Hot Jobs: IT Procurement Specialist

Managing IT creates a lot of challenges for today’s enterprises. On the one hand, technology is essential to business and any company that ignores this imperative puts itself at a strategic disadvantage. Also, IT is expensive to purchase and maintain, and with so many competing options on the market it can be difficult to identify the best solutions. It’s the job of the IT procurement specialist to find a middle ground. If you love working with the latest hardware and software, this could be a personally and professionally rewarding career option.

Job Description

The duties of the IT procurement specialist will vary widely depending on the employer and the details of the specific procurement initiative. Typically, however, the duties cover these categories:

Purchasing and Managing Inventory – The specialist will identify when there are gaps within a company’s IT infrastructure, identify the best additions/replacements, negotiate the best price, and handle the logistics of purchasing.

Recordkeeping – Careful records must be kept in order to ensure that the procurement process is fiscally viable, compliant with regulations, and responsive to the needs of all stakeholders.

Negotiate Contracts – There is a healthy degree of flexibility in IT pricing. Procurement specialists will work closely with vendors and distributors to get the best price possible for both hardware and software.

Maintain Client Relationships – Developing positive long-term partnerships with vendors and suppliers helps the pronouncement specialists keep costs low, ensure timely delivery, and get objective advice about products.

Monitor ROI – In order to justify purchases, specialists must be able to show a positive ROI for all IT purchases, or to rationalize a negative ROI.

Educational Requirements

There are no hard and fast educational requirements to become an IT Procurement Specialist, but successful professionals will usually have a BA/BS in a tech or business-related discipline. There are a number of valuable resources related to procurement available for free or low cost online, but many of these discuss procurement generally and do not address the issues specific to IT.

Job Outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not keep statistics specifically for IT Procurement Specialists, but they do for two related disciplines. Job growth for Purchasing Agents and Managers is expected to be around 4 percent between 2012 and 2020. The outlook for Logisticians, by contrast, is much better. That field is expected to grow by 22 percent and add 27,600 new jobs over the same period.

Current Vacancy

A company in Sunrise, FL is looking for an IT Procurement Specialist. The chosen candidate will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the purchasing process while working with a variety of internal reporting systems. All applicants must have a college degree, three years of experience, and excellent computer skills. To learn more about this intriguing opportunity, visit our job board and search “IT Procurement Specialist.”

If you already have the skills to find employment as an IT Procurement specialist, you can find more opportunities by consulting a specialized job board. If you do not, you can develop your credentials faster by working with dedicated career counselors. In either case, rely on the team at INSPYR Solutions to help you get where you want to be.