How to become a purchasing agent
Official title: Purchasing agent
Also called: Procurement agent, Procurement coordinator/executive, Supply requirements buyer, Technical purchaser, Costume Coordinator, Procurement Executive/Sourcing Executive, Senior Procurement Executive, Supply requirements buyer, Technical purchaser
Purchasing agent buys machinery, equipment, raw materials, services and other supplies for use by the enterprise. He/she ascertains the requirements of the enterprise and studies market information on varieties and qualities available. He/she interviews vendors to ascertain their ability to meet the organisation’s specific requirements for design, performance, price and delivery. He/she may approve bills for payment.
Main tasks
- Determining or negotiating contract terms and conditions, awarding supplier contracts or recommending contract awards for the purchase of equipment, raw materials products, services and the purchasing of merchandise for resale
- Obtaining information about requirements and stock and developing specifications for quantity and quality to be purchased, costs, delivery dates and other contract conditions
- Purchasing general and specialised equipment, materials or business services for use or for further processing by their establishment
- Inviting tenders, consulting with suppliers and reviewing quotations
- Studying market reports, trade periodicals and sales promotion materials and visiting trade shows, showrooms, factories and product design events
- Selecting the merchandise or products that best fit the establishment’s requirements
- Interviewing suppliers and negotiating prices, discounts, credit terms and transportation arrangements
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Median pay: $50,976 a year. The middle half earn $42,840 to $62,844 a year.
- Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.
Related jobs
- Buyer
- Insurance sales agent/broker
- Business development executive
- After sales adviser/Client account service executive
- Marketing and sales executive (food and beverage services)
- Online sales channel executive
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Questions people ask
How much does a purchasing agent earn in Singapore?
Median full-time pay is $50,976 a year (Ministry of Manpower (via data.gov.sg)). The middle half earn $42,840 to $62,844.
Will AI change the work of a purchasing agent?
Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.
Sources
- Ministry of Manpower (via data.gov.sg): Resident Occupational Wages (Occupational Wage Survey) (June 2024 (data.gov.sg update 2026-04-01)), Singapore Open Data Licence v1.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
- International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
Updated 4 October 2026