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Career Exploration

Supply Chain Managers

Also called: Global Supply Chain Director, Material Requirements Planning Manager, Supply Chain Director, Supply Chain Manager

What they do:

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.

On the job, you would:
  • 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.
On the job, you'll need:

Transportation

  • movement of people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road

Business

  • management
  • accounting and economics

Arts and Humanities

  • English language

Manufactured or Agricultural Goods

  • manufacture and distribution of products

Basic Skills

  • keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions

People and Technology Systems

  • thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
  • measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it

Problem Solving

  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Verbal

  • communicate by speaking
  • communicate by writing

Ideas and Logic

  • make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information
  • notice when problems happen

Math

  • choose the right type of math to solve a problem
  • add, subtract, multiply, or divide

Enterprising

People interested in this work like activities that include leading, making decisions, and business.

  • Leadership
  • Attention to Detail
  • Integrity
  • Cooperation
  • Analytical Thinking
  • Dependability

Enterprise resource planning ERP software

  • Microsoft Dynamics
  • Oracle PeopleSoft

Presentation software

  • Microsoft PowerPoint

Materials requirements planning logistics and supply chain software

  • Infor Lawson Supply Chain Management
  • Swisslog WarehouseManager

Video courtesy of CareerOneStop.

Job Outlook

The job outlook for this position is Bright.

New job opportunities are very likely in the future. This career will grow rapidly in the next few years.

Median Annual Salary: $98,560

Education

Bachelor's degree or master's degree is usually needed.