The following article discusses the career path of Supply Chain Manager. Learn about how to become one, education requirements, job duties, traits and qualities, national salary outlook as well as top national employers of Supply Chain Managers.
Job Duties
Supply chain managers coordinate and manage key elements of the entire supply chain. They have three key responsibilities:
1. To promote appropriate team work between the customer service and the sales team
2. To develop, implement, and maintain general logistics policies and procedures
3. To maintain the inventory so that it can meet demand
Supply chain managers continuously communicate with external suppliers, ensuring that existing contracts are effective. They are leaders, guiding store managers and others within the supply chain.
Other job duties of a supply chain manager are:
- To ensure that inventory is at optimal level, maintaining supply chain documentation and activity for top productivity
- To create new collaborations with external suppliers, fostering those relationships
- To put in place new production systems from obtaining raw materials down to shipping the final product
- To ensure that employee schedules are managed properly and that everyone is supported to complete tasks in a productive manner
Where We Work
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 148,700 logisticians in 2016. The largest employers of these professionals were:
- Manufacturing: 25%
- Federal government: 20%
- Professional, scientific, and technical services: 17%
- Management of companies and enterprises: 10%
- Wholesale trade: 9%
How to Become
Supply chain managers usually have at least a bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, sales, logistics, or business administration. They also usually have many years of experience in customer service and business. Furthermore, they must understand the geographical areas that they deal with. They have to have excellent interpersonal and social skills so that they can develop appropriate relationships with internal and external partners alike.
Education Requirements
A supply chain manager has to be able to manage the complexities of supply chains and logistics. As a result, a bachelor’s degree is usually the minimum requirement. Supply chain management, systems engineer, and business are common study subjects. During a bachelor’s degree, they will learn about system dynamics, database management, and operations. Furthermore, they can be exposed to common logistics software, such as RFID (radio-frequency identification).
There is no legal requirement for a supply chain manager to become certified. However, certifications do demonstrate commitment to excellence and a broader knowledge. Hence, supply chain managers may choose to become certified through SOLE (the International Society of Logistics) or through the American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS). Work experience and education are required for these certifications. Other options are offered through the DUA (Defense Acquisition University), which is required for those who work as a logistics analyst for the Department of Defense.
Work experience is also vitally important. Supply chain managers will have gained several years’ experience in supply chains, logistics, and business. Some start in logistical support, such as clerks or dispatchers, and many have a military background. Through work experience, these specialists get to know about supply chain and production processes.
Traits & Qualities
The most effective supply chain managers have the following traits to some degree or other:
- Excellent communication skills, both oral and written
- Strong critical thinking skills
- Great customer service skills
- Excellent organizational skills
- Strong problem solving skills
Minimum Education
Bachelor’s Degree
National Salary
The national average salary estimate for Supply Chain Manager was $85,591. This number is estimated from over 1,842,824 employees, users past and present job advertisements from Indeed.com. This equates to an hourly salary of $44.58 and monthly of $7,133.
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Salary by State
The following section lists Supply Chain Manager salaries in each state around the country. The figures are based on the total number of job postings through Indeed.com. For example, DC had the largest quoted salary of $110,000 while Mississippi had the smallest quoted salary of $600.
Top 20 National Employers
According to Indeed.com, the following states had employers looking to hire a Supply Chain Manager. The quoted salary figure represents the average salary from all job postings by this employer.
Employer Name | Location | Average Salary |
---|---|---|
At-Tech Supply Chain Manager | California | $200,000 |
Agni International Supply Chain Manager | New York | $200,000 |
Right Recruiting Supply Chain Manager | New Jersey | $198,738 |
Alliance Search Solutions Supply Chain Manager | South Carolina | $184,691 |
Deloitte Supply Chain Manager | Georgia | $172,023 |
First Quality a $3B CPG company Supply Chain Manager | Pennsylvania | $165,000 |
LightWave Partners Supply Chain Manager | Massachusetts | $164,122 |
Absolute Opportunities Supply Chain Manager | New York | $161,979 |
SynergyIS Supply Chain Manager | Ohio | $160,000 |
FPC of Sarasota, Inc. Supply Chain Manager | Wisconsin | $160,000 |
Retail, Boston, MA Supply Chain Manager | Massachusetts | $160,000 |
Austin Employment Service Supply Chain Manager | Illinois | $160,000 |
The Judge Group Supply Chain Manager | Iowa | $159,688 |
Selby Jennings Supply Chain Manager | Massachusetts | $157,645 |
PMG Employment Consultants Supply Chain Manager | New York | $155,478 |
Manufacturing, San Diego, CA Supply Chain Manager | California | $154,919 |
Accenture Supply Chain Manager | Illinois | $152,480 |
Google Supply Chain Manager | California | $150,628 |
Pratt&Whitney Supply Chain Manager | Connecticut | $150,000 |
DGSP Supply Chain Manager | California | $150,000 |
Learn More
- Supply chain management – Wikipedia
- 11-9199.04 – Supply Chain Managers – O*NET OnLine
- Position: SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGER
- Top Online MBA Programs Supply Chain Concentration.
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