Career as Supply Chain Manager

The supply chain manager job description involve monitoring and controlling the overall supply chain and distribution policy and activities of the organisation to improve quality and profitability in processes. A career in supply chain management in India also plays a crucial role in establishing and sustaining successful vendor and distributor relations. A supply chain manager must also be well-versed in project management and growth in order to have a clear understanding of how the business operates. In career as supply chain manager, individuals should be able to bring in fresh ideas which will allow the company to provide its goods in higher quantities and at faster rates in the market. These ideas could be as simple as reallocating workers in supply and logistics jobs to bring in advanced technology to do a better job of tracking hundreds and hundreds of components.

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Order Processing

Individuals who opt for a career as supply chain managers follow some steps such as sales order processing, order handling, order fulfilment, billing, and cash payment. These supply chain optimisation tools are used by the supply chain managers to automate the order management activities. To manage the order related activities, supply chain managers use EDI software and r time to process, by reducing the need to manually produce and submit POs and related technologies to collect order data directly. It eliminates the invoices.

Shipping Updates

Large companies usually have high-volume supply chains of several different forms of product delivered to consumers around the country or around the world. Individuals who opt for a career as a supply chain manager and other stakeholders should take immediate action before tiny problems get even bigger. Moreover, these notifications can be sent to the customers' mobile device at any time, day or night to notify the supply chain status.

Bid and Spend

Sourcing and distribution, for many companies, are a major part of the supply chain operations. Individuals who opt for a career as supply chain managers also encourage sourcing and distribution, which should also be a primary concern. Biding and spending tools also automate the procurement process, reducing errors and spent resources.

Here, in this section, we will discuss various jobs in the supply chain management career path.

Production planners: Production planners are responsible for the quality and timeliness of the production cycle. Production planners' responsibilities involve a clear emphasis on the goods or products needed in the manufacturing process, ensuring that the entire workforce is adequately managed for optimal performance. The duties of production planners include planning the development process for one or more items. They plan and focus on improving operations so that maximum utilisation and minimum delay is ensured. Production planners evaluate the manpower, materials and manufactured goods which are required to cover the manufacturing demand.

Capacity planners: Capacity planners collect performance data and evaluate a department or unit's productivity in order to assess achievement or difference with production schedules. They produce reports which analyse production capacities and identify areas where improvements are required. Capacity planners' objective in careers in logistics and supply chain management is to maximise production or supply resources through process, design, asset procurement and collaboration with supply chain partners. Capacity planning includes calculating the resources required for storage, computer equipment, software and communication networks over some possible time period. 

Load planners: Load planners work to streamline every element of transporting freight. In this career, they focus on reducing shipping costs, increasing the speed routes and enhancing loads for all types of transportation. Load planners embrace job experience and key competencies with logistics technology rather than a degree. Load planning is the method of consolidating and maximising cargo packaging material into a small vehicle or carriage delivery. The ultimate goal is to move a lot of cargo with the least number of vehicles.

Warehouse manager: Warehouse managers work in warehouses where individuals oversee the payment process, dispatch, and storage. Warehouse managers manage warehouse personnel, vehicles and other equipment, and supervise safety, sanitary conditions, and administrative duties. Warehouse managers sustain warehouse management, and distribution operations by implementing and enforcing policies and procedures. Supply chain career needs to meet operational requirements in the warehouse by arranging and assigning workers to monitor organisational performance.

Logistician: A logistician is an individual who oversees activities including purchasing, shipping and transportation, inventory, warehousing, and delivery. He or she is responsible for directing the movement of a range of goods, people, or supplies, starting from common consumer goods to military supplies. 

Purchasing manager: The job of a purchasing manager includes buying products or services for a company or an organisation to either use them for functioning or sometimes even for reselling purposes. Individuals who opt for a career as purchasing managers are responsible for several tasks like evaluating suppliers, negotiating contracts, reviewing product quality and checking if they match with the company’s standards, and often supervise purchasing agents and buyers.

Sales Representative: Sales representatives strive to achieve maximum output with minimum input. If you are good at understanding and convincing people, the sales representatives career can be enjoyable for you. Sales representatives are candidates who have been transferred to the sales from other departments. 

Working conditions vary from location to location, and are dependent on several factors. The working conditions depend on the nature of the job and the responsibilities assigned to the employee. The business environment for a supply chain manager is an office environment where managers supervise and evaluate the company's day-to-day operations. Supply chain managers work in offices and cubicles in a corporate environment. In a career as supply chain manager, individuals maintain close contact with the fields of the manufacturing process.

Does Supply Chain Manager require travelling?

Likely

Individuals who opt for a career as a supply chain manager are required to travel to several production sites if they are working for a multi-located business. This is a regular managerial job, so the person is usually working in an office but they often have to visit the workshop. They also need to visit different vendors or partners to find new factors of production or management.

Employment Shifts

Full Time

For supply chain managers, the work shift is usually full-time. Supply chain managers tend to work full-time but differ according to their responsibilities and duties. In a career as supply chain manager, individuals seem to work only in the regular shift but that does not mean they will not have to spend extra hours. Supply chain managers usually work 40 to 45 hours a week, with exceptionally hectic projects that generally require further shifts.

Employment Nature

Contractual, Permanent

Supply chain managers' employment can be either permanent or contractual in nature. Supply chain managers have to work as part of a company. Individuals who opt for a career as a supply chain manager communicate with the technicians as well as they communicate with clients regarding assignments around the world.

Work Place

Office

Supply chain managers perform duties in the office setting. Both physical and intellectual capabilities are required for this job. In certain circumstances, physical strengths are often required. In career as supply chain manager, individuals typically operate in an office environment.

