A great day at work is meeting with a supplier to review thier performance and seeing them take actional feedback on that performance. I interact with multiple people each day, not only internally but externally. I spend time in meetings discussing new projects and initiatives and some time responding to emails from various folks.
CAREER
Supply Chain Managers
Overview
Salary Median (2020)
$96,390
Projected Job Growth (2019-2029)
+3.5% (slower than the average)
Most Common Level of Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Career
Roadtrip Nation Leaders in This Career
What Supply Chain Managers Do
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.
Other Job Titles Supply Chain Managers May Have
Global Supply Chain Director, Material Requirements Planning Manager, Solution Design and Analysis Manager, Supply Chain Director, Supply Chain Manager
How Leaders Describe a Typical Day at Work
Tasks & Responsibilities May Include
- Determine appropriate equipment and staffing levels to load, unload, move, or store materials.
- Manage activities related to strategic or tactical purchasing, material requirements planning, controlling inventory, warehousing, or receiving.
- Select transportation routes to maximize economy by combining shipments or consolidating warehousing and distribution.
- Define performance metrics for measurement, comparison, or evaluation of supply chain factors, such as product cost or quality.
- Implement new or improved supply chain processes to improve efficiency or performance.
Education
Level of Education Attained by Supply Chain Managers
Most common level of education among people in
this career: High school diploma or equivalent (29%)
High school diploma or equivalent
Some college, no degree
Bachelor's degree
Other*
*All other responses combined for clarity.
Majors Related to Career
Educational Paths Suggested by Leaders
Suggested Path
High School
Bachelor
Business Administration and Management, General
Additional Skills & Experiences That Can Help You Excel
There isn't anything quite like on the job training. Each supplier I interact with provides a different product or service and to really succeed as a manager of those suppliers, it's important to have a good understanding of those products and services. I also didn't have training on contract language but reading it each day has helped me grow and develop in ways I didn't think was possible!
Getting Started
Recommended First Step for:
College Students
If you're interested in supplier management or supply chain, there are courses offered at most colleges specific to this field. When in college, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do as my career and those courses could have given me a good head start had I known at the time.
This page includes information from theO*NET 26.1 Databaseby the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under theCC BY 4.0license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
