Purchasing Agent Jobs in Palo Alto, CA
A Purchasing Agent in the manufacturing industry is responsible for procuring the necessary materials, supplies, and equipment required for the production process. They work closely with suppliers, negotiating contracts, evaluating product quality and ensuring timely delivery. They also analyze market trends, oversee inventory levels, and develop procurement strategies that support the business's operations and overall objectives. To minimize costs and risks, these professionals need to have a good understanding of the company's needs and the supply market conditions.
Essential skills for a Purchasing Agent include excellent negotiation and communication abilities, strong analytical thinking, and proficiency in procurement software. Familiarity with supply chain procedures and quality assurance is also pivotal. A degree in Business Administration or a related field is generally expected, and certifications such as Certified Purchasing Professional (CPP) or Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM) can enhance career prospects. Potential prior roles en route to becoming a Purchasing Agent could include Procurement Clerk, Inventory Analyst, or Junior Buyer.
Commodity Manager Capital Equipment & Facilities
- Santa Clara, CA (12 miles from Palo Alto, CA)
- 23 hours ago
- Santa Clara, CA (12 miles from Palo Alto, CA)
- 23 hours ago
Primary Duties & Responsibilities Lead strategic/critical contract negotiations working with senior management in the business unit and the relevant Global Supply Chain Representative Point of...
Buyer for manufacturing facility
- San Jose, CA (15 miles from Palo Alto, CA)
- 4 days ago
- San Jose, CA (15 miles from Palo Alto, CA)
- 4 days ago
We are seeking a talented, hard driven, detail oriented purchasing professional. The candidate will be responsible for purchasing finished goods products from outside vendors and internal...
- Fremont, CA (12 miles from Palo Alto, CA)
- 4 days ago
- Fremont, CA (12 miles from Palo Alto, CA)
- 4 days ago
Supply Chain Analyst IV Fremont, CA Date Posted:23-Jun-2025 Work Type:On-Site Job Number:458293 Job Description Title: Supply Chain Analyst IV Duration: 6 months (potential extension up to 1 year)...
- San Jose, CA (15 miles from Palo Alto, CA)
- 7 days ago
- San Jose, CA (15 miles from Palo Alto, CA)
- 7 days ago
About the TeamThe Procurement - Vendor Management team plays a critical role in the end-to-end procurement process, advising the procurement team on supplier onboarding, selection, risk analysis,...
- San Jose, CA (15 miles from Palo Alto, CA)
- 7 days ago
- San Jose, CA (15 miles from Palo Alto, CA)
- 7 days ago
Obtains materials using engineering and production schedules to maintain inventory at planned levels (i.e., Just In Time purchases, use of EOQ - Economic Order Quantities). Resolves discrepancies....
- Cupertino, CA (10 miles from Palo Alto, CA)
- 7 days ago
- Cupertino, CA (10 miles from Palo Alto, CA)
- 7 days ago
Job Summary Summary Posted: Jun 24, 2025 Weekly Hours: 40 Role Number: 200606312 Imagine what you can do here. Apple is a place where extraordinary people gather to do their lives best work....
Sr. Global Commodity Manager, Packaging
- Sunnyvale, CA (8 miles from Palo Alto, CA)
- 8 days ago
- Sunnyvale, CA (8 miles from Palo Alto, CA)
- 8 days ago
Amazon Lab126 is an inventive research and development company that designs and engineers high-profile consumer electronics. Lab126 began in 2004 as a subsidiary of Amazon.com, Inc., originally...
- San Jose, CA (15 miles from Palo Alto, CA)
- 9 days ago
- San Jose, CA (15 miles from Palo Alto, CA)
- 9 days ago
Delivering mission-critical, electronic solutions that protect lives. Use your creativity and critical thinking to take our products from concept to customer. At CAES by Honeywell, we engineer...
Principal S2P Sourcing Analyst
- Oakland, CA (23 miles from Palo Alto, CA)
- 12 days ago
- Oakland, CA (23 miles from Palo Alto, CA)
- 12 days ago
Requisition ID # 164750 Job Category: Business Operations / Strategy Job Level: Manager/Principal Business Unit: Engineering, Planning & Strategy Work Type: Hybrid Job Location: Oakland Department...
