Top 5 Careers In Supply Chain Management
If youre interested in supply chain management, then you know that its an exciting field with plenty of career opportunities. In fact, from manufacturing to data analysis, there are very few areas of business that supply chain management doesnt touch upon. With so many roles and career paths, finding a position that matches your interests and experience might seem a bit overwhelming. But with a little bit of research and a clear understanding of the field, its possible to find a role that will be a great fit for you.
Here are the top five careers in supply chain management.
1. Manufacturing
Since supply chains begin with the process of manufacturing and end with getting the product into the hands of the consumer, manufacturing jobs are among the most important in the field. One of the most popular roles within manufacturing is a production manager, a position that oversees the manufacture of products in a plant. Among other duties, production managers are responsible for coordinating production schedules, determining how long the manufacturing process of a product will take and keeping track of the inventory of finished products. In addition to more senior roles like this one, manufacturing also has great entry-level opportunities such as that of a materials analyst who keeps track of inventory or a materials scheduler who coordinating materials with productions schedules.
2. Data analysis
3. Procurement
4. Transportation
5. Customer service
Supply Chain Management Professionals In Canada
SCMPs, on average, earn 12%+ more annually than those without the designation. Supply Chain Canada represents and serves more than 7,500 professionals. It is one of Canadas most sought after designations for those entering and advancing in the field.
Yorkville Universitys Supply Chain Management specialization courses offer a transfer credit pathway toward the SCMP designation: Yorkville Universitys Accreditation Agreement with Supply Chain Canada
Reciprocal Designation Supply Chain Canada has signed agreements with the Institute for Supply Management in the U.S. and the Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply in the U.K. to provide reciprocity between their globally recognized designations.
Designations covered are:
- SCMP Supply Chain Management Professional
- CPSM® Certified Professional in Supply Management®
- MCIPS Member Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply
SCMP designation holders are eligible for reciprocal designations if they meet criteria. This increases opportunities and global marketability. Whether working abroad or collaborating with partners in other countries, a reciprocal designation will enhance recognition of your skills internationally.
The Five Rights of Purchasing Are:
Getting the Right Quality,
Become A Mentor Or Coach
When you have reached your career goals, youâll be in a position to give back and help others reach their goals. Being a mentor to another individual allows you to advise and guide someone elseâs career path. The experience can also boost your skills and capabilities, enabling you to be a more valuable employee. The reality is that we need mentors now more than ever.
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Supply Chain: The Choose
In the supply chain, nothing happens in a straight line. The flexibility of supply chain management career paths and day-to-day responsibilities opens opportunities across many different functions. Further, broad transferable skills create accessible entry points for problem-solving professionals new to the field to land supply chain jobs and learn more about supply chain as they move through the ranks.
So what are those ranks, and how exactly does one move around between them? Read on to learn about the pillars of the supply chain industry, some of the many available career paths, and how to transition or fast-track your supply chain career through online learning.
What Careers Are On Offer
Upon graduation logistics jobs and supply chain jobs are plentiful. It’s likely that you’ll gain an overview of the profession before specialising – and then progressing to more senior positions.
Employers include third party logistics companies, organisations that sell directly to consumers and logistics consultancies.
Graduates can also pursue a career in:
- supply chain design and planning
- procurement and supply management
- distribution network design and planning
- inventory management and control.
‘There’s an increasing demand for graduates who have the technical skills in mathematics, statistics, and operational research to help improve decision making and reduce costs,’ says Dr Wall. ‘Roles in logistics and supply chain management can provide challenging and satisfying careers which typically combine the responsibility for ‘day-to-day’ operations with long term projects implementing major business changes.’
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Analyze Data To Support The Decision
Gathering information helps identify areas of deficiency and improves practices to increase value for both the company and the customer. Data provides valuable insight into customer product use and demand so managers can create cost-effective strategies without sacrificing quality or customer satisfaction.
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Focus On Improving Quality
The main goal of supply chain management is to manufacture products and deliver them to the end consumers. However, providing the product is not the only goal the quality of that product also matters. You should provide consumers with a product that offers the best value possible. Therefore, focusing on improving the quality of the product should be a shared goal between you and your supply chain partners.
One way to improve the quality of the products is to collaborate with the customers to identify their needs. They will highlight the inefficiencies in the product and provide you with an opportunity to correct them. In this way, you can produce a product that will be of value to your customers.
