The main responsibility of a purchasing manager is to search for the highest quality merchandise at the lowest possible purchase cost for their employers.

Purchasing managers buy goods and services for their business, firm or organization to use or resell. In 2002, careers in the purchasing management field held approximately 527,000 positions in the United States. Forty-two percent of these managers worked in wholesale trade and manufacturing, and fifteen percent worked in retail trade.

Requirements for a purchasing management positions tend to vary in each industry. However, many require nothing more than training, certification or an associate's degree with a focus on business.