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Useful experience for purchasing/supply officers includes:

• customer service
• administrative work
• accounting or financial work
• work in stores and warehouses.

Purchasing/supply officers may do some or all of the following:

• work with staff and management to define their purchasing needs
• keep up to date with market trends in the industry they work
• research and identify new suppliers
• build relationships and negotiate prices with suppliers 
• order and purchase goods and services that the business needs
• keep accurate records of payment and delivery of goods and services.

High demand for purchasing/supply officers

The demand for purchasing/supply officers is growing as businesses and government agencies aim to run more efficiently and profitably. 

There are currently more job vacancies than applicants, so the job is in high demand across a range of government agencies, councils and private industries including construction and infrastructure, manufacturing, IT and aged care. 

Procurement manager (senior purchasing/supply officer) appears on Immigration New Zealand's long-term skill shortage list. This means the Government is actively encouraging skilled purchasing/supply officers from overseas to work in New Zealand.

According to the Census, 15,447 purchasing/supply officers worked in New Zealand in 2018.

Learn purchasing/supply officer skills with MBIE's graduate programme  

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) procurement programme for graduates is a good way to enter the role. By working across government agencies you gain a broad range of skills. 

• New Zealand Government Procurement website - information on the procurement graduate programme

Types of employers varied

Most medium to large organisations employ purchasing/supply officers to buy the goods and services needed for their organisation. 

New Zealand Government Procurement

procurement@mbie.govt.nz - www.procurement.govt.nz

Purchasing/supply officers may move into management roles such as procurement manager. 

Purchasing/supply officers may specialise in a particular industry, such as construction or IT. 

Purchasing/supply officers need to be:

• good at communicating
• able to follow a budget
• good at planning and time management
• methodical and accurate, with an eye for detail
• good at negotiating
• able to work well under pressure.