- Sunnyvale, CA (8 miles from Palo Alto, CA)
- 13 days ago
- Sunnyvale, CA (8 miles from Palo Alto, CA)
- 13 days ago
Supply Chain Analyst at CoreWeave (View all jobs) Livingston, NJ / Manhattan, NY / Sunnyvale, CA / Bellevue, WA CoreWeave is the AI Hyperscaler, delivering a cloud platform of cutting edge...
- Oakland, CA (23 miles from Palo Alto, CA)
- 14 days ago
- Oakland, CA (23 miles from Palo Alto, CA)
- 14 days ago
Requisition ID # 165677 Job Category: Business Operations / Strategy Job Level: Manager/Principal Business Unit: Engineering, Planning & Strategy Work Type: Hybrid Job Location: Oakland Department...
- Oakland, CA (23 miles from Palo Alto, CA)
- 14 days ago
- Oakland, CA (23 miles from Palo Alto, CA)
- 14 days ago
Requisition ID # 165596 Job Category: Business Operations / Strategy Job Level: Individual Contributor Business Unit: Engineering, Planning & Strategy Work Type: Hybrid Job Location: Oakland...
- Oakland, CA (23 miles from Palo Alto, CA)
- 14 days ago
- Oakland, CA (23 miles from Palo Alto, CA)
- 14 days ago
Requisition ID # 165595 Job Category: Business Operations / Strategy Job Level: Individual Contributor Business Unit: Engineering, Planning & Strategy Work Type: Hybrid Job Location: Oakland...
Purchasing - Specialist, Sourcing
- Fremont, CA (12 miles from Palo Alto, CA)
- 19 days ago
- Fremont, CA (12 miles from Palo Alto, CA)
- 19 days ago
Strategic Sourcing Buyer Department: Supply Chain / Procurement Location: Fremont, California Reports To: Supply Chain Manager Job Type: Full-Time Position Summary The Strategic Sourcing Buyer...
- Santa Clara, CA (12 miles from Palo Alto, CA)
- 19 days ago
- Santa Clara, CA (12 miles from Palo Alto, CA)
- 19 days ago
Commodity Manager **Job Description:** The Commodity Manager will be responsible for managing and optimizing our procurement strategy for designated computing technology commodities such as **data...
Demographic Data for Palo Alto, CA
Moving to Palo Alto, CA? Find some basic demographic data about Palo Alto, CA below.
Purchasing Agent Online Courses and Training Opportunities
Salary for Purchasing Agent Jobs in Palo Alto, CA
Highest Education Level
Purchasing Agents in Palo Alto, CA offer the following education backgroundQualifications / Skill Sets
The following top skills are often required or desired to land a Purchasing Agent position
- Merchandising
- Product Marketing
- Commodity Management
- Request for Quotation
- Cosmetic Sales
- Category Management
- Supplier Development
- Sales Growth
- Expense Control
- Global Sourcing
- APICS
- Raw Materials
- Bill of Materials
- Manufacturing Resource Planning
- Strategic Sourcing
- Demand Planning
- Requisitions
- Supplier Management
- Purchase Orders
- Operational Excellence
- Cost Reduction
- Standard Operating Procedures
- Enterprise Resource Planning
- Supply Chain
- Supply Chain Management
- Continuous Improvement
- Contract Management
- Budget Forecasting
- Contract Negotiation
- Systems Applications & Products
- Vendor Management
- Engineering
- Strategy Development
- Purchasing
- Process Improvement
- Procurement
- Finance
- High School Diploma
- Logistics
- Auditing
- Prioritizing
- Driving
- Negotiation
- Written Communication
- Collaboration
- Flexibility
- Documentation
- Reporting
- Bachelor's Degree
- Materials Management
- Inventory Management
- Regulations
- Multitasking
- Policy Development
- Microsoft Office
- Project Management
- Problem Solving
- Sales
- Microsoft Excel
- Research Skills
- Staff Supervision
- Organization
- Customer Service
- Scheduling
- Leadership
- Communication Skills
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