SOUTH AFRICA · SALARY IN RANDS

Procurement Clerks

What the work involves, the skills employers want, and how to get started in South Africa.

  • Buyer
  • Procurement Assistant
  • Procurement Officer
  • Procurement Specialist
  • Purchasing Assistant
  • Purchasing Associate
  • Purchasing Clerk
  • Purchasing Coordinator
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What do Procurement Clerks do?

A Procurement Clerk is a professional responsible for supporting the purchasing department of an organization by managing and executing various procurement activities. Their primary functions include preparing purchase orders, processing requisitions, maintaining inventory records, and ensuring that acquisition processes comply with company policies. Procurement Clerks work closely with suppliers to negotiate prices, place orders, and track shipments to ensure timely delivery of goods and services. They play a crucial role in facilitating communication between the purchasing team and vendors while helping the organization obtain the necessary materials and services efficiently. Often, these clerks are tasked with updating databases and handling documentation to maintain accurate records of purchases, expenditures, and supplier performance, contributing significantly to the overall operational efficiency of the organization.

What the work actually is

  • Track the status of requisitions, contracts, and orders.
  • Perform buying duties when necessary.
  • Prepare purchase orders and send copies to suppliers and to departments originating requests.
  • Calculate costs of orders, and charge or forward invoices to appropriate accounts.
  • Compare prices, specifications, and delivery dates to determine the best bid among potential suppliers.

Skills employers expect

Skills

  • Reading Comprehension Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
  • Speaking Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Active Listening Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Critical Thinking Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
  • Monitoring Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Abilities

  • Oral Comprehension The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Oral Expression The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Near Vision The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Written Comprehension The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Information Ordering The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

Knowledge

  • English Language Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Administrative Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
  • Customer and Personal Service Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Economics and Accounting Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
  • Administration and Management Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

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How people get into it

Education of new hires

High school diploma or equivalent
or: GED, High School Equivalency Certificate
Bachelor's degree
Some college, no degree

A normal week

  • Working with Computers
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
  • Getting Information
  • Processing Information
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships

Tools used on the job

Tools

  • Photocopiers Copy machines
  • Scanners Document scanners
  • Cash registers Electronic cash registers
  • Special purpose telephones Multiline telephone systems
  • Laser fax machine Laser facsimile machines

Who it suits

Conventional

Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Enterprising

Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

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Questions people ask

How much do Procurement Clerks earn in South Africa?

Procurement Clerks salaries in South Africa vary by experience, province and employer.

What do Procurement Clerks do?

Track the status of requisitions, contracts, and orders, Perform buying duties when necessary and Prepare purchase orders and send copies to suppliers and to departments originating requests.

How do I know if this career fits me?

Take the free Assessify career assessment. It matches your answers to careers and shows the South African salary next to each one.