What does a Contract Administrator/Contract Specialist do?

A purchasing agent's general task is keeping purchase records and making sure that there won't be any discrepancies with the handling of orders. The purchasing agent should be responsible for the order processing and payment collection. Purchasing agents should also be proficient in interpreting and evaluating data, researching on best marketing sources and alternatives, issuing required documentation for suppliers, as well as managing customer queries as needed. Being a purchasing agent requires critical-thinking skills in assessing concerns and providing solutions should there be any possible negotiation conflicts.

There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, contract administrator/contract specialist responsibilities require skills like "contract management," "contract terms," "data entry," and "provides administrative support." Meanwhile a typical purchasing agent has skills in areas such as "customer service," "inventory control," "mrp," and "cost savings." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.

Senior Purchasing Agents are experienced employees in the company's purchasing department. They oversee the purchase requisitions of the employees. They validate requests, ensure that the requestors followed company guidelines, check the availability of the items with the chosen supplier, and forward the purchase order to the supplier. Upon fulfillment of the request, Senior Purchasing Agents check the deliveries, ensure that the items are complete and correct, forward the items to the requestor, and process the payment for the supplier. Senior Purchasing agents also prepare reports, spot trends in employee or department purchases, and create recommendations based on observations. They are also expected to form good working relationships with suppliers.

While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that contract administrator/contract specialist responsibilities requires skills like "data entry," "provides administrative support," "defense finance," and "contract modifications." But a senior purchasing agent might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "project management," "supplier relationships," "customer service," and "continuous improvement."

A senior agent manages incoming calls, generates leads, and schedules appointments for important meetings. They must accurately track and respond to the internet leads and provide top quality customer service to the clients. Their job also requires them to travel to multiple countries to monitor company functions. They must also estimate the costs of infrastructure and construction projects.

There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a contract administrator/contract specialist is likely to be skilled in "contract management," "purchase orders," "contract terms," and "data entry," while a typical senior agent is skilled in "right-of-way," "real estate," "sr," and "work ethic."

Media Buyers are marketing professionals who manage the company's advertisements. They create the company's media plan to determine the advertising needs of the company. They negotiate with external providers to get the best advertisement placement values. To do this, Media Buyers are expected to conduct thorough research on the different advertising companies, networks, media, size of placement, and length of advertisement. Their research must consider the target market and determine the best media to reach their target market. Media Buyers should have good negotiation skills and must be able to maintain good working relationships with providers.

Even though a few skill sets overlap between contract administrator/contract specialists and media buyers, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a contract administrator/contract specialist might have more use for skills like "contract management," "purchase orders," "contract terms," and "data entry." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of media buyers require skills like "digital marketing," "campaign performance," "media buying," and "facebook. "