Every company relies to some extent on outside suppliers of products and services, which means that someone must be responsible for managing the procurement of that supply chain. For many companies, that job falls on the shoulders of a talented Procurement Manager. These professionals have duties that include identifying supply chain sources, negotiating cost-effective deals, managing those contracts, and maintaining relationships with suppliers over time.
Of course, to land one of these important roles, you’ll need a Procurement Manager resume that can make the right impression on prospective employers. That’s why we’ve created this Procurement Manager resume guide, filled with all the key tips and tricks you’ll need to craft a resume that can set you apart from your competition.
How to write a resume
So, what does it take to write a captivating resume that captures a hiring manager’s attention? Contrary to what some might believe, it takes more than a convincing list of skills and job experiences. To catch an employer’s eye, your resume will need to be well-structured, properly formatted, and organized in a way that makes it easy for hiring managers to see and understand your qualifications. And even that may not be enough if you fail to showcase your ability to provide value in the role.
To better understand how to deliver that message of value, let’s walk through some of the most important elements you’ll need to include in your resume – beginning with the format you choose for your resume, the structure you use to organize information, and some tips that can help you showcase value.
Format
The format you choose for your Procurement Manager resume can be one of the most important decisions you make. The wrong choice could cause your resume to be set aside in the rejection pile. These days, there are three main format options that you can utilize – the reverse-chronological, the combination, and the functional format.
For most job seekers with any amount of relevant experience, the reverse-chronological format offers the most benefits. It’s also the format type that is most recognized and appreciated by employers. To use this format, you just list information about your previous jobs in reverse order, beginning with the most recent position you’ve held.
Structure
Resumes are not like cover letters or similar documents. While they are text presentations, information should not be presented in prose form, with one long paragraph after another. Instead, you should compartmentalize those details by separating specific types of data into their own sections. This makes it easier for hiring managers to scan the document and locate information they want to see. You should also use bullet points throughout the resume to further simplify that scanning process.
If you’re using the reverse-chronological resume format, the following structure can help you to properly separate the various types of information into distinct sections.
Contact details: This section appears at the beginning of your resume and includes key contact details like your name, phone number, and email. If you have a LinkedIn account, include the URL here as well. Basically, any information that the employer might need to reach out to you should be listed in this section.
Job title: The job title that you’re seeking goes right below your contact info, but you should try to focus more attention on that title by turning it into a captivating headline. For example, instead of simply saying “Procurement Manager” you could write, “Dynamic Procurement Manager, Contract Negotiator, and Supply Chain Professional.”
Summary paragraph: Your summary statement takes the place of the traditional objective statement and focuses on how your skills and measurable achievements can add value for this employer. To create a powerful summary, craft a three to five-sentence paragraph that includes two or three key skills and at least one quantifiable achievement that showcases that value.
Skills section: Include key hard and soft skills here. We cover this in more detail in the ‘Key hard & soft skills for a Procurement Manager’ section later in this guide.
Professional experience: Using the reverse-chronological format, list your work experience going back no more than 10 or 15 years. Include company names, job titles, dates of employment, and three or more bullet point achievement examples for each position.
Education: List your school, course of study, dates of attendance, and earned degree, if any. You can also include certifications, continuing education, and other training.
Illustrating value
As we mentioned, you want your resume to shine a spotlight on the type of value you bring to the table as a new hire. The best way to do that is by focusing on including quantifiable achievements – both in your summary paragraph and the work experience section. These achievement statements should use real numbers to illustrate that value. For example:
Organized plant refitting procurement effort that reduced energy consumption by 37%, lowered costs by 17%, and contributed to the company expediting its sustainability commitments to the community.
Negotiated supplier price terms that resulted in a 9% reduction in costs, 12% expedited delivery terms, and a 14% improvement in company cash flow.
Procurement Manager resume example
Before we take a closer look at the skills you’ll need to highlight in your resume, it might be helpful to get a look at an example Procurement Manager resume that illustrates the tips we’ve covered so far. This resume sample can be used as a template as you create your own stellar resume. Simply modify it with your own personal and professional details to craft a base resume that you can then tailor to any job you’re seeking.
Name
Title
City, State or Country if international
Phone | Email
LinkedIn URL
PROCUREMENT MANAGER PROFESSIONAL
Accomplished Procurement Specialist with more than 20 years of progressive experience providing exceptional leadership and strategic solutions to maximize profits while decreasing operational expenses. Extensive cross-functional expertise in purchasing, industry of international trading, supply chain service, consumer electronics, real estate development, B2B internet platforms, logistics, relationship management, and the development of integral process improvements. Strategically design, plan and execute long-term solutions to increase efficiency and bottom-line revenues, leveraging expertise in finance and accounting to ensure company fiscal goals are met. Develop and implement resource-efficient procedures that result in a decrease in overhead while increasing profits. Focused on customer satisfaction, ensuring timely delivery on requirements to achieve retention and loyalty. Out-of-the-box thinker and expert negotiator, able to establish strategic vendor/supplier relationships that lead to performance-based, low cost solutions.
