- Review catalogs, industry periodicals, directories, trade journals, and Internet sites and consult with other department personnel to locate necessary goods and services.
Occupations with related tasks Save Table: XLSX CSV
- Obtain information about customer needs or preferences by conferring with sales or purchasing personnel.
- Collaborate with vendors to obtain or develop desired products.
- Conduct sales meetings to introduce new merchandise.
- Consult with store or merchandise managers about budgets or goods to be purchased.
- Buy merchandise or commodities for resale to wholesale or retail consumers.
- Negotiate prices, discount terms, or transportation arrangements with suppliers.
- Examine, select, order, or purchase merchandise consistent with quality, quantity, specification requirements, or other factors, such as environmental soundness.
- Recommend mark-up rates, mark-down rates, or merchandise selling prices.
- Authorize payment of invoices or return of merchandise.
- Monitor and analyze sales records, trends, or economic conditions to anticipate consumer buying patterns, company sales, and needed inventory.
- Inspect merchandise or products to determine quality, value, or yield.
- Provide clerks with information to print on price tags, such as price, mark-ups or mark-downs, manufacturer number, season code, or style number.
- Train or supervise sales or clerical staff.
- Determine which products should be featured in advertising, the advertising medium to be used, or when the ads should be run.
- Monitor competitors' sales activities by following their advertisements in newspapers or other media.
- Analyze environmental aspects of competing merchandise when making buying decisions.
- Compare transportation options to determine the most energy-efficient options.
- Develop strategies to advertise green products or merchandise to consumers.
- Identify opportunities to buy green commodities, such as alternative energy, water, or carbon-neutral products for resale to consumers.
- Monitor consumer preferences or environmental trends to determine the best way to introduce new green products.
- Obtain information about customer needs or preferences by conferring with sales or purchasing personnel.
- Collaborate with vendors to obtain or develop desired products.
- Conduct sales meetings to introduce new merchandise.
- Consult with store or merchandise managers about budgets or goods to be purchased.
- Contact carriers for rates or schedules.
- Contact potential vendors to determine material availability.
- Confer with logistics management teams to determine ways to optimize service levels, maintain supply-chain efficiency, or minimize cost.
- Maintain databases of logistics information.
- Remotely monitor the flow of vehicles or inventory, using Web-based logistics information systems to track vehicles or containers.
- Communicate with or monitor service providers, such as ocean carriers, air freight forwarders, global consolidators, customs brokers, or trucking companies.
- Track product flow from origin to final delivery.
- Interpret data on logistics elements, such as availability, maintainability, reliability, supply chain management, strategic sourcing or distribution, supplier management, or transportation.
- Recommend improvements to existing or planned logistics processes.
- Apply analytic methods or tools to understand, predict, or control logistics operations or processes.
- Prepare reports on logistics performance measures.
- Enter logistics-related data into databases.
- Provide ongoing analyses in areas such as transportation costs, parts procurement, back orders, or delivery processes.
- Analyze logistics data, using methods such as data mining, data modeling, or cost or benefit analysis.
- Monitor inventory transactions at warehouse facilities to assess receiving, storage, shipping, or inventory integrity.
- Maintain logistics records in accordance with corporate policies.
- Manage systems to ensure that pricing structures adequately reflect logistics costing.
- Compute reporting metrics, such as on-time delivery rates, order fulfillment rates, or inventory turns.
- Identify opportunities for inventory reductions.
- Review procedures, such as distribution or inventory management, to ensure maximum efficiency or minimum cost.
- Develop or maintain models for logistics uses, such as cost estimating or demand forecasting.
- Monitor industry standards, trends, or practices to identify developments in logistics planning or execution.
- Write or revise standard operating procedures for logistics processes.
- Reorganize shipping schedules to consolidate loads, maximize vehicle usage, or limit the movement of empty vehicles or containers.
- Develop or maintain payment systems to ensure accuracy of vendor payments.
- Develop or maintain freight rate databases for use by supply chain departments to determine the most economical modes of transportation.
- Route or reroute drivers in real time with remote route navigation software, satellite linkup systems, or global positioning systems (GPS) to improve operational efficiencies.
- Determine packaging requirements.
- Enter carbon-output or environmental-impact data into spreadsheets or environmental management or auditing software programs.
- Compare locations or environmental policies of carriers or suppliers to make transportation decisions with lower environmental impact.
- Arrange for sale or lease of excess storage or transport capacity to minimize losses or inefficiencies associated with empty space.
