Career Description: Direct or coordinate production, purchasing, warehousing, distribution, or financial forecasting services or activities to limit costs and improve accuracy, customer service, or safety. Examine existing procedures or opportunities for streamlining activities to meet product distribution needs. Direct the movement, storage, or processing of inventory.
Life As a Supply Chain Manager
- Implement new or improved supply chain processes to improve efficiency or performance.
- Design, implement, or oversee product take back or reverse logistics programs to ensure products are recycled, reused, or responsibly disposed.
- Develop procedures for coordination of supply chain management with other functional areas, such as sales, marketing, finance, production, or quality assurance.
- Analyze information about supplier performance or procurement program success.
- Define performance metrics for measurement, comparison, or evaluation of supply chain factors, such as product cost or quality.
- Monitor forecasts and quotas to identify changes and predict effects on supply chain activities.
What Every Supply Chain Manager Should Know
Supply Chain Managers state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work:
- Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
- Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
- Monitoring: Monitoring/assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Types of Supply Chain Manager
- Supply Chain Program Manager
- Global Supply Chain Vice President
- Supply Chain Systems Manager
- Supply Chain Generalist
- Supply Chain Design Manager
Job Demand for Supply Chain Managers
There were about 992,100 jobs for Supply Chain Manager in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 8% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 79,600 new jobs for Supply Chain Manager by 2026. There will be an estimated 79,200 positions for Supply Chain Manager per year.
The states with the most job growth for Supply Chain Manager are Utah, Washington, and Nevada. Watch out if you plan on working in Vermont, Maine, or Maryland. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
How Much Does a Supply Chain Manager Make?
Supply Chain Managers make between $52,550 and $183,430 a year.
Supply Chain Managers who work in District of Columbia, Virginia, or California, make the highest salaries.
What Tools & Technology do Supply Chain Managers Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Supply Chain Managers may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Access
- SAP
- Microsoft Project
- Microsoft Visio
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Microsoft Dynamics
- Microsoft SQL Server
- Oracle PeopleSoft
- MEDITECH software
- Minitab
- Graphics software
- Oracle E-Business Suite Financials
- Oracle Hyperion
How do I Become a Supply Chain Manager?
Education needed to be a Supply Chain Manager:
How Long Does it Take to Become a Supply Chain Manager?
Where Supply Chain Managers Work
The table below shows the approximate number of Supply Chain Managers employed by various industries.
