Identify suppliers

Determine potential suppliers for further negotiation. Take into consideration aspects such as product quality, sustainability, local sourcing, seasonality and coverage of the area. Evaluate the likelihood of obtaining beneficial contracts and agreements with them.

search for suppliers
identify a supplier
identify the suppliers
research for suppliers
monitor suppliers on the market

skill/competence

cross-sector

Identify suppliers is an essential skill of the following occupations:

Wholesale merchant in perfume and cosmetics: Wholesale merchants in perfume and cosmetics investigate potential wholesale buyers and suppliers and match their needs. They conclude trades involving large quantities of goods.
Wholesale merchant in household goods: Wholesale merchants in household goods investigate potential wholesale buyers and suppliers and match their needs. They conclude trades involving large quantities of goods.
Purchaser: Purchasers select and purchase stock, materials, services or goods. They organise tender procedures and select suppliers.
Wholesale merchant in electronic and telecommunications equipment and parts: Wholesale merchants in electronic and telecommunications equipment and parts investigate potential wholesale buyers and suppliers and match their needs. They conclude trades involving large quantities of goods.
Wholesale merchant in fish, crustaceans and molluscs: Wholesale merchants in fish, crustaceans and molluscs investigate potential wholesale buyers and suppliers and match their needs. They conclude trades involving large quantities of goods.
Wholesale merchant in computers, computer peripheral equipment and software: Wholesale merchants in computers, computer peripheral equipment and software investigate potential wholesale buyers and suppliers and match their needs. They conclude trades involving large quantities of goods.
Purchasing manager: Purchasing managers are in charge of buying goods, equipment and services for their company, and try to ensure the most competitive prices. They are also responsible for negotiating contracts, reviewing the quality of products and analyzing suppliers , and the use and resale of goods and services.
Trade regional manager: Trade regional managers are responsible for activities and staff in an assigned region for a specific chain of stores.