- Contact carriers for rates or schedules.
- Contact potential vendors to determine material availability.
- Confer with logistics management teams to determine ways to optimize service levels, maintain supply-chain efficiency, or minimize cost.
- Confer with personnel concerned to ensure successful functioning of newly implemented systems or procedures.
- Review forms and reports and confer with management and users about format, distribution, and purpose, identifying problems and improvements.
- Gather and organize information on problems or procedures.
- Analyze data gathered and develop solutions or alternative methods of proceeding.
- Document findings of study and prepare recommendations for implementation of new systems, procedures, or organizational changes.
- Plan study of work problems and procedures, such as organizational change, communications, information flow, integrated production methods, inventory control, or cost analysis.
- Interview personnel and conduct on-site observation to ascertain unit functions, work performed, and methods, equipment, and personnel used.
- Prepare manuals and train workers in use of new forms, reports, procedures or equipment, according to organizational policy.
- Develop and implement records management program for filing, protection, and retrieval of records, and assure compliance with program.
- Design, evaluate, recommend, and approve changes of forms and reports.
- Recommend purchase of storage equipment and design area layout to locate equipment in space available.
- Confer with personnel concerned to ensure successful functioning of newly implemented systems or procedures.
- Review forms and reports and confer with management and users about format, distribution, and purpose, identifying problems and improvements.
- Confer with other financial engineers or analysts on trading strategies, market dynamics, or trading system performance to inform development of quantitative techniques.
- Consult traders or other financial industry personnel to determine the need for new or improved analytical applications.
- Apply mathematical or statistical techniques to address practical issues in finance, such as derivative valuation, securities trading, risk management, or financial market regulation.
- Research or develop analytical tools to address issues such as portfolio construction or optimization, performance measurement, attribution, profit and loss measurement, or pricing models.
- Interpret results of financial analysis procedures.
- Develop core analytical capabilities or model libraries, using advanced statistical, quantitative, or econometric techniques.
- Define or recommend model specifications or data collection methods.
- Produce written summary reports of financial research results.
- Maintain or modify all financial analytic models in use.
- Provide application or analytical support to researchers or traders on issues such as valuations or data.
- Devise or apply independent models or tools to help verify results of analytical systems.
- Collaborate in the development or testing of new analytical software to ensure compliance with user requirements, specifications, or scope.
- Research new financial products or analytics to determine their usefulness.
- Identify, track, or maintain metrics for trading system operations.
- Develop methods of assessing or measuring corporate performance in terms of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues.
- Collaborate with product development teams to research, model, validate, or implement quantitative structured solutions for new or expanded markets.
- Prepare requirements documentation for use by software developers.
- Develop solutions to help clients hedge carbon exposure or risk.
- Develop tools to assess green technologies or green financial products, such as green hedge funds or social responsibility investment funds.
- Assess the potential impact of climate change on business financial issues, such as damage repairs, insurance costs, or potential disruptions of daily activities.
- Analyze pricing or risks of carbon trading products.
- Confer with other financial engineers or analysts on trading strategies, market dynamics, or trading system performance to inform development of quantitative techniques.
- Consult traders or other financial industry personnel to determine the need for new or improved analytical applications.
- Consult with clients, vendors, personnel in other departments, or construction foremen to discuss and formulate estimates and resolve issues.
- Analyze blueprints and other documentation to prepare time, cost, materials, and labor estimates.
- Confer with engineers, architects, owners, contractors, and subcontractors on changes and adjustments to cost estimates.
- Collect historical cost data to estimate costs for current or future products.
- Assess cost effectiveness of products, projects or services, tracking actual costs relative to bids as the project develops.
- Establish and maintain tendering process, and conduct negotiations.
- Prepare estimates for use in selecting vendors or subcontractors.
- Prepare estimates used by management for purposes such as planning, organizing, and scheduling work.
- Set up cost monitoring and reporting systems and procedures.
- Review material and labor requirements to decide whether it is more cost-effective to produce or purchase components.
- Prepare cost and expenditure statements and other necessary documentation at regular intervals for the duration of the project.
- Conduct special studies to develop and establish standard hour and related cost data or to reduce cost.
- Visit site and record information about access, drainage and topography, and availability of utility services.
- Prepare and maintain a directory of suppliers, contractors and subcontractors.
- Consult with clients, vendors, personnel in other departments, or construction foremen to discuss and formulate estimates and resolve issues.
