Purchasing Officer

The purpose of this qualification is to prepare a learner to operate as a Purchasing Officer. Purchasing Officers prepare and process orders for goods and services, monitor stock levels and supply sources and maintain stock and inventory levels, record and coordinate the flow of materials between departments and prepare production schedules and administer and coordinate storage and distribution operations within organisations. A qualified learner will be able to: • Negotiate purchasing and supply goods and services (NQF Level 6). • Develop contracts in purchasing and supply (NQF Level 6). • Monitor and measure purchasing performance (NQF Level 6). • Manage purchasing and supply relationships (NQF Level 6).

The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply started a process of developing Supply Chain Management Qualifications to be registered on the South African National Qualifications Framework. The aim of the development was to compile qualifications that would align to an internationally benchmarked occupational framework for supply chain practitioners. The Level 5 and Level 8 Supply Chain Management qualifications were registered on the NQF from 2 December 2009 with recommendations by the SAQA consultative panel for the NQF Level 6 qualification to be rewritten into Level 6 and Level 7 qualifications. At the time of planning for the development of these qualifications, the new occupational development landscape was under discussion and SAQA determined that the qualifications should be developed against the QCTO requirements. The range of typical learners that will enter this qualification are people who perform various functions within the purchasing, procurement or buying environments. This qualification resides as one of several in the purchasing, supply and procurement environments and makes allowance for any feeder occupations to gain access to the Purchasing Officer occupation. The Purchasing Officer qualification also makes provision for people to progress within this discipline to different areas including negotiations, developing contracts, purchasing performance measurement and purchasing and supply relationship management in purchasing and supply. The main benefits of this qualification for the learner is that the learner has an opportunity to be recognised as a qualified and certificated Purchasing Officer with well-structured, relevant and current competencies, which therefore means the work completed will be compliant with the relevant legislation. Society will be served by a qualified Purchasing Officer who can not only undertake work with improved skills but can also undertake this work with a full awareness of the importance of legal and other requirements. The overall benefits for the economy would include efficient and effective Purchasing Officer competencies available to be utilised by various sectors for economic growth.

Entry Requirements: • Occupational Certificate: Supply Chain Practitioner. Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL): RPL for access to the external integrated summative assessment: Accredited providers and approved workplaces must apply the internal assessment criteria specified in the related curriculum document to establish and confirm prior learning. Accredited providers and workplaces must confirm prior learning by issuing a statement of result or certifying a work experience record. RPL for access to the qualification: Accredited providers and approved workplaces may recognise prior learning against the relevant access requirements.

• The ability to negotiate purchasing and supply goods and services.
• The ability to develop contracts in purchasing and supply.
• The ability to monitor and measure purchasing performance.
• The ability to manage purchasing and supply relationships.