Supply Chain Managers

Career summary

Supply chain managers control the supply needs of companies and organizations. They analyze inventory, storage, and transportation needs to make sure they have enough stock on hand. Supply chain managers also handle new product launches. This means they design, test, and adjust supply chains to prepare for new products.

Managers look at the flow of business processes to make sure they work efficiently. Product tracking computer systems let them do this more efficiently. They talk with various workers, from drivers to purchasers to budget analysts, to see what their needs are and how to improve work processes.

Managers forecast future trends for their company to predict changes. For example, if raw material prices go up, they may create plans to keep costs down by using alternative materials.

Some products pollute when people dispose of them. Managers may find less toxic materials to make these products. Or, they may find ways for stores to take products back and recycle them. They may also work with storage and transportation companies to help reduce the environmental impact of storing and shipping products and supplies.

Related careers

This career is part of the Business Management and Administration cluster of careers.

Related careers include:

• Buyers and Purchasing Agents
• Cost Estimators
• Purchasing Managers
• Regulatory Affairs Managers
• Regulatory Affairs Specialists
• Storage and Transportation Managers

Job duties

Task list

The following list of tasks is specific to supply chain managers.

• Create and use supply chains that help businesses with changing market conditions, environmental impacts, or cost reduction.
• Manage supply chain sales, marketing, costs, production, routes, and quality.
• Manage purchasing, material needs, inventory control, warehousing, or receiving.
• Help manage product changes or new product launches. Make sure product supply meets demand for the product.
• Pick suppliers based on factors such as performance and environmental impact.
• Use new technology to analyze inventory. Use data to check inventory use, reduce waste, or improve customer service.
• Ensure access to materials and products. Talk with supply chain planners to predict demand, create supply plans, or recycle waste.
• Make rules for testing supply chain factors such as product cost and impact on the environment.
• Create and use plans for tracking and storing materials or products that produce less pollution.
• Find new methods to test and choose suppliers.
• Test products to check the environmental impact of every part of their creation, use, and disposal.
• Create programs to reduce waste connected with product disposal such as computers.

Common work activities

Supply chain managers perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.

• Establish and maintain relationships
• Make decisions and solve problems
• Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates
• Develop and build teams
• Analyze data or information
• Guide, direct, and motivate others
• Get information needed to do the job
• Organize, plan, and prioritize work
• Use computers
• Resolve conflicts and negotiate with others
• Coach others
• Develop goals and strategies
• Communicate with people outside the organization
• Monitor and control resources
• Think creatively
• Coordinate the work and activities of others
• Update and use job-related knowledge
• Teach others
• Recruit, interview, or hire others
• Identify objects, actions, and events
• Provide advice and consultation to others
• Process information
• Judge the value of objects, services, or people
• Explain the meaning of information to others
• Evaluate information against standards
• Schedule work and activities
• Estimate sizes, quantities, time, cost, or materials needed
• Document and record information
• Monitor events, materials, and surroundings
• Convince others to buy goods or change their minds or actions

Work requirements

Working conditions

In a typical work setting, supply chain managers:

Interpersonal relationships

• Have a medium to high level of social interaction with others.
• Communicate mostly by telephone, e-mail, and in-person conversations. They also write letters and memos, but less frequently.
• Are responsible for work outcomes and the work done by others.
• Are sometimes placed in conflict situations in which others may be rude or angry.
• Are somewhat responsible for the health and safety of others.

Physical work conditions

• Always work indoors.
• May share office space with others.
• May occasionally be exposed to loud or distracting sounds or noise levels.

Work performance

• Must be exact and accurate when performing the job. Errors can cost the company time and money.
• Rarely consult a supervisor before making a decision or setting tasks and goals.
• Meet strict weekly and monthly deadlines. This makes the work atmosphere somewhat competitive.
• Regularly make decisions that greatly impact coworkers and their company.
• Sometimes repeat the same physical and mental tasks.

Hours/travel

• Generally have a set schedule each week.
• Usually work 40 hours a week. However, overtime is common during project deadlines.

Physical demands

Supply chain managers frequently:

• Sit for long periods of time.

It is important for supply chain managers to be able to:

• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.
• Understand the speech of another person.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for supply chain managers to be able to:

• See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.
• See differences between colors, shades, and brightness.
• Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.
• Determine the distance between objects.

Skills and abilities

Supply chain managers need to:

Communicate

• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Listen to others and ask questions.
• Write clearly so other people can understand.
• Understand spoken information.
• Read and understand work-related materials.
• Understand written information.

Reason and problem solve

• Judge the costs and benefits of a possible action.
• Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
• Recognize the nature of a problem.
• Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
• Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions.
• Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.
• Identify what must be changed to reach goals.
• Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
• Understand new information or materials by studying and working with them.
• Develop rules that group items in various ways.
• Recognize when important changes happen or are likely to happen in a system.
• Think of original, unusual, or creative ways to solve problems.
• Concentrate and not be distracted while performing a task.
• Think of new ideas about a topic.

Use math and science

• Choose a mathematical method or formula to solve problems.
• Use math skills to solve problems.
• Add, subtract, multiply, and divide quickly and correctly.

Manage oneself, people, time, and things

• Manage the time of self and others.
• Check how well one is learning or doing something.
• Obtain needed equipment, facilities, and materials and oversee their use.
• Motivate, develop, and direct people as they work.