Presence in Geographical Area

Semi-urban, Urban

Individuals in the supply chain management career path work about forty hours a week, meaning nine hours a day. The roles of supply chain managers come under certain shifts, but they could be working more hours in various types of projects. Regular work is performed on a job site, as supply chain managers are required to conduct various research and evaluation during the job performance.

Time Pressure

Likely

Individuals who opt for a career as a supply chain manager perform certain activities for a company or individual in a specific time-span. This job takes a lot of time and mental resources.

Overtime Details

Individuals in supply chain management career path work for many large companies. Supply chain managers generally work nine hours a day. But they have to work more than fifteen hours a day on crucial projects. Certain projects also need more concentration than others, in those cases, supply chain managers need to extend the timing of their shifts to complete them in time.

Weekly Hours of Work

Min 45 Hours

Individuals who opt for a career as a supply chain manager work about forty hours a week, meaning nine hours a day. The roles of supply chain managers come under certain shifts, but they could be working more hours in various types of projects. Regular work is performed on a job site, as supply chain managers are required to conduct various research and evaluation during the job performance.

When it comes to how to become a supply chain manager, the first thing that they should know about is the skills required to opt for a career in supply chain management in India. We have mentioned, some of the essential skills required for the supply chain management career path.

Problem-solving ability: Problem-solving is beneficial to both employees and businesses as it enables everyone to maintain control over the working environment. The ability to solve problems refers to the ability to deal with complicated or unforeseen situations, and also complex financial difficulties. Organisations are dependent on people who can evaluate all types of problems and implement alternatives in the proper direction. Individuals who opt for a career as a supply chain manager work with several factors that involve the ability to analyse and fix complicated situations to the highest standard of multidisciplinary assignment or research planning, design, construction and operation.

Organising skills: Organisational skills allow employees to perform their roles and responsibilities as appropriate to their positions. Therefore, maintaining the work environment in the organisation, not only to allow team members to work efficiently, but also promote the priorities and objectives of an employees’ career. The design specifications for various projects could only be approved by supply chain managers. Customer supply chain managers acknowledge and evaluate the requirements of equipment and resources in the production process of an organisation.

Analytical skills: Analytical abilities support a candidate's ability to analyse information and apply reasoning to identify trends or draw conclusions. People use analysis in the workplace to investigate the production process, requirements and optimise productivity meticulously. It will help supply chain managers to make improvements in production and help them to understand consumers’ needs. The core elements of successful supply chain managers are passion and creativity. 

Business sense:  Supply chain managers should understand how a company develops and accomplishes its goals and priorities. Business skills, however, are not a single attribute but a set of skills that help make a manager or leader as successful as the business. Customer supply chain managers must understand the business of their clients to figure out the requirements of the business. It helps supply chain managers to offer products and services that suit the clients.

Communication Skills: Workplace communication is essential to business because it helps organisations to be competitive and to function effectively. Employees will experience an increase in performance, competitiveness and engagement when coordinating with clients and customers. Customer supply chain managers can not sustain without communication skills within the industry. Supply chain managers are required to communicate with their customers daily. In career as supply chain manager, individuals need to identify the requirements of the clients and solve their queries, for which they need excellent communication skills.

We have mentioned below certifications that individuals may opt for who want to establish a career as a supply chain manager.

Purchasing manager: Purchasing managers create purchasing plans and manage the department in their routine task of sourcing vendors and purchasing goods, equipment and services. Purchasing managers buy, create and execute purchasing strategies. Purchasing managers handle relations with vendors and discuss contracts, costs, schedules. They maintain a database of vendors, purchasing records and related documents. Purchasing managers also control inventories to determine and maintain customer demand. Careers in logistics and supply chain management need to plan routine buying operations, supervise staff and measure performance.

Operations Manager: Operations managers are often the foundation that keeps an organisation together. They are responsible for the employees, processes, budgets, execution of projects and strategy. Operations managers perform important supervisory roles for a company. They monitor enterprise-wide operations and look for ways to increase productivity and lower costs. Operations managers often have direct contact within the company with other managers, working with them to develop policies to improve workflows and minimise friction points.

Logistics Manager: Logistics managers oversee the transport, distribution and stockpiling of supplies and materials within a company. They are charged with route preparation, budget review and shipment handling. The duties of logistics managers include coordinating and controlling the storage and delivery of goods. The aim is to control the entire order cycle to improve market growth and ensure the profitability and satisfaction of customers. Many supply chain consultants hold a Bachelor's degree in a related area such as supply chain management, logistics and transportation management, or business management. Typically, logistics managers possess strong organisational and leadership skills.

Globalisation has led to ease of outsourcing and a drive to manufacture in many countries over the last two decades. As parts are being produced in almost every country, the costs are getting reduced but there is a rising uncertainty at the same time in this profession. People who actually work in supply chains need to be creative. Individuals in the supply chain management career path need to be able to travel around the world and work long hours. Unfortunately, it is a challenging profession that does not hold the same reputation as other occupations generally does. Knowing logistics and transportation is just not enough for this profession. The profession itself is complex, challenging and an important part of any company. The uncertainty which occurred is partly due to the changing global climate, and partly because of the fewer efforts given by the candidates.

A logistician is one of the first career paths a graduate of a supply chain management programme can follow. This non-managerial position involves the review and supervision of the supply chain. A career in supply chain management in India is rising rapidly. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics expects employment for logisticians will increase over a decade by seven per cent or 10,300 new jobs. An average growth rate is also seen in the more senior-level role of supply chain managers.