Explore a dynamic career in supply chain management. From logistics to procurement, discover how you can optimize operations and drive efficiency in the global marketplace. Find your path in this essential industry today.
1. Inventory manager
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TogglePrimary duties include inventory managers, also called inventory analysts, are responsible for tracking and monitoring inventory in a warehouse or other facility. They may also create organizational systems and documentation processes that adhere to industry best practices.
Inventory managers watch for possible supply overages and shortages. And just as a side note your studies, this is a very good way to get into supply chain and procurement. So look out for these jobs if you’re on the first rung of the ladder on your supply chain career.
- Average Salary: $60,535 per year (In USA)
2. Logistics Manager
The national also ensure regulatory compliance at every phase in the supply chain. Logistics managers may also be responsible for the entire supply chain of an organization or a designated region within a large company. Number three is a logistics planner.
So this receiving and distribution of companies, supplies, and product. They must be highly detail orientated to research all phases of the shipping process and track shipments and deliveries to clients, customers, and vendors. Logistics planners often report to logistics or supply chain managers.
- National Average Salary: $61,783 per year (In USA)
3. Transport manager
The transport managers oversee an organization’s transportation activities including vehicle sourcing and procurement, adhering to safety and other regulatory guidance for delivery and oversized vehicles conducting operator and driver training and creating schedules.
- National Average Salary: $63,508 per annual (In USA)
4. Facilities manager
Primary duties for facility managers is work mainly in production and manufacturing to manage the regular maintenance and upgrades of equipment, systems and other physical components. They may oversee one location or be responsible for all of a company’s manufacturing facilities.
- National Average Salary: $64,084 per year (In USA)
5. Supply chain specialist
Supply chain specialists, also called supply chain planners, work with an organization’s logistics team to help source and order materials, plan inventory, needs based on customer trends and coordinate product deliveries. They often report to supply chain managers.
- National Average Salary: $65,151 per year (In USA)
6. Distribution manager
Distribution managers oversee the delivery phase in a supply chain. They manage the timeline, quantity and destination of a product and supply shipments. Distribution managers must be able to forecast consumer behavior and use industry software for planning and implementation.
- National Average Salary: $67,912 per year (In USA)
7. Production manager
They oversee production team members, equipment and processes. They focus on meeting company standards providing a safe work environment, meeting production quotas and adhering to state and federal guidelines.
- National Average Salary: $68,230 per year (In USA)
8. Purchasing manager
Purchasing managers are responsible for sourcing, researching and contracting with material or product suppliers. They work to find the highest quality, most effective materials and negotiate to receive the best deal for their organization on products to use or resell.
- National Average Salary: $70,396 per year (In USA)
9. Supply chain analyst
Supply chain analysts work with organizations to observe supply chain processes and locate inefficiencies or other problems within the supply chain and make recommendations for improving operations. They often report to the supply chain manager. And funny enough.
- National Average Salary: $71,300 per year (In USA)
10. Supply chain manager
So supply chain managers sometimes refer to supply chain administrators plan and oversee components of the supply chain. They aim to decrease costs, monitor inventory and keep the process moving efficiently. They try to anticipate and respond to issues in supplies, logistics or budgeting.
- National Average Salary: $80,566 per year (In USA)
11. Quality Manager
Their primary duties include helping to define company quality standards and ensure the products and services meet those standards for clients, customers and employees. They must have a thorough understanding of all industry regulations and monitor their organization’s processes for compliance. Quality managers create plans for quality improvement.
- National Average Salary: $81,700 per year (In USA)
12. Capacity manager
Their primary duties include making sure that an organization has the resources and processes in place to meet market demands. They work to make manufacturing and production processes as productive as possible through optimized processes, tailored resources, effective supply chain operations and strategic partnerships.
- National Average Salary: $83,019 per year (In USA)
13. Global commodity manager
Their primary duties are to create and implement commodity strategies to help an organization maintain an efficient, cost-effective international supply chain. They research market trends to anticipate inventory fluctuations, solutions, monitor product quality, and manage relationships with suppliers. So of note, a lot of these jobs overlap.
You can have a procurement manager also being a quality manager and looking after lead investigations on materials that come in as defective. and you could also have an analyst being a procurement manager, you can have a logistics manager working in supply chain etc. So if you want to move out of one position into another, typically these are quite fluid in definition.
- National Average Salary: $85,898 per year (In USA)
14. Category manager
The category manager primary duties include focusing on a specific category within an organization to research and analyze that distinct market, predict consumer behavior and develop associated ordering and marketing strategies. They use their knowledge of demand and buying trends to work closely with suppliers and ensure optimal cost savings.
- National Average Salary: $92,894 per year (In USA)
15. Sourcing manager
Their primary duties include collecting data and analyzing the data of an organization’s sourcing processes. They research suppliers and balance quality and cost metrics to find the best options. Sourcing managers also track and organize spending budgets.
- National Average Salary: $94,706 per year (In USA)
16. Procurement manager
A procurement manager is the main contact between a business and its suppliers. Specific duties a procurement manager might perform include using analytical skills to identify. And evaluate possible suppliers, negotiate favorable payment terms with potential suppliers, post contract formalization, monitor how the supplier performs to ensure it is meeting its contractual obligations, work with company managers, engineers, and executives on capital projects to ensure they procure essential supplies and monitor changes in the industry, establishing forecasts to create the appropriate strategies to further the operational goals of the business.
And the educational background that you need, because of the technical and analytical nature of the job, a least a bachelor’s degree in a technical discipline. In my case, I have a PhD completely unrelated to procurement. So there’s always a way in.