Developing, leading and executing purchasing strategies. Tracking and reporting key functional metrics to reduce expenses and improve effectiveness. Crafting negotiation strategies and closing deals with optimal terms. Forecasting price and market trends to identify changes of balance in buyer-supplier power. Performing cost and scenario analysis, and benchmarking. Assessing, managing and mitigating risks. Seeking reliable vendors and suppliers. Determining quantity and timing of deliveries. Monitoring and forecasting upcoming levels of demand.