Supply Chain Managers are the individual that is responsible for the moving of goods between manufacturers and suppliers to the customer. The Supply Chain Manager will oversee the development of the product system, through purchasing the raw materials to the delivery of the product at the end of the supply chain. They will also ensure that a sufficient amount of the product is made and the correct storage solution is put in place for the product.

Responsibilities

Depending on the sector that you decide to work in, this will heavily affect your responsibilities as a Supply Chain Manager. Typical responsibilities will include:

• Controlling the manufacturing and delivery process of products
• Working with management and buyers to source the correct products
• Planning and implementing logistical strategies and ensuring targets are met
• Managing and motivating a team of supply chain staff
• Develop forecasts and inventories and keeping an up to date record of process and analyse performances
• Implementing new technologies and staying up to date with latest trends in sector
• Negotiating contracts with suppliers and customers
• Overseeing product storage, distribution and handling
• Continuously looking for ways to improve the supply chain performance and processes

What to Expect

Supply Chain Managers have an important role and the working environment is usually office based with external visits to warehouses, suppliers or customers.

Visits to warehouses, suppliers or customers will involve travelling within the region that the organisation works, on occasion this may include overseas.

The overall process of managing supply chains can be highly complex and therefore may be stressful at times.

Qualifications Required to Become a Supply Chain Manager

Supply Chain Management roles are available to candidates who have a relevant degree in supply chain management or a similar subject. A similar subject may include; business management, computing, information systems, transport, distribution or logistics.

Skills Required

In order to have success in becoming a Supply Chain Manager, you will need to have the following skills:

• Excellent planning skills
• Good time management
• Decent problem solving ability
• Ability to make quick decisions that offer solutions
• Strong relationship management skills
• Leadership skills and ability to motivate a team
• Great written and verbal communication skills
• IT literate
• Logical and systematic approach to work

Working Hours

Typical working hours of a Supply Chain Manager are usually set between Monday to Friday within the standard hours of 8am until 6pm. Although a lot of industries that recruit Supply Chain Managers, are operating across 24 hours, so there may be positions which include shift work, along with evenings and weekend hours.

Salary

The starting salary of a Supply Chain Manager can be anywhere between £20,000 and £25,000. Once you have developed into the role further, with new responsibilities and duties, this salary can increase to between £25,000 and £45,000. When you have been in the role for a long time, middle to senior management can earn up to £60,000 in this role and top executives can earn more than £100,000 annually.

The average salary of a Supply Chain Manager is £46,422.