- Identify or procure needed resources to implement sustainability programs or projects.
- Develop sustainability project goals, objectives, initiatives, or strategies in collaboration with other sustainability professionals.
- Monitor or track sustainability indicators, such as energy usage, natural resource usage, waste generation, and recycling.
- Assess or propose sustainability initiatives, considering factors such as cost effectiveness, technical feasibility, and acceptance.
- Provide technical or administrative support for sustainability programs or issues.
- Review and revise sustainability proposals or policies.
- Develop reports or presentations to communicate the effectiveness of sustainability initiatives.
- Create or maintain plans or other documents related to sustainability projects.
- Collect information about waste stream management or green building practices to inform decision makers.
- Research or review regulatory, technical, or market issues related to sustainability.
- Identify or investigate violations of natural resources, waste management, recycling, or other environmental policies.
- Identify or create new sustainability indicators.
- Create marketing or outreach media, such as brochures or Web sites, to communicate sustainability issues, procedures, or objectives.
- Write grant applications, rebate applications, or project proposals to secure funding for sustainability projects.
- Identify or procure needed resources to implement sustainability programs or projects.
- Write and present strategies for recreational facility programming using customer or employee data.
- Administer first aid in emergency situations.
- Assign tasks and work hours to staff.
- Calculate and record department expenses and revenue.
- Clean equipment and areas of amusement park, cruise ship, or other recreational facility.
- Explain rules and regulations of facilities and entertainment attractions to customers.
- Inspect equipment, such as rides, games, and vehicles, to detect wear and damage.
- Interview and hire associates to fill staff vacancies.
- Operate, drive, or explain the use of mechanical equipment in amusement parks, cruise ships, or other recreational facilities.
- Plan programs of events or schedules of activities.
- Plan, organize, or lead group activities for customers, such as exercise routines, athletic events, or arts and crafts.
- Resolve customer complaints regarding worker performance or services rendered.
- Store and retrieve equipment, such as vehicles, radios, and ride components.
- Talk to coworkers using electronic devices, such as computers and radios.
- Talk to customers to convey information about events or activities.
- Train workers in company procedures or policy.
- Write budgets to plan recreational activities or programs.
- Write and present strategies for recreational facility programming using customer or employee data.
- Meet with job search committees or coordinators to explain the role of the equal opportunity coordinator, to provide resources for advertising, or to explain expectations for future contacts.
- Investigate employment practices or alleged violations of laws to document and correct discriminatory factors.
- Prepare reports related to investigations of equal opportunity complaints.
- Interview persons involved in equal opportunity complaints to verify case information.
- Study equal opportunity complaints to clarify issues.
- Interpret civil rights laws and equal opportunity regulations for individuals or employers.
- Meet with persons involved in equal opportunity complaints to arbitrate and settle disputes.
- Develop guidelines for nondiscriminatory employment practices.
- Monitor the implementation and impact of guidelines for nondiscriminatory employment practices.
- Coordinate, monitor, or revise complaint procedures to ensure timely processing and review of complaints.
- Provide information, technical assistance, or training to supervisors, managers, or employees on topics such as employee supervision, hiring, grievance procedures, or staff development.
- Conduct surveys and evaluate findings to determine if systematic discrimination exists.
- Prepare reports of selection, survey, or other statistics and recommendations for corrective action.
- Counsel newly hired members of minority or disadvantaged groups, informing them about details of civil rights laws.
- Review company contracts to determine actions required to meet governmental equal opportunity provisions.
- Verify that all job descriptions are submitted for review and approval and that descriptions meet regulatory standards.
- Consult with community representatives to develop technical assistance agreements in accordance with governmental regulations.
- Participate in the recruitment of employees through job fairs, career days, or advertising plans.
- Meet with job search committees or coordinators to explain the role of the equal opportunity coordinator, to provide resources for advertising, or to explain expectations for future contacts.
- Locate suppliers, using sources such as catalogs and the internet, and interview them to gather information about products to be ordered.
- 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.
- Approve and pay bills.
- Maintain knowledge of all organizational and governmental rules affecting purchases, and provide information about these rules to organization staff members and to vendors.
- Determine if inventory quantities are sufficient for needs, ordering more materials when necessary.
- Check shipments when they arrive to ensure that orders have been filled correctly and that goods meet specifications.
- Contact suppliers to schedule or expedite deliveries and to resolve shortages, missed or late deliveries, and other problems.
