Purchasing and Inventory Control Workers

National Occupational Classification (NOC): 14403

Fast Facts

  • Average Pay: $40780
  • Future Growth: 2
  • Skill Level: N/A
  • Employment Size: 325
  • Unemployment: N/A
  • Full-time Share: N/A

Sample Job Titles

  • Inventory analyst
  • Inventory clerk
  • Inventory control clerk
  • Inventory planner
  • Procurement clerk
  • Purchasing clerk
  • Purchasing clerk assistant
  • Ship supply clerk
  • Supply clerk
  • Supply technician - Canadian Armed Forces


What do purchasing and inventory control workers do?

Purchasing and inventory control workers process purchasing transactions and maintain inventories of materials, equipment and stock. They are employed by retail and wholesale establishments, manufacturing companies, government agencies and other establishments.

Purchasing control workers perform some or all of the following duties:

  • Review requisition orders for accuracy and verify that materials, equipment and stock are not available from current inventories
  • Source and obtain price quotations from catalogues and suppliers and prepare purchase orders
  • Calculate cost of orders and charge or forward invoices to appropriate accounts
  • Process purchases within purchasing authority
  • Contact suppliers to schedule deliveries and to resolve shortages, missed deliveries and other problems
  • Prepare and maintain purchasing files, reports and price lists.

Inventory control workers perform some or all of the following duties:

  • Monitor inventory levels as materials, equipment and stock are issued, transferred within an establishment or sold to the public using manual or computerized inventory systems
  • Compile inventory reports, recording the quantity, type and value of materials, equipment and stock on hand, using manual or computerized inventory systems
  • Prepare requisition orders to replenish materials, equipment and stock
  • Maintain stock rotation and dispose of and account for outdated stock
  • Enter data for production scheduling, stock replenishment/relocation and inventory adjustments
  • Reconcile physical inventories with computer counts.

Source: National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021, Employment and Social Development Canada

 

Purchasing and inventory control workers work in many subsectors (NAICS) in Newfoundland and Labrador, including:

  • 452   General merchandise stores
  • 561   Administrative and support services
  • 417   Machinery, equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers
  • 212   Mining and quarrying (except oil and gas)
  • 311   Food manufacturing
  • 444   Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers
  • 722   Food services and drinking places
  • 413   Food, beverage and tobacco merchant wholesalers
  • 441   Motor vehicle and parts dealers
  • 493   Warehouse and storage

Source: Census 2021, Statistics Canada

 

Short and Long Term Occupational Projections

Short Term Projections for 2025-2027

The employment outlook will be moderate for purchasing and inventory control workers in Newfoundland and Labrador (rating of 3 out of 5) for the 2025-2027 period.

Source: Job Bank, Government of Canada

 

 

 

Number of Job Postings in 2025

During 2025, there were 33 public job postings for this occupation, with the following distribution:

Avalon:  67% Western:  3%
Eastern:  0% Labrador:  15%
Central:  9% NL-unspecified:  6%

Source: Vicinity Jobs (note: data used in this analysis reflects new unique monthly postings which are totaled for the calendar year)



Who works as purchasing and inventory control workers in Newfoundland and Labrador?

During the reference week of May 2021, there were approximately 325 people working in this occupation in Newfoundland and Labrador. 57% of those employed were Male+ and 43% of those employed were Female+.

Here is the age group breakdown for this group of workers:

15 to 24 25 to 54 55 to 64 65+
15% 54% 22% 6%

Source: Census 2021, Statistics Canada

 

How much do purchasing and inventory control workers make?

Annual Earnings

The median employment income for all purchasing and inventory control workers in the reference year 2020 (390 workers in total, including those working part-time and full-time, as well as part-year and full-year) was $36,000.

Source: Census 2021, Statistics Canada

 

Hourly Earnings

Salary information for purchasing and inventory control workers in Newfoundland and Labrador is as follows:

Low ($/hour) Median ($/hour) High ($/hour)
Newfoundland and Labrador $16.00 $23.00 $30.92

 

The following low, median, and high wages are for Canada:

Low ($/hour) Median ($/hour) High ($/hour)
$17.50 $24.00 $36.06

Source: Job Bank, Government of Canada

 

Most Frequently Sought Skills from Job Postings (2025)

  • Communication skills
  • Purchasing
  • Teamwork
  • Analytical skills
  • Attention to detail
  • Microsoft Excel

Source:  Vicinity Jobs



What training is required?

  • Completion of secondary school is usually required.
  • Courses in purchasing management may be required for purchasing clerks.
  • Courses in production and inventory management and ability to operate a computerized inventory system may be required for inventory clerks.
  • The duties of purchasing and inventory control workers may overlap in some establishments.
  • Progression to supervisory positions or more senior occupations such as purchasing agent or retail buyer is possible with additional training or experience.

Source: National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021, Employment and Social Development Canada

* Find public and private education, training and skills development opportunities in Newfoundland and Labrador here.

 

Links