Work with people

• Change behavior in relation to others' actions.
• Solve problems by bringing others together to discuss differences.
• Be aware of others' reactions and understand the possible causes.
• Persuade others to approach things differently.
• Teach others how to do something.
• Look for ways to help people.
• Use several methods to learn or teach new things.

Perceive and visualize

• Identify a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in distracting material.

Education and training

Educational programs

The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.

Programs of study directly related to this occupation

• Business Management and Administration
• Logistics and Materials Management
• Operations Management

Other programs of study to consider

• Business Economics
• Business, General
• Project Management

Training

To work as a supply chain manager, you typically need to:

• have a high school diploma or equivalent; and
• have at least a bachelor's degree.

Education after high school

Most supply chain managers have at least a bachelor's degree. Several fields of study provide good preparation for this occupation. These include manufacturing engineering, business, economics, math, and statistics. Common areas of graduate study are operations research, logistics, business administration, computer and information science, and industrial engineering.

Work experience

Consider participating in an internship while in college. An internship offers you a chance to apply what you have learned in the classroom to a work situation. It also allows you to build skills and make contacts with people in the field.

On-the-job training

New graduates work under the guidance of experienced supply chain managers. In large companies, you may also receive formal classroom training. You work on more difficult tasks and get more independence in your work as you gain knowledge and experience. The length of training varies by employer. In general, you receive up to one year of additional training.

Helpful high school courses

In high school, take classes that prepare you for college. A college preparatory curriculum  may be different from your state's graduation requirements .

You should also consider taking some advanced courses in high school. This includes Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses if they are available in your school. If you do well in these courses, you may receive college credit for them. Advanced courses can also strengthen your college application.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:

• Algebra
• Computer Applications
• Economics
• Introduction to Business

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups  that may be available in your high school or community.

Things to know

Most employers require that supply chain managers have at least a bachelor's degree in manufacturing engineering, business administration, or a related field. Some employers prefer people who have a master's degree in engineering management or business administration. Employers also look for people with strong communication skills and experience working in a manufacturing setting.

Costs to workers

Some workers may wish to join a professional association, which may have annual dues.

#new occ 12/10

Licensing/certification

Certification is optional for Supply Chain Managers. Several national organizations offer certification.

The Association for Operations Management (APICS ) offers a credential in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) or as a Supply Chain Professional (CSCP).

The Institute for Supply Management  offers the Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM) credential.

The Manufacturing Skills Standards Council (MSSC)  offers the Certified Logistics Technician (CLT) credential.

Wages

Currently, there is no specific statewide wage information available for supply chain managers. However, this occupation is part of the larger group called "all other managers."

Wages for supply chain managers vary depending on their responsibilities and level of education. Their company size and area of the country can also affect wages.

Full-time managers usually receive benefits such as sick leave, paid vacation, and health insurance. 

National wage information is not available specifically for supply chain managers. However, they are part of the larger group of "all other managers."

Employment and outlook

Washington outlook

#Currently, there is no specific statewide outlook information available for supply chain managers. However, this occupation is part of the larger group called "all other managers."

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

National employment

Major employers:

• Business management companies
• State and local government agencies

National outlook

Demand for this occupation will be average. A decline in the manufacturing industry will limit growth however, growth will occur as businesses try to become more profitable and use less energy as they manufacture products.

Because this is a very large occupation, many openings will occur each year as managers transfer to other positions, start their own businesses, or retire. However, many who leave their jobs transfer to other management positions. This tends to limit the number of job openings for new entrants.

Employment and outlook information is not available specifically for supply chain managers. However, they are part of the larger group of "all other managers."

Other resources

APICS-The Association for Operations Management 
8430 West Bryn Mawr Avenue, Suite 1000
Chicago, IL 60631
800.444.2742

Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering 
1265 Suncrest Towne Centre Drive
Morgantown, WV 26505
304.296.8444

Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals 
333 East Butterfield Road, Suite 140
Lombard, IL 60148
630.574.0985

Institute for Supply Management 
2055 East Centinnel Circle
Tempe, AZ 85285
800.888.6276
480.752.6276

International Society of Logistics 
14625 Baltimore Avenue, Suite 303
Laurel, MD 20707
301.459.8446

International Warehouse Logistics Association 
2800 South River Road, Suite 260
Des Plaines, IL 60018
847.813.4699

National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors 
1325 G Street NW, Suite 1000
Washington, DC 20005
202.872.0885

National Contract Management Association 
21740 Beaumeade Circle, Suite 125
Ashburn, VA 20147
800.344.8096
571.382.0082

National Retail Federation 
1101 New York Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20005
800.673.4692
202.783.7971

US Small Business Administration 
Seattle District Office
2401 Fourth Avenue, Suite 450
Seattle, WA 98121
206.553.7310

Washington Business Week 
PO Box 1170
Renton, WA 98057
253.237.3545

References

Career cluster

• Business Management and Administration

Career path

• Enterprising (Business Communications)

O*Net  occupation

• Supply Chain Managers (11-9199.04) 

O*Net job zone 

• Job Zone 4 - Considerable preparation needed. A minimum of two to four years of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations.

DOT occupation

• Logistics Engineer (019.167-010) 

Holland occupational cluster

• Enterprising/Conventional/Realistic