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Alternative Career Options For Logistics
A career in logistics may not be for everyone in the long run. If you would rather look at a profession outside the supply chain and logistics sector or diverge from your original career development plan, there are plenty of opportunities for you. These may be in other industries but your knowledge of and experience in logistics will be of great help to you.
Can You Get A Logistics Job With Just A Certificate
Yes, you can get a logistics job with just a certificate. An example of a role in logistics you can apply for with a certificate is logistics technician. They are primarily concerned with procedures and facility management. It might also involve packing goods and ensuring they have the right shipping labels .
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A Day In The Life Of A Supply Chain Manager Is Never Boring
Perhaps youve had jobs where you felt that every day dragged on, and you couldnt wait for the shift to be over. With a career in supply chain management, you can expect every day to be unpredictablefor better or for worse.
You often serve the role of firefighter as there are any number of events that create a crisis for those working in supply chain, says Bryce Bowman, founder of People First Planning. With so many moving parts, theres lots of room for scrambling. Bowman says a plant could go offline for unplanned maintenance or a critical shipment from a vendor could be delayed. These events often require you to take immediate action to minimize their impact, and you will have little advance notice.
I have operated a machine myself to keep the process moving, says Mike Wolfe, director of operations at Delgado Stone Distributors. When we have a deadline to meet, we make sure we meet it. No one wants to let the team or customer down.
While it can be challenging at times, this aspect of the career is also a highlight, according to Bowman. Your workday will often look quite different than you had envisioned when you left for the office that morning!
What Is A Supply Chain
A supply chain is the connected network of individuals, organizations, resources, activities and technologies involved in the manufacture and sale of a product or service. Your companys supply chain starts with the sale and delivery of the raw material necessary for production and ends with the delivery of the product or service to the end consumer. Because there are so many steps along the way, SCM allows you to look at each step of the process to make sure you focus on efficiencies and are not losing value. The end result is getting a better product or service to the consumer more efficiently.
Supply chain management can become increasingly important to your organization as global markets and networks expand. Through supply chain management, you can boost customer service, reduce operating costs and improve your companys financial position. Supply chain management can also have a larger global impact, such as reducing pollution and energy consumption and assisting in distribution of goods in a disaster situation.
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Public Versus Private Procurement
Procurement for government organizations is like private companies in terms of supply continuation, quality, savings, value, efficiencies, and lowest life cycle costs. Public also involves posting and awarding public bids, ensuring compliance with trade agreements, conducting detailed bid evaluations and vendor debriefs, and being open, fair, and transparent to bidders and the public.
Figure Out The Why Of Your Long
One of the most important things Elliott emphasizes to his clients about long-term career goals is to always dig into the why. Whats the real reason they are pursuing their long-term goals in the first place?
People often just have this idea of what they should be doing next, because thats what career chronology looks like, when often thats not what everyone wants or needs, Elliott said.
Kaur has seen this often when software developers talk to her about their desire to move into management roles.
A lot of times, people just think that is the only way to grow in their careers, Kaur said. That there isnt another technical option. Thats not true, for the record.
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Arm Yourself With The Right Knowledge
They say knowledge is power so it pays to be in the know about the industry that you want to work in. While the average employee simply goes with the flow, superstars take the initiative to research extensively on the latest business trends as well as brush up their knowledge on important topics such as inventory management, Lean and Six Sigma, transportation, IT and procurement. This not only makes them attractive to any logistics company they apply to work in, but also keeps them invaluable in the long run since such high performers will continue their learning streak well into their career.
Interview And Smart Goals For Supply Management
Want to supply chain managers to?
The model can be defined outside the cube and does not need to be processed along with the cube. James William Martin applies his three decades of knowledge in the area of Lean Six Sigma to the supply chain management world. Benefits and risks 3 short-term focus with little concern for mutual long-term. The global supply chain to ensure strategic objectives have not changed and are still. Supply chain by assessing capacity in improved performance advantages for long term goals in supply chain management and inventory, we use different stages of glycation. Actively support Kaizen events that can help suppliers to reduce setup and maintenance costs and other wastes.
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Employ Different Methods To Motivate Yourself To Complete Long
One of the most difficult aspects of long-term goal setting is that its hard to stay motivated over long periods of time. Sometimes its hard to tell if youre making progress toward your long-term career goals at all.
