Supply Chain Manager Career

Job 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.


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Supply Chain Manager Career

What Supply Chain Managers do:

  • Define performance metrics for measurement, comparison, or evaluation of supply chain factors, such as product cost or quality.
  • Design or implement supply chains that support business strategies adapted to changing market conditions, new business opportunities, or cost reduction strategies.
  • Determine appropriate equipment and staffing levels to load, unload, move, or store materials.
  • Develop procedures for coordination of supply chain management with other functional areas, such as sales, marketing, finance, production, or quality assurance.
  • Implement new or improved supply chain processes to improve efficiency or performance.
  • Monitor suppliers' activities to assess performance in meeting quality or delivery requirements.
  • Manage activities related to strategic or tactical purchasing, material requirements planning, controlling inventory, warehousing, or receiving.
  • Meet with suppliers to discuss performance metrics, to provide performance feedback, or to discuss production forecasts or changes.
  • Negotiate prices and terms with suppliers, vendors, or freight forwarders.
  • Analyze information about supplier performance or procurement program success.
  • Design or implement supply chains that support environmental policies.
  • Monitor forecasts and quotas to identify changes and predict effects on supply chain activities.
  • Participate in the coordination of engineering changes, product line extensions, or new product launches to ensure orderly and timely transitions in material or production flow.
  • Review or update supply chain practices in accordance with new or changing environmental policies, standards, regulations, or laws.
  • Select transportation routes to maximize economy by combining shipments or consolidating warehousing and distribution.
  • Analyze inventories to determine how to increase inventory turns, reduce waste, or optimize customer service.
  • Design or implement plant warehousing strategies for production materials or finished products.
  • Develop or implement procedures or systems to evaluate or select suppliers.
  • Document physical supply chain processes, such as workflows, cycle times, position responsibilities, or system flows.
  • Evaluate and select information or other technology solutions to improve tracking and reporting of materials or products distribution, storage, or inventory.
  • Identify or qualify new suppliers in collaboration with other departments, such as procurement, engineering, or quality assurance.
  • Confer with supply chain planners to forecast demand or create supply plans that ensure availability of materials or products.
  • Design, implement, or oversee product take back or reverse logistics programs to ensure products are recycled, reused, or responsibly disposed.
  • Diagram supply chain models to help facilitate discussions with customers.
  • Appraise vendor manufacturing capabilities through on-site observations or other measurements.
  • Identify opportunities to reuse or recycle materials to minimize consumption of new materials, minimize waste, or to convert wastes to by-products.
  • Conduct or oversee the conduct of life cycle analyses to determine the environmental impacts of products, processes, or systems.
  • Forecast material costs or develop standard cost lists.
  • Investigate or review the carbon footprints and environmental performance records of current or potential storage and distribution service providers.
  • Locate or select biodegradable, non-toxic, or other environmentally friendly raw materials for manufacturing processes.

What work activities are most important?

Importance Activities

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.

Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.

Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.

Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.

Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.

Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.

Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

Communicating with People Outside the Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

Monitoring and Controlling Resources - Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.

Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.

Staffing Organizational Units - Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Providing Consultation and Advice to Others - Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.

Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information - Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.

Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Selling or Influencing Others - Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.

Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.

Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Holland Code Chart for a Supply Chain Manager