What Does A Supply Chain Manager Do?

Supply chain management serves as the backbone for major industries like e-commerce, healthcare, tourism, and hospitality. Effective supply chain management is all about ensuring the right goods and services reach the right place at the right time.

Imagine not getting the medicines that you desperately need when you are ill on time. Or, consider a scenario when you get wrong or faulty products instead of the things you had ordered. These scenarios are the result of broken supply chains in different parts of the world.

Thus, supply chain professionals like supply chain managers have a very important role in today’s society. Let’s do a deep dive into some possible job responsibilities associated with a supply chain manager’s job.

What is the job description of a supply chain manager?

Most supply chain managers handle different supply chain processes in a logistics company from end to end. This can involve looking after various stages of product creation from its design to its timely delivery.

Supply chain managers ensure that the right amounts of products go into production and are produced within set timelines. They also make sure that these products are shipped to the end-users in the same condition that they were packaged in.

A supply chain cycle doesn’t end with product delivery. A large part of the supply chain cycle also involves post-purchase services like answering customer queries, handling returns and replacements, and implementing customer feedback.

What are the common duties you can expect as a part of your job as a supply chain manager?

The core duties of a supply chain manager often depend upon the size of the organization, complexity of the supply chain cycle, and the industry. However, here are some common duties you can expect to do as a supply chain manager.

1. Working with different vendors and stakeholders to source raw materials for the production of different goods and services
2. Plan and implement different logistical management strategies
3. Overseeing the storage, handling, and distribution of finished products
4. Look for potential kinks in the supply chain and develop strategies to smoothen them
5. Locate and identify potential risks to supply chain processes and strategize different techniques for risk minimization.

What are the career prospects open for an aspiring supply chain manager?

If you see yourself building a successful career in supply chain management, it’s important to be aware of your career prospects. Fortunately, your professionalism in this domain can be quite promising if you have a relevant degree under your belt.

According to a 2020 report by Hays Procurement Salary Guide, the average annual salary for supply professionals in Europe is € 34,601. The job diversity in the sector isn’t too shabby either.

Here are some of the intriguing career options open to supply chain graduates today:

1. Retail merchandiser
2. Purchasing agent
3. Production manager
4. Freight manager
5. Trucking manager
6. Warehouse manager

Start your search for appropriate supply chain management courses around you today to qualify for more interesting jobs.