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Procurement Clerks Occupation Detailed Description

Procurement Clerks career

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Procurement Clerks

The main tasks and work activities of Procurement Clerks are to send information, materials or documentation, prepare documentation for contracts, transactions, or regulatory compliance, monitor inventories of products or materials, discuss account status or activity with customers or patrons. In general, for the Procurement Clerks, speaking, reading Comprehension, writing, active Listening and other 10 skills are required.
Procurement Clerks Job Description
EducationMost occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Related ExperiencePrevious work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Job TrainingEmployees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
ExampleThese occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, travel guides, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters, and medical assistants.
The following chart shows the education/training levels for Procurement Clerks jobs. 13.76% of Procurement Clerks have High School Diploma (or the equivalent) and 20.19% of Procurement Clerks have Bachelor's Degree and Above.
Less than a High School Diploma
0.00%
High School Diploma (or the equivalent)
13.76%
Post-Secondary Certificate
0.00%
Some College Courses
7.39%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
58.66%
Bachelor's Degree and Above
20.19%

Tasks and Work Activities of Procurement Clerks

  • Prepare purchase orders and send copies to suppliers and to departments originating requests.
  • Determine if inventory quantities are sufficient for needs, ordering more materials when necessary.
  • Respond to customer and supplier inquiries about order status, changes, or cancellations.
  • Perform buying duties when necessary.
  • Contact suppliers to schedule or expedite deliveries and to resolve shortages, missed or late deliveries, and other problems.
  • Review requisition orders to verify accuracy, terminology, and specifications.
  • Prepare, maintain, and review purchasing files, reports and price lists.
  • Compare prices, specifications, and delivery dates to determine the best bid among potential suppliers.
  • Track the status of requisitions, contracts, and orders.
  • Calculate costs of orders, and charge or forward invoices to appropriate accounts.
  • Check shipments when they arrive to ensure that orders have been filled correctly and that goods meet specifications.
  • Compare suppliers' bills with bids and purchase orders to verify accuracy.
  • Locate suppliers, using sources such as catalogs and the internet, and interview them to gather information about products to be ordered.
  • Maintain knowledge of all organizational and governmental rules affecting purchases, and provide information about these rules to organization staff members and to vendors.
  • Monitor in-house inventory movement and complete inventory transfer forms for bookkeeping purposes.
  • 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.
  • Train and supervise subordinates and other staff.
  • Approve and pay bills.
  • Interacting With ComputersUsing computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProviding information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Processing InformationCompiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
  • Performing Administrative ActivitiesPerforming day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
  • Making Decisions and Solving ProblemsAnalyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Updating and Using Relevant KnowledgeKeeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsDeveloping constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Documenting/Recording InformationEntering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
  • Communicating with Persons Outside OrganizationCommunicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
  • Send information, materials or documentation.
  • Prepare documentation for contracts, transactions, or regulatory compliance.
  • Monitor inventories of products or materials.
  • Discuss account status or activity with customers or patrons.
  • Order materials, supplies, or equipment.
  • Coordinate shipping activities with external parties.
  • Verify accuracy of financial or transactional data.
  • Check data for recording errors.
  • Analyze financial information.
  • Maintain operational records.
  • Calculate costs of goods or services.
  • Inspect shipments to ensure correct order fulfillment.
  • Provide information to coworkers.
  • Maintain current knowledge related to work activities.
  • Track goods or materials.
  • Supervise clerical or administrative personnel.
  • Train personnel.
  • Execute sales or other financial transactions.

Skills and Abilities for Procurement Clerks

  • SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Reading ComprehensionUnderstanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • WritingCommunicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Active ListeningGiving 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.
  • Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Complex Problem SolvingIdentifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • Social PerceptivenessBeing aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Judgment and Decision MakingConsidering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Active LearningUnderstanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Time ManagementManaging one's own time and the time of others.
  • Service OrientationActively looking for ways to help people.
  • CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Written ComprehensionThe ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Information OrderingThe ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Written ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Inductive ReasoningThe ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Deductive ReasoningThe ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Problem SensitivityThe ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Mathematical ReasoningThe ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
  • Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Photocopierse.g. Copy machines
  • Scannerse.g. Document scanners
  • Cash registerse.g. Electronic cash registers
  • Laser fax machinee.g. Laser facsimile machines
  • Special purpose telephonese.g. Multiline telephone systems
  • Personal computerse.g. Personal computers
  • ClericalKnowledge 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 ServiceKnowledge 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 ManagementKnowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  • English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • MathematicsKnowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • Education and TrainingKnowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
  • TransportationKnowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
  • Computers and ElectronicsKnowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • Public Safety and SecurityKnowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
  • Production and ProcessingKnowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.