- Prepare, maintain, and review purchasing files, reports and price lists.
- Review requisition orders to verify accuracy, terminology, and specifications.
- Respond to customer and supplier inquiries about order status, changes, or cancellations.
- Monitor in-house inventory movement and complete inventory transfer forms for bookkeeping purposes.
- Compare suppliers' bills with bids and purchase orders to verify accuracy.
- Monitor contractor performance, recommending contract modifications when necessary.
- Prepare invitation-of-bid forms, and mail forms to supplier firms or distribute forms for public posting.
- Train and supervise subordinates and other staff.
- Locate suppliers, using sources such as catalogs and the internet, and interview them to gather information about products to be ordered.
- Confer with staff at a chosen event site to coordinate details.
- Consult with customers to determine objectives and requirements for events, such as meetings, conferences, and conventions.
- Review event bills for accuracy and approve payment.
- Coordinate services for events, such as accommodation and transportation for participants, facilities, catering, signage, displays, special needs requirements, printing and event security.
- Arrange the availability of audio-visual equipment, transportation, displays, and other event needs.
- Inspect event facilities to ensure that they conform to customer requirements.
- Maintain records of event aspects, including financial details.
- Monitor event activities to ensure compliance with applicable regulations and laws, satisfaction of participants, and resolution of any problems that arise.
- Negotiate contracts with such service providers and suppliers as hotels, convention centers, and speakers.
- Evaluate and select providers of services according to customer requirements.
- Plan and develop programs, agendas, budgets, and services according to customer requirements.
- Hire, train, and supervise volunteers and support staff required for events.
- Conduct post-event evaluations to determine how future events could be improved.
- Direct administrative details, such as financial operations, dissemination of promotional materials, and responses to inquiries.
- Meet with sponsors and organizing committees to plan scope and format of events, to establish and monitor budgets, or to review administrative procedures and event progress.
- Read trade publications, attend seminars, and consult with other meeting professionals to keep abreast of meeting management standards and trends.
- Organize registration of event participants.
- Develop event topics and choose featured speakers.
- Promote conference, convention and trades show services by performing tasks such as meeting with professional and trade associations, and producing brochures and other publications.
- Design and implement efforts to publicize events and promote sponsorships.
- Obtain permits from fire and health departments to erect displays and exhibits and serve food at events.
- Confer with staff at a chosen event site to coordinate details.
- Contact motel, hotel, resort, and travel operators to obtain current advertising literature.
- Examine passenger documentation to determine destinations and to assign boarding passes.
- Trace lost, delayed, or misdirected baggage for customers.
- Check baggage and cargo and direct passengers to designated locations for loading.
- Provide boarding or disembarking assistance to passengers needing special assistance.
- Confer with customers to determine their service requirements and travel preferences.
- Announce arrival and departure information, using public address systems.
- Determine whether space is available on travel dates requested by customers, assigning requested spaces when available.
- Assemble and issue required documentation, such as tickets, travel insurance policies, or itineraries.
- Maintain computerized inventories of available passenger space and provide information on space reserved or available.
- Inform clients of essential travel information, such as travel times, transportation connections, or medical and visa requirements.
- Answer inquiries regarding information, such as schedules, accommodations, procedures, or policies.
- Plan routes, itineraries, and accommodation details, and compute fares and fees, using schedules, rate books, and computers.
- Make and confirm reservations for transportation and accommodations, using telephones, faxes, mail, and computers.
- Keep information facilities clean during operation.
- Provide clients with assistance in preparing required travel documents and forms.
- Prepare customer invoices and accept payment.
- Open or close information facilities.
- Provide customers with travel suggestions and information sources, such as guides, directories, brochures, or maps.
- Contact customers or travel agents to advise them of travel conveyance changes or to confirm reservations.
- Promote particular destinations, tour packages, and other travel services.
- Contact motel, hotel, resort, and travel operators to obtain current advertising literature.
- Collaborate with other departments as necessary to meet customer requirements, to take advantage of sales opportunities or, in the case of shortages, to minimize negative impacts on a business.
- Maintain and develop positive business relationships with a customer's key personnel involved in, or directly relevant to, a logistics activity.
- Develop an understanding of customers' needs and take actions to ensure that such needs are met.
- Manage subcontractor activities, reviewing proposals, developing performance specifications, and serving as liaisons between subcontractors and organizations.
- Develop proposals that include documentation for estimates.
