Supply Chain Managers

Career Overview

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.

Also Known As

• Global Supply Chain Director
• Material Requirements Planning Manager
• Supply Chain Director
• Supply Chain Manager

Alternate Job Titles

• Auto Parts Manager (Automotive Parts Manager)
• Demand Planning Manager
• Global Supply Chain Director
• Global Supply Chain Manager
• Inventory Control Supervisor
• Inventory Manager
• Inventory Supervisor
• Logistics Supervisor
• Manufacturing Supply Chain Manager
• Material Requirements Planning Manager
• Materials Manager
• Materials Planner
• Parts Manager
• Replenishment Manager
• Solution Design and Analysis Manager

What You'll Do

In this role, your typical responsibilities 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.
• Develop procedures for coordination of supply chain management with other functional areas, such as sales, marketing, finance, production, or quality assurance.
• Confer with supply chain planners to forecast demand or create supply plans that ensure availability of materials or products.

Knowledge You'll Use

You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:

• Transportation
• Administration and Management
• English Language
• Economics and Accounting
• Customer and Personal Service
• Production and Processing
• Personnel and Human Resources

Essential Skills

Success in this career requires strong skills in:

1. Reading Comprehension
2. Monitoring
3. Time Management
4. Judgment and Decision Making
5. Active Listening
6. Coordination
7. Speaking
8. Critical Thinking
9. Complex Problem Solving
10. Systems Evaluation

Key Abilities

This career requires key abilities in:

• Oral Comprehension
• Oral Expression
• Written Expression
• Written Comprehension
• Information Ordering
• Problem Sensitivity
• Deductive Reasoning
• Inductive Reasoning
• Category Flexibility
• Speech Clarity

Work Style

People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:

• Dependability
• Attention to Detail
• Adaptability
• Leadership Orientation
• Integrity

What Matters in This Career

This career tends to satisfy these work values:

• Independence
• Working Conditions
• Support
• Achievement
• Recognition

Education & Preparation

Typical Education: Bachelor's Degree

Related Work Experience Needed: Over 10 years

On-the-Job Training: Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months

Education Details: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Experience Required: A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.

Technology You'll Use

Popular Technologies & Software

• MEDITECH software
• Microsoft Access
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Office software
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Project
• Microsoft SharePoint
• Microsoft SQL Server
• Microsoft Visio

Tools & Equipment

• Laptop computers
• Laser facsimile machines
• Personal computers
• Radio frequency identification RFID scanners

Work Environment

• Telephone Conversations
• E-Mail
• Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
• Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
• Contact With Others

Salary & Job Market

Wages reported for the broader Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers occupational group (BLS 2024), which includes Supply Chain Managers.

Salary Percentile	Annual Wage
Entry-Level (10th percentile)	$61,200
Median	$102,010
Top Earners (90th percentile)	$180,590

Workers Employed Nationally: 213,000

Related Careers

If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:

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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.