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Businesses today are moving towards digitalization and modernization in every aspect, be it either product planning, manufacturing, managing, or selling it to the customers. Every step is performed with utmost efficiency and with proper guidance. Moreover, the major area of concern of every organization is the product and services they provide to their customers. A customer’s satisfaction and a good quality product are what keep the organizations going. Therefore, a good product requires good research of the market, negotiation to the best price, and handling of the costs associated with those purchases. So to handle all these processes, firms hire Purchasing or a Procurement manager.
Who is a Purchasing Manager?
A Purchasing Manager is responsible for numerous activities that are conducted in the organization. It is very critical and responsible to position to hold in any firm. These professionals conduct and record researches in the market for products and services, and ensure the company fulfills all the requirements to stand in today’s competitive world. They list the managing products and negotiate the purchase of those products at the best price. Moreover, they also keep a record of all purchases made and the costs associated with all those purchases. Keeping a track of inventory and the stock availability of an organization is also one of the main responsibilities. So, now you know the importance of a purchasing manager in an organization. Let us look at some of the major roles and responsibilities of these professionals:
- They Co-operate with vendors and supplies for collecting information, placing orders, checking for updates on delivery etc.
- Connecting with various internal departments to index requirements for orders and inventory.
- To ensure that the delivered goods meet the quality standards.
- Negotiating the returns in case of any defects or discrepancies.
- Connecting with various stakeholders for ensuring clear requirements documentation.
- They forecast price and market trends for identifying changes of balance in buyer-supplier power.
- Performing cost and scenario analysis and benchmarking as well as assessing, managing, and mitigating risks.
- Managing daily purchasing activities, supervising staff, and allocating tasks.
- To ensure that the vendors work in accordance with the contract and company policies.
We shall now discuss some of the major skills required to become a successful Purchasing Manager. Some of these skills are as follow:
- To begin with, financial management skills
- Market researching tactics
- Negotiation skills
- Communication skills
- Marketing capabilities
- Adequate knowledge of subjects like mathematics, economics, logistics, supply chain etc.
Discussing top 5 Certification courses for a Purchasing Manager
Understanding the importance of a Purchasing manager, it is necessary to choose the right path to become one. All the aspirants who aspire to become a purchasing manager should know that they have to be consistent to achieve their final goal. Consistency is the key to achieve anything you aspire to be. Therefore, we are here with absolute research and quality based report on the Top 5 certification courses for a Purchasing manager that is available online. We know you trust us, thus we try our best to bring you the most updated and latest information to help you ace your career with flying colours.
Now let’s begin with our journey to list some of the best Certification courses for a Purchasing Manager.
1. Vskills Certified Purchase Manager Course
The Vskills Certified Purchasing Manager course is specially designed for professionals and beginners who want to shine in their career as a Purchasing. The best part about this certification course is that it is well suited and highly recommended for those who are already working in this profession and want to enhance their market value by taking the certification. People who took this course found themselves enriched with complete knowledge in this field and achieved commendable results in the exam. Vskills Certifications are highly recommended and appreciated by various firms and it has been witnessed that candidates with this certification have accomplished their goals exceptionally in today’s ambitious world. They have experienced huge advancement in their skills and generated new skills as well that differentiated them from the crowd and has grown their employment opportunities with increased earning potential. Moreover, this course claims that it covers all the basic principles and practices of purchasing management. Students after completing this course were able to apply and implement an efficient purchasing system.
Course outline:
- Materials Management
- Materials Planning
- Stores Management and Warehousing
- Materials Budgeting
- Inventory Management
- Material Classification, Standardization, and Codification
- Material Handling
- Purchase Management System
- Vendor Management
- Value Analysis System
- Negotiation Skills
- Quality Control
- Stock Keeping and Accounting
- Legal Framework
Reasons to take this course:
- To begin with, Vskills is a Government Certified body that adds value to your CV itself.
- The Certification is valid throughout your life.
- No prerequisites required.
- Both Professionals as well as begineers can take this course without any second thought.
- Candidates get tagged as ‘Vskills Certified’ On Monsterindia.com and ‘Vskills Certified’ On Shine Shine.com for better job opportunities.
- This course is available online including online learning material and hard copy at your door steps.
- You can take your exam on any chosen date and time.
- 14 Learning hours.
More Details:
Duration of exam: 60 minutes
Duration of the course: 14 hours
Number of questions asked in the exam: 50
Passing score: 50%
Rating: 5 out of 5
2. Certified Supply Chain Professional (AST&L)
This Certified Supply Chain Professional course is offered by the American Society of Transportation and Logistics (AST&L). This course offers Professional Designation in Logistics and Supply Chain Management. Also, the best part about this course is that you need not require any prior experience. Moreover, people who took this course experienced complete understanding of the key strategies for improving customer service and the efficiency of their logistics and supply chain operations. The people who pass the exam are designated as AST&L members.
