Buyer Assistant Job Description, Key Duties and Responsibilities

This post provides detailed information on the buyer assistant job description, including the key duties, tasks, and responsibilities they commonly perform.

It also highlights the major requirements that you may be expected to perform to be hired for the buyer assistant role by most recruiters/employers.

What Does a Buyer Assistant Do?

The buyer assistant is responsible for scheduling customers’ appointments and delivering the products on time.

The buyer assistant job description entails organizing customers’ purchases, arranging for pickup, and delivering of items, keeping track of inventory, completing paperwork, and making sure that all deadlines are met.

It also involves contacting customers via email/phone to remind them of their appointments.

Buyer assistants keep records of all transactions, which will include billing information, name and phone number if contact is by phone.

They maintain effective communication between customers and the company.

It is the duty of the buyer assistant to call customers to remind them of appointments, reschedule appointments, and cancel appointments if necessary.

They also take charge of interactions with customers and the company.

Their responsibilities also include: entering orders, processing orders, updating inventory, and helping with other aspects of the company as needed.

The buyer assistant job description involves ensuring all company policies and procedures, safety guidelines, as well as all applicable laws, rules and regulations are followed.

It also entails making sure that all correspondence and other official communication from the company is accurate and up to date.

Buyer assistants are responsible for the proper storage and handling of company products in accordance with company policies and procedures.

They receive regular training regarding company policies and procedures and their responsibilities, which may include: customer service training, computer skills training, and telephone skills training.

Buyer assistants keep track of the calls they make and phone messages they receive so that they will be able to answer questions from customers or co-workers.

Understanding the complaint process in order to resolve any issues that may arise with customers or co-workers is an important aspect of this work.

The buyer assistant primarily works in the office; however they may be required to go to customers’ homes.

Buyer Assistant Job Description Sample/Example/Template

The buyer assistant job description usually consists of the following duties, tasks, and responsibilities:

• Schedules the purchase of large quantities of raw materials and other products
• Monitors spending levels to maintain purchasing budgets
• Maintains records to trace the expenditure on different supplies
• Reviews inventory records for accuracy and completeness
• Coordinates with vendors to determine quality and quantity of orders, delivery schedules, shipping dates, etc.
• Keeps track of information pertaining to employees’ personal requests for services from consumer goods companies and other suppliers, such as long-distance telephone service, airline tickets, etc.
• Maintains records of all purchases made by the company
• Recommends improvements in purchasing procedures and practices
• Advises vice presidents on difficulties in their areas of responsibility
• Acts as a liaison between the purchasing department and others in the organization.
• Prepares reports and other documents for the President, Vice President of Operations, etc.
• Assists with writing and preparing contracts which specify purchase requirements
• Leads meetings at which price lists for various items are established or changed
• Maintains records of every purchase made by the company
• Orders all necessary supplies from suppliers, arranges shipments of supplies to be sent to customers or warehouses, and keeps records of supplies ordered and shipped.

Buyer Assistant Job Description for Resume

If you are working as a buyer assistant or have worked in this role before and are making a new resume or CV, then you can apply the buyer assistant job description example provided above in crafting the Professional Experience section of your resume.

You can apply the buyer assistant duties and responsibilities in the above job description template in expressing what you did or are currently doing working as a buyer assistant.

This will show to the employer or recruiter that you have been effective performing the buyer assistant role, which can significantly boost your resume and increase your chances of being hired, especially if the new position that you are seeking requires someone with some buyer assisting work experience.

Buyer Assistant Requirements: Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities for Career Success

If you are seeking the buyer assistant position, then here are important requirements employers/recruiters may want you to meet to be hired:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in a related field is required, such as business administration, marketing, management or health care administration
• Must be able to work effectively over a computer system with considerable attention to detail and accuracy
• Strong communication skills are needed, as well as clear speaking voice, both in person and on the telephone
• Must have excellent written and verbal communication skills as well as computer literacy
• The ability to lead others is especially important for this job
• Must be a good decision maker as well as able to work under pressure and in a team environment
• Organized, self-motivated, and detail oriented with the ability to work on own initiative
• Must have knowledge of procedures designed to assure quality control of products is a plus
• Knowledgeable concerning laws pertinent to the products sold (i.e., safety and health standards)
• Excellent organizational skills, including attention to detail and accuracy
• Ability to work well under stress, with tight deadlines and multiple tasks
• A self-starter with ability to work independently
• Familiarity with computer software, including word processing, spreadsheets, and databases
• Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously as well as the capacity to prioritize and manage workloads effectively
• Experience working in a purchasing capacity.

Buyer Assistant Salary

According to Glassdoor, the national average compensation for a buyers assistant in the United States is $40,801 per year.

Conclusion

The buyer assistant job is a very challenging and exciting career. It is an opportunity to be a part of the purchasing department and serve as the primary point of contact with vendors.

This post is helpful to individuals interested in the buyer assistant career. They will be able to learn all they need to know about the duties and responsibilities typically performed by buyer assistants.

It is also useful to recruiters/employers in making a detailed description for the buyer assistant position in their companies for use in hiring for the role.