Procurement Clerks
Compile information and records to draw up purchase orders for procurement of materials and services.
From people doing the work
Day-to-day involves a lot of detail-oriented work, making sure purchase orders are accurate and following up with vendors. It's about keeping things moving smoothly and ensuring the right materials arrive on time, often requiring good communication and organizational skills.
Drawn from Institute for Supply Management (ISM), Procurement Leaders, r/procurement
Attribution: Composite
Composite · Synthesised from Institute for Supply Management (ISM), Procurement Leaders, r/procurement
A day in the life of a Procurement Clerk
- People interaction
- Extensive
- Team vs solo
- 85% Team / 15% Solo
- Client facing
- Sometimes
- Impact visibility
- Moderate
- Travel
- Minimal
- Schedule flexibility
- Flexible
- Remote work
- Mostly Remote
- Typical work hours
- 35-40
- Stress level
- Low
Procurement Clerks salary, education and outlook at a glance
- Median salary
- $48,510
- Entry-level
- $36,000
- Senior
- $68,000
- Growth by 2033
- -8.7%
- Demand
- Declining
- Freelance potential
- Low
- Salary growth potential
- 89%
- Typical student debt
- Moderate
Skills you need as a Procurement Clerk
Hard skills
- Economics and Accounting
- Complex Problem Solving
- Data base user interface and query software
Soft skills
- Social Perceptiveness
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Speaking
Technical complexity: Low
Tools of the trade
Core tools
- SAP Ariba (Platform): To manage and automate the entire procurement process from sourcing to payment.
- Microsoft Excel (Software): To organize, analyze, and report on procurement data and budgets.
- Microsoft Outlook (Software): To communicate with vendors, suppliers, and internal departments regarding purchase orders and deliveries.
Commonly used
- Coupa (Platform): To streamline purchasing, invoicing, and expense management through a unified platform.
- DocuSign CLM (Software): To manage the lifecycle of contracts, from creation to execution and renewal.
Specialist tools
- Slack (Software): To facilitate quick and efficient internal communication and collaboration with team members.
How to become a Procurement Clerk
- Minimum education
- High School Diploma
- Licensing
- No
- Years to mid-career
- 3-5
- Years to senior
- 8-12
- Career switching
- Easy
Where this career leads
How people arrive here
- Administrative Assistant: Often handles initial purchasing requests and vendor communications as part of broader administrative duties.
- Inventory Clerk: Manages stock levels and identifies needs for replenishment, directly feeding into procurement processes.
- Accounts Payable Clerk: Processes invoices and ensures timely payments, which are the financial outcomes of procurement activities.
Where you can go from here
- Purchasing Agent: Takes on more responsibility for negotiating prices, selecting suppliers, and managing vendor relationships.
- Supply Chain Analyst: Analyzes supply chain data to identify efficiencies, optimize costs, and improve overall procurement performance.
- Contract Administrator: Specializes in drafting, reviewing, and managing contracts with suppliers and service providers.
- Logistics Coordinator: Manages the transportation and storage of goods, often working closely with procurement to ensure timely delivery.
Typical progression
- Procurement Clerks
- Billing and Posting Clerks
- Brokerage Clerks
- or Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks
Procurement Clerks job outlook and future demand
- Automation probability
- Very High
- AI disruption risk
- Very High
- Demand trend
- Declining
Job satisfaction as a Procurement Clerk
- Overall satisfaction
- 6/10
- Meaning
- 5/10
- Work-life balance
- 7/10
- Prestige
- 4.5/10
- Social perception
- Low
Where practitioners gather
Professional organisations
- Institute for Supply Management (ISM): A leading not-for-profit professional supply management organization offering certifications, training, and networking.
- Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS): A global professional body for procurement and supply professionals, promoting best practices and ethical standards.
Podcasts and media
- Supply Chain Management Review: A publication offering insights and analysis on supply chain strategies, logistics, and procurement best practices.
Reddit communities
- r/procurement: An online forum for procurement professionals to discuss industry trends, challenges, and share advice.
Online communities
- Procurement Leaders: A global network providing intelligence, events, and peer-to-peer connections for procurement executives.