Wholesale merchant: Wholesale merchants investigate potential wholesale buyers and suppliers and match their needs. They conclude trades involving large quantities of goods.
Wholesale merchant in hides, skins and leather products: Wholesale merchants in hides, skins and leather products investigate potential wholesale buyers and suppliers and match their needs. They conclude trades involving large quantities of goods.
Wholesale merchant in pharmaceutical goods: Wholesale merchants in pharmaceutical goods investigate potential wholesale buyers and suppliers and match their needs. They conclude trades involving large quantities of goods.
Wholesale merchant in meat and meat products: Wholesale merchants in meat and meat products investigate potential wholesale buyers and suppliers and match their needs. They conclude trades involving large quantities of goods.
Wholesale merchant in dairy products and edible oils: Wholesale merchants in dairy products and edible oils investigate potential wholesale buyers and suppliers and match their needs. They conclude trades involving large quantities of goods.
ICT network technician: ICT network technicians install, maintain and troubleshoot networks, data communications equipment and network installed devices such as printers and storage area networks. They also analyse and fix network-related problems reported by users.
Wholesale merchant in machinery, industrial equipment, ships and aircraft: Wholesale merchants in machinery, industrial equipment, ships and aircraft investigate potential wholesale buyers and suppliers and match their needs. They conclude trades involving large quantities of goods.
Wholesale merchant in furniture, carpets and lighting equipment: Wholesale merchants in furniture, carpets and lighting equipment investigate potential wholesale buyers and suppliers and match their needs. They conclude trades involving large quantities of goods.
Wholesale merchant in sugar, chocolate and sugar confectionery: Wholesale merchants in sugar, chocolate and sugar confectionery investigate potential wholesale buyers and suppliers and match their needs. They conclude trades involving large quantities of goods.
Wholesale merchant in textile industry machinery: Wholesale merchants in textile industry machinery investigate potential wholesale buyers and suppliers and match their needs. They conclude trades involving large quantities of goods.
Wholesale merchant in coffee, tea, cocoa and spices: Wholesale merchants in coffee, tea, cocoa and spices investigate potential wholesale buyers and suppliers and match their needs. They conclude trades involving large quantities of goods.
Wholesale merchant in waste and scrap: Wholesale merchants in waste and scrap investigate potential wholesale buyers and suppliers and match their needs. They conclude trades involving large quantities of goods.
Wholesale merchant in office machinery and equipment: Wholesale merchants in office machinery and equipment investigate potential wholesale buyers and suppliers and match their needs. They conclude trades involving large quantities of goods.
Wholesale merchant in watches and jewellery: Wholesale merchants in watches and jewellery investigate potential wholesale buyers and suppliers and match their needs. They conclude trades involving large quantities of goods.
Wholesale merchant in agricultural raw materials, seeds and animal feeds: Wholesale merchants in agricultural raw materials, seeds and animal feeds investigate potential wholesale buyers and suppliers and match their needs. They conclude trades involving large quantities of goods.
Wholesale merchant in china and other glassware: Wholesale merchants in china and other glassware investigate potential wholesale buyers and suppliers and match their needs. They conclude trades involving large quantities of goods.
Wholesale merchant in machine tools: Wholesale merchants in machine tools investigate potential wholesale buyers and suppliers and match their needs. They conclude trades involving large quantities of goods.
Set buyer: Set buyers analyse the script in order to identify the set dressing and the props needed for all individual scenes. They also consult with the production designer and the prop and set making team. Set buyers buy, rent or commission the making of the props. Set buyers make sure sets are authentic and believable.
Resource manager: Resource managers manage resources for all potential and assigned projects. They liaise with the different departments to see that all various resources are met, in a timely manner, and communicate any resourcing issues that may impact scheduled deadlines.
Wholesale merchant in electrical household appliances: Wholesale merchants in electrical household appliances investigate potential wholesale buyers and suppliers and match their needs. They conclude trades involving large quantities of goods.
Wholesale merchant in textiles and textile semi-finished and raw materials: Wholesale merchants in textiles and textile semi-finished and raw materials investigate potential wholesale buyers and suppliers and match their needs. They conclude trades involving large quantities of goods.
Wholesale merchant in office furniture: Wholesale merchants in office furniture investigate potential wholesale buyers and suppliers and match their needs. They conclude trades involving large quantities of goods.
Wholesale merchant in hardware, plumbing and heating equipment and supplies: Wholesale merchants in hardware, plumbing and heating equipment and supplies investigate potential wholesale buyers and suppliers and match their needs. They conclude trades involving large quantities of goods.
Wholesale merchant in mining, construction and civil engineering machinery: Wholesale merchants in mining, construction and civil engineering machinery investigate potential wholesale buyers and suppliers and match their needs. They conclude trades involving large quantities of goods.
Forecast manager: Forecast managers have a deep understanding of the operations of the company, the inventory levels, production batches, requirements and costs of production per product, and trends in the demand levels. They use all that information in combination with forecasting software in order to define production orders aiming for the most efficient production combinations.
Wholesale merchant in metals and metal ores: Wholesale merchants in metals and metal ores investigate potential wholesale buyers and suppliers and match their needs. They conclude trades involving large quantities of goods.
ICT buyer: ICT buyers create and place purchase orders for ICT products and services, handle receiving and invoice issues, assess current procurement practices and effectively apply strategic sourcing methodologies. They build relationships with strategic vendors and negotiate price, quality, service levels and delivery terms.
Retail entrepreneur: Retail entrepreneurs organise business processes and concepts in his/her personally owned business.
Wholesale merchant in chemical products: Wholesale merchants in chemical products investigate potential wholesale buyers and suppliers and match their needs. They conclude trades involving large quantities of goods.
Wholesale merchant in tobacco products: Wholesale merchants in tobacco products investigate potential wholesale buyers and suppliers and match their needs. They conclude trades involving large quantities of goods.
Costume buyer: Costume buyers work with the costume designer in order to identify the materials for the costumes. They buy and rent fabric, thread, accessories and other items needed to finish the wardrobe. Costume buyers may also purchase clothing items “off the peg”, ready made. They base their purchases on the sketches of the costume designer.
Wholesale merchant in clothing and footwear: Wholesale merchants in clothing and footwear investigate potential wholesale buyers and suppliers and match their needs. They conclude trades involving large quantities of goods.
Wholesale merchant in wood and construction materials: Wholesale merchants in wood and construction materials investigate potential wholesale buyers and suppliers and match their needs. They conclude trades involving large quantities of goods.
Restaurant manager: Restaurant managers are in charge of managing food and beverage operations in the kitchen and other food and beverage outlets or units in a hospitality establishment.
Category manager: Category managers define the sales programme for specific product groups. They research market demands and newly supplied products.