- Review logistics performance with customers against targets, benchmarks, and service agreements.
- Direct availability and allocation of materials, supplies, and finished products.
- Redesign the movement of goods to maximize value and minimize costs.
- Explain proposed solutions to customers, management, or other interested parties through written proposals and oral presentations.
- Direct team activities, establishing task priorities, scheduling and tracking work assignments, providing guidance, and ensuring the availability of resources.
- Perform managerial duties such as hiring and training employees and overseeing facility needs or requirements.
- Report project plans, progress, and results.
- Protect and control proprietary materials.
- Stay informed of logistics technology advances and apply appropriate technology to improve logistics processes.
- Develop and implement technical project management tools, such as plans, schedules, and responsibility and compliance matrices.
- Provide project management services, including the provision and analysis of technical data.
- Manage the logistical aspects of product life cycles, including coordination or provisioning of samples, and the minimization of obsolescence.
- Perform system lifecycle cost analysis and develop component studies.
- Plan, organize, and execute logistics support activities, such as maintenance planning, repair analysis, and test equipment recommendations.
- Participate in the assessment and review of design alternatives and design change proposal impacts.
- Direct and support the compilation and analysis of technical source data necessary for product development.
- Support the development of training materials and technical manuals.
- Collaborate with other departments as necessary to meet customer requirements, to take advantage of sales opportunities or, in the case of shortages, to minimize negative impacts on a business.
- Investigate sources, such as auctions, estate sales, liquidators, wholesalers, or trade shows for new items, used items, or collectibles.
- Fill customer orders by packaging sold items and documentation for direct shipping or by transferring orders to manufacturers or third-party distributors.
- Receive and process payments from customers, using electronic transaction services.
- Create, manage, or automate orders or invoices, using order management or invoicing software.
- Deliver e-mail confirmation of completed transactions and shipment.
- Correspond with online customers via electronic mail, telephone, or other electronic messaging to address questions or complaints about products, policies, or shipping methods.
- Purchase new or used items from online or physical sources for resale via retail or auction Web site.
- Determine and set product prices.
- Calculate purchase subtotals, taxes, and shipping costs for submission to customers.
- Compose descriptions of merchandise for posting to online storefront, auction sites, or other shopping Web sites.
- Compose images of products, using video or still cameras, lighting equipment, props, or photo or video editing software.
- Upload digital media, such as photos, video, or scanned images to online storefront, auction sites, or other shopping Web sites.
- Calculate revenue, sales, and expenses, using financial accounting or spreadsheet software.
- Cancel orders based on customer requests or inventory or delivery problems.
- Prepare or organize online storefront marketing material, including product descriptions or subject lines, optimizing content to search engine criteria.
- Order or purchase merchandise to maintain optimal inventory levels.
- Determine location for product listings to maximize exposure to online traffic.
- Create or maintain database of customer accounts.
- Promote products in online communities through weblog or discussion-forum postings, e-mail marketing programs, or online advertising.
- Collaborate with search engine shopping specialists to place marketing content in desired online locations.
- Investigate products or markets to determine areas for opportunity or viability for merchandising specific products, using online or offline sources.
- Maintain inventory of shipping supplies, such as boxes, labels, tape, bubble wrap, loose packing materials, or tape guns.
- Measure and analyze Web site usage data to maximize search engine returns or refine customer interfaces.
- Develop or revise business plans for online business, emphasizing factors such as product line, pricing, inventory, or marketing strategy.
- Disclose merchant information and terms and policies of transactions in online or offline materials.
- Design customer interface of online storefront, using web programming or e-commerce software.
- Select and purchase technical web services, such as web hosting services, online merchant accounts, shopping cart software, payment gateway software, or spyware.
- Transfer digital media, such as music, video, or software, to customers via the Internet.
- Devise, select, or purchase domain name and web address.
- Initiate online auctions through auction hosting sites or auction management software.
- Implement security practices to preserve assets, minimize liabilities, or ensure customer privacy, using parallel servers, hardware redundancy, fail-safe technology, information encryption, or firewalls.
- Participate in online forums or conferences to stay abreast of online retailing trends, techniques, or security threats.
- Integrate online retailing strategy with physical or catalogue retailing operations.
- Create or distribute offline promotional material, such as brochures, pamphlets, business cards, stationary, or signage.
- Investigate sources, such as auctions, estate sales, liquidators, wholesalers, or trade shows for new items, used items, or collectibles.