purchasing agent

plural purchasing agents

1. A person or group whose job is to buy equipment, supplies, inventory, or other assets for a business or other organization.

   The newspaper claims to have “confirmed” that Humayun Khan’s family import-export business, Pakland Corp., was a purchasing agent for Pakistan’s nuclear programme.

   2004 May 25, Khalid Hasan, “Pakistan mired in another nuclear scandal”, in Daily Times, retrieved 21 Oct 2008

   2 more examples

   Subjoined is a statement from the purchasing agent at New-York, with a schedule giving the name, tonnage, price demanded, and cost actually paid of every vessel that has been bought by him.

   1861 December 4, “Report of the Secretary of the Navy”, in New York Times, retrieved 21 Oct 2008

   Since taking over as mayor last January, Lee has . . . forced the resignation of the city purchasing agent because he bought $10,000 worth of water pipe without asking for bids.

   1960 April 4, “Nettled Nickel-Nipper”, in Time

   Synonyms: buyer