Purchase planner: Purchase planners organise the continuous supply with goods out of existing contracts.
Wholesale merchant in live animals: Wholesale merchants in live animals investigate potential wholesale buyers and suppliers and match their needs. They conclude trades involving large quantities of goods.
Wholesale merchant in beverages: Wholesale merchants in beverages investigate potential wholesale buyers and suppliers and match their needs. They conclude trades involving large quantities of goods.
ICT network architect: ICT network architects design the topology and connectivity of ICT network such as hardware, infrastructure, communication and hardware components.
ICT vendor relationship manager: ICT vendor relationship managers establish and maintain positive business relationships between stakeholders (external or internal), by deploying activities which are compliant with organisational processes. They also manage the outsourcing process for the organisation’s ICT department and the supply chain communications.
Wholesale merchant in agricultural machinery and equipment: Wholesale merchants in agricultural machinery and equipment investigate potential wholesale buyers and suppliers and match their needs. They conclude trades involving large quantities of goods.
Wholesale merchant in flowers and plants: Wholesale merchants in flowers and plants investigate potential wholesale buyers and suppliers and match their needs. They conclude trades involving large quantities of goods.
Wholesale merchant in fruit and vegetables: Wholesale merchants in fruit and vegetables investigate potential wholesale buyers and suppliers and match their needs. They conclude trades involving large quantities of goods.

Identify suppliers is optional for these occupations. This means knowing this skill may be an asset for career advancement if you are in one of these occupations.

Head chef: Head chefs manage the kitchen to oversee the preparation, cooking and service of food.
Tour operators manager: Tour operators managers are in charge of managing employees and of activities within tour operators related to the organisation of package tours and other tourism services.
Renewable energy consultant: Renewable energy consultants advise clients on the advantages and disadvantages of different renewable energy sources. They conduct surveys and interviews to research demand of and opinions on renewable energy, and strive to advise clients on the most advantageous source of renewable energy for their purpose.
Business intelligence manager: Business intelligence managers gain knowledge of the industry, the innovative processes therein, and contrast them with the operations of the company in order to improve them. They focus their analysis in the supply chain processes, warehouses, storage, and sales as to facilitate communication and revenue improvement.
Picture archiving and communication systems administrator: Picture archiving and communication systems administrators manage picture archiving and communication systems (PACS). They store images taken by various types of medical equipment, such as X-rays, in order to enable easy access to these images for medical. PACS administrators ensure the day-to-day management and maintenance of the system.”
Electricity sales representative: Electricity sales representatives assess clients’ energy needs, and recommend the purchase of electricity supply from their corporation. They promote their corporation’s services, and negotiate terms of sale with clients.
Policy manager: Policy managers are responsible for managing the development of policy programs and ensuring that the strategic objectives of the organization are met. They oversee the production of policy positions, as well as the organization’s campaign and advocacy work in fields such as environmental, ethics, quality, transparency, and sustainability.
Marketing manager: Marketing managers carry out the implementation of efforts related to the marketing operations in a company. They develop marketing strategies and plans by detailing cost and resources needed. They analyse the profitability of these plans, develop pricing strategies, and strive to raise awareness on products and companies among targeted customers.
Contract engineer: Contract engineers combine technical knowledge of contracts and legal matters with understanding of engineering specifications and principles. They ensure that both parts are aligned in the development of a project and foresee the compliance of all the engineering specifications and matters as defined in contracts.
Event assistant: Event assistant implement and follow plans detailed by event managers and planners. They specialise in a part of the planning either the coordination of the catering, transportation, or the facilities.
Shop manager: Shop managers are responsible for activities and staff in specialised shops.
Supply chain manager: Supply chain managers plan, manage and coordinate all activities related to the sourcing and procurement of supplies needed to run manufacturing operations from the acquisition of raw materials to the distribution of finished products. The supplies can be raw materials or finished products, and it can be for internal or external use. Moreover, they plan and commission all the activities needed to be performed in manufacturing plants and adjust operations to changing levels of demand for a company’s products.
Supermarket manager: Supermarket managers are responsible for activities and staff in a supermarket.
Prepared meals nutritionist: Prepared meals nutritionists value ingredients, manufacturing processes, and foodstuffs in order to assure nutritional quality and suitability of prepared meals and dishes. They study nutritional value of foodstuffs and dishes and advise on the composition of different meals or dishes for human feed (allergenic items, macro and micronutrients, …)
Energy consultant: Energy consultants advise clients on the advantages and disadvantages of different energy sources. They help clients to understand energy tariffs and try to reduce their energy consumption and carbon footprint by using energy efficient products and methods.
Solar energy sales consultant: Solar energy sales consultants provide advice on solar energy for domestic or industrial purposes, and aim to promote the use of solar energy as an alternative and more sustainable source of energy. They communicate with prospective clients, and attend networking events, to ensure increased sales of solar energy products.
Application engineer: Application engineers deal with the technical requirements, management, and design for the development of various engineering applications, such as systems, new product designs, or the improvements of processes. They are responsible for the implementation of a design or process improvement, they offer technical support for products, answer questions about the technical functionality and assist the sales team.

References

1. Identify suppliers – ESCO