CORE COMPETENCIES
International Trading
Trade Compliance
Vendor Relations
Relationship Building
Inventory Management
Project Management
Strategic Planning
Logistics
Bidding
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Procurement Manager
ZipJob, New York NY | Year to Year
Responsibilities
Strategically analyzed company needs and developed organized, strategic solutions to ensure low costs while responsible for purchasing all machined parts, PC boards, electronic components and Lithium-ion batteries
Sourced numerous vendors, developed relationships and obtained detailed quotes to ensure our services were met for the lowest cost, but top quality possible
Selling consumer electronics in overseas market which is designed and produced by its Chinese parent firm.
Established the new company in USA including registration, renting office and hiring
Carried out on-line retail sale and whole sale and achieved one million dollars sales in 8 months.
Developed and enforced business planning, sales analytics and vendor management processes
Managed the supply chain and controlled the cost resulting in the first-year profit
Designed and implemented the budget and the completion rate is 95%
Material Coordinator
ZipJob, New York NY | Year to Year
Responsibilities
Achieved a 15% reduction in shipping expenditure by way of strategic supplier selection and leveraging expertise of suppliers' standard operating procedures and available discounts.
Managed complex programs, effectively managing capital, supplier performance, and risk assessments in order to achieve maximum growth and profits.
B2B internet platform focus on providing the best service of supply chain management and finance to small Chinese manufactures.
EDUCATION
Complete School Name, City, St/Country: List Graduation Years If Within the Last Ten Years
Complete Degree Name (Candidate) – Major (GPA: List if over 3.3)
Relevant Coursework: List coursework taken (even include those you are planning on taking)
Awards/Honors: List any awards, honors or big achievements
Clubs/Activities: List clubs and activities in which you participated
Relevant Projects: List 2-3 projects you have worked on
Key hard & soft skills for a Procurement Manager
The skills section in your resume does double duty when you’re applying for a job. Its primary role is to provide a clear and concise overview of your most relevant skills and traits to show that you meet the role’s required qualifications. To achieve that goal, you need to make sure that you include a balanced mix of both hard and soft skills that demonstrate your qualifications.
In addition to that role, your skill section is also vitally important for ensuring that your resume can get past any applicant tracking system (ATS) that a company might be using.
Hard skills for your Procurement Manager resume
First, let’s look at some of the best hard skills to add to your resume. To identify your own hard skills, consider all the job-related abilities that you acquired in school, on-the-job training, or various forms of self-study. Every hiring manager who sees your resume will almost immediately scan your skills section to make sure that you have these vital technical skills.
Some common hard skills that you may want to add to your Procurement Manager resume include:
Data analytics
Cost management
Business administration
Risk management
Inventory management and control
Contract management
Strategic sourcing
Soft Skills for your Procurement Manager resume
Soft skills can be obtained in a variety of ways too, as they are learned through experience and interactions with others. They can include vital interpersonal abilities, thought processes, and self-management skills that help you to apply your hard skills in a productive way.
Below, we’ve highlighted some of the most useful and common soft skills for your resume.
Written and verbal communication
Leadership
Negotiation
Detail-oriented
Problem-solving
Critical thinking
Priority management
Summary & last words
There’s no substitute for a truly compelling Procurement Manager resume when you’re trying to advance your career in this challenging field. The good news is that almost anyone can create a basic resume with the right guidance and assistance. By following the key tips and recommendations in this resume guide – and referencing the included resume example that we’ve provided, you too can craft a do-it-yourself resume that you can be proud to submit to prospective employers.
Introduction to ZipJob: Professional resume writers
Still, we also understand that many busy managers and executive-level leaders simply don’t have the time it takes to create this type of job search tool. Others prefer to rely on professionals who understand the best practices used in today’s resume creation process. If you’re one of the many business leaders who want to ensure that your resume accurately and effectively conveys your skills, achievements, and experiences to employers, then ZipJob’s team of expert resume writers has you covered.
Why you should make use of our resume writing services to land your next job as a Procurement Manager
Crafting a convincing resume requires more than just a formulaic approach to resume construction. You need a partner who understands your industry, your job role, and the specific things employers want to see when they examine your resume. Your assigned ZipJob resume writer will have the unique experience and knowledge needed to ensure that your Procurement Manager resume speaks directly to each employer’s needs, showcasing your qualifications and presenting you as the best person for that job.
Resume writing service for Procurement Manager: Let us write your resume
Are you ready to invest in your own career in a way that helps you stand out from rival job seekers? Start by making sure that your resume has what it takes to propel you toward your career goals. Our team of resume experts is always on hand to help professionals just like you develop the job search tools you need to make a great first impression on employers and land more interviews. Contact us today to learn more about how our team can be the partners you need for job search success.