Course outline:
- Module 1: Supply Chain Design
- Module 2: Supply Chain Planning and Execution
- Lastly, Module 3: Supply Chain Improvement and Best Practices
Reasons to take this course:
- No prerequisites required.
- Digital as well as printed textbooks.
- 1200+ online test questions.
- Learning of key strategies for improving customer services
- Suitable for beginners as well as professionals.
More Details:
Duration of course: 12 weeks
Rating: 4.6 out of 5
3. Top Procurement Courses (Udemy)
Udemy is one of the most popular online education platform where you can find plenty of courses from best educators all over the world. The Procurement courses you find on Udemy is yet one of the best course that you will find on the internet. This course is offered by Avik Munshi, who is well known strategy advisor. This course offers you complete understanding of purchasing management by including learning outcomes as supplier evaluation, risk management, types of procurement contracts, and many more. Moreover, this course is specially for professionals already in this field including entrepreneurs, business owners, and beginners in college who aspire to become a purchase manager.
Course outline:
- Item classification
- Management Terminology.
- Build vs Buy Decisions
- Market conditions
- State of supply chain.
- Criteria for Supplier Selection
- Methods for Supplier Evaluation
- Work packages and work breakdown
- Resource breakdown and resource calendar
- Basics of Change Management
- Understand the term contract
- Types of contracting arrangements
- Impact of Project environment and Organization type.
- Various purchase documents
- Standard terms in procurement contracts
- Limitation of Liability – Delivery terms; Incoterms.
- Identifying and working with stakeholders
- Preparing for procurement and documents
- Procurement process and contract administration.
- EVM – Earned Value Management
- Basics of risk and business continuity
- Systematic approach managing risks
- Basics of Claims and Dispute Resolution
- Closing and Termination of Procurement
- 7Rs of Procurement
Reasons to take this course:
- Gives good understanding and learning experience procurement management.
- No prior experience is required.
- Learn a lot of skills including risk management, supply chain management, and many more
- Contionus support and motivation from the instructor.
- Avaiable at a reasonable price.
More Details:
Duration of course: Varies
Rating: 4.3 out of 5
4. Procurement and Supply Chain Management Courses (edx)
Edx is also one of the most popular education platform where you can take up online courses and develop skills required to boost your career goals. The best part of this course is that either you are a beginner, intermediate learner, or a professional thus is the course for you. Furthermore, you can choose between numerous renowned institutes like Harvard, Pennsylvania, MIT, W3C, Microsoft, and many more prestigious institutions to learn from. Also, this course claims that it offers its users with complete understanding of concepts like supplier connection, supply chain management, inventory control, purchase requests, and payments.
Course outline:
The generic course outline includes the following topics:
- Basic forecasting methods
- Lot sizing methods
- Safety stock calculations
- Differentiation techniques
- Material and Capacity planning
- Transport Planning
- Logistics aspect on procurement
- Basics in Sales and Operations planning
- Master production scheduling
Reasons to take this course:
- Learn from notable institutes like Harvard, Penn, W3C, Microsoft, and many more.
- Start learning at any time of your convenience.
- Learn basics of supply chain management, inventory, etc.
More Details:
Duration of course: Varies
Rating: 4.8 out of 5
5. Master Certificate in Supply Chain Management & Procurement (Michigan State University)
This course is offered by the Michigan State University which is ranked as the number one public university in the US. Master certificate in Supply Chain Management and Procurement is an online course that is prepared by the professionals of the University of Michigan. This course claims that it teaches its students on how to manage the flow of products from sourcing. Moreover, you are required to practice your skills to resolve issues with decision-making frameworks and problem-solving skills This is one of the best course for the beginners who want to start their career as a Purchasing Manager. Moreover, you can start this course at any time of your convenience. The complete course is divided into three course programs. Also, you are promised that this course combines innovation and offers you with competitive advantages over others.
Course outline:
- Supply Chain Management I – 8 weeks
- Supply Chain Management II – 8 weeks
- Strategic Sourcing – 8 weeks
Reasons to take this course:
- This course is offered by the number one public university of the US, that is, Michigan State University.
- Great course for begineers.
- Get training from top instructors.
- Hands-on experience in the latest technologies.
More Details:
Duration of course: 24 weeks
Rating: 4.8 out of 5
We are now at the end of the blog. We hope that you have found the best course for yourself and are already planning to take the course and kick start your career as a Purchasing Manager. All the best! Happy Learning!
