • Enterprise resource planning ERP software Hot Technology
  • IBM Maximo Asset Management Hot Technology
Word processing software
  • Microsoft Word Hot Technology
Project management software
  • Microsoft SharePoint Hot Technology
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