Kaur said the trick is to make long-term career goals as specific as possible. She brought up an example of long-term goal setting in her personal life, when she wanted to develop a deeper bond with her children. But setting that as a long-term goal is vague, because its hard to determine what constitutes a deeper bond. Instead, Kaur made the long-term goal measurable by basing it on the types of conversations they had.
A potential measurement was how many times they would come to me with a problem or challenge, as opposed to me probing, she said.
It can also help to break big long-term goals into smaller ones. A technique that worked for Elliotts clients was crafting long-term goals so they fit into two-week sprints, and only tackling the ones that can be accomplished within that time.
Elliott also encourages clients to take stock of all their long-term goals and figure out which ones are dependent on others. Starting with easier ones can be a good technique to gain momentum, but first tackling the ones that other long-term goals are dependent on is a good strategy as well.
Its so important to enjoy the ride, Elliot said, so you dont get to 80 years old, and then youre like, What was the point of all this if I wasnt having fun along the way?
Supply Chain Management Demands People Skills
One thing I wish I had known before beginning my career in supply chain management is that its more about being a people person, says Hew Blair, chairman and buying director of Justerini & Brooks Ltd. Blair says most of what you read about supply chain management focuses on the processes, best practices and technology critical to the industry. But the reality is that no supply chain can exist without the teams of professionals who perform the processes, illustrate the best practices and operate all that technology.
I know many supply chain leaders who began their career after graduation and were initially overwhelmed by the degree to which they had to demonstrate teamwork, leadership and especially customer service skills, Blair says.
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Outline A Plan For Achieving Your Goals
Interviewers typically want to hear about more than just your aspirations. They also want to know how you plan to achieve your goals. Briefly outline the steps you are planning to take to reach your goals, such as enrolling in graduate school, taking online classes to learn a new tool or participating in leadership seminars. Provide a general timeline so the hiring team understands when you intend to accomplish your goals.
How Does Supply Chain Management Work
Supply chain management works by understanding the customer’s needs to adapt plans based on that information. Supply management links production to shipment and distribution of a product from its start as a raw material until the final product is delivered to the consumer. Supply chain management controls both internal and vendor inventories to synchronize with past and future sales and determine supply needs.
Supply chain management follows specific steps to reach production and sales goals:
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Match Your Goals With Your Experience
Try to focus your long-term goals on the next five to 10 years of your career, as you can develop a realistic action plan for goals in this time frame. If you are applying for an entry-level job, becoming a team leader or mastering key skills might be appropriate goals. If you are applying for a management position, aspiring to be an executive or a thought leader in five or 10 years could be more realistic.
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Long Term Career Goals: How To Choose And Achieve Them
During times of unprecedented change it’s no surprise we question what our long term goals are and why we’re on the path we are. In this article, we’ll explore different long term career goals and how you can choose a path that’s right for you.
Ryan Carruthers
âWhat are your long term career goals?â
This is a question many of us are asked by others or we ask ourselvesâespecially during times of change. In a period of over a year our world experienced a lot of unexpected change. Collectively, all of us were forced to adapt the way we work and go about our lives.
The effect of abrupt change led many of us to question what our goals are and reprioritize. Many people decided this was an opportunity to pursue a new career path. Cumulivately, millions of people left their jobs in what is now known as the great resignation.
You may be in a similar position trying to determine what your long term career path should look like. This article will outline what long term career goals are, examples of goals we may decide to pursue, and a framework for setting SMART goals. By the end, we hope youâve been equipped with a better understanding of your goals and the path you want to take.
Letâs begin.
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Required Skills For Logistics
A role in supply chain management and logistics is a high-pressure career. One needs to be adaptable and to be a quick thinker. These are important skills to have in the field, as there are numerous changes in the industry that one has to face. Plus, plenty of problems could arise, such as delays in transport. Being quick on your feet helps in adjusting plans and coming up with viable solutions. This is why flexibility and quick-thinking are critical in this industry.
Focus On How You Can Benefit The Company
Your aspirations may be personal, but they are likely to resonate better with interviewers if they include the company’s goals, too. If you know that the employer prefers to cultivate talent and promote from within, consider discussing your preference for growing in your role and taking on new challenges. If you understand that the organization strongly values teamwork, emphasize your interest in working closely with teams.
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