A procurement assistant is a person in charge of purchasing inventory for a company, such as supplies and equipment. He or she may also be asked to communicate with suppliers about orders and provide bookkeeping assistance as needed. A high school diploma or a similar degree is required to work as a procurement assistant. Although you may be able to get this job without a college diploma, it is recommended that you get at least an associate’s degree in accounting or business. There are also opportunities to advance in this field after several years of experience.
One of your first steps toward becoming a procurement assistant should be to obtain a high school diploma or its equivalent. Because this job requires you to work with a variety of people, including suppliers, and to have strong math skills, you should enroll in language, math, communication, and writing courses while still in high school. If available, courses in bookkeeping, business, and management would be beneficial.
Although some companies hire people with only a high school diploma, others prefer people with degrees or previous procurement or bookkeeping experience. To improve your chances of landing a procurement assistant position, you should get an associate degree in accounting or business. This type of program will teach you the fundamental skills needed to perform accounting procedures like accounts payable and financial reports, as well as how to use various computer software and equipment.
Employers in a variety of industries are looking for procurement assistants to work primarily in an office environment. You may be required to work full-time once you become a procurement assistant, but some positions are part-time. Employers look for employees who have good communication and organizational skills in addition to a high school or college education.
A procurement assistant’s responsibilities may change depending on the needs of the company. As a procurement assistant, you may be in charge of obtaining bids for office supplies, paying invoices, and coordinating special orders directly with suppliers. Despite the fact that many procurement assistants work under the supervision of a procurement supervisor or director, they must be able to make purchasing decisions based on their employer’s purchasing policies.
There may be advancement opportunities available after you have at least two or three years of experience. Procurement supervisor is one of the most common steps taken at this point. Employers frequently require their management teams to have higher level degrees, such as a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a business related field, if you want to move into procurement management.