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Supply Chain Management Jobs Outlook

The supply chain is fast becoming the epicenter of every business and instrumental to growth and success. There’s no doubt that the interaction between money, markets, and resources drives performance, results, and value to any organization. As a supply chain professional, it would be helpful to understand the trends and supply chain management jobs outlook to uncover fresh opportunities and build better career paths. At SMJ, our dedicated teams work tirelessly to help you keep up with the latest trends and insights in supply chain management.

Rapidly Growing Supply Chain Management Jobs Market

Supply chain career options are extensive and versatile, extending across industries and is still increasing. There are career opportunities across traditional, remote, and even freelancing positions. Over 44 million people making 37% of all jobs in the US are found in supply chain positions. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the supply chain management jobs market will increase by seven percent in the next few years.

You can work in businesses of all sizes beginning from mom and pop establishments to large corporations across diverse work environments.

Industries

Operations

Service positions

Strategy & Optimization

Medical Device

Global sourcing & procurement

Advisory

Supply Chain Mapping

Pharmaceuticals

Supply chain management

Management

Transport fleet-routing and scheduling

Aerospace & Defense

Supply chain planning

Supply chain consulting

Aerospace & Defense

Energy

Supply Chain sales

Supply chain technology

Functional Audits

Retail

Quality Management

Associations

Customer Contribution Analysis

Chemicals

Customer Service

Academic positions

Supply Chain Audit

Automotive

Manufacturing

Carriers/shipping outfits/ Offshore/onshore

Distribution Network Design

Healthcare

Returns/Reverse Logistics

3rd Party Logistics (3PL)

Freight, Inventory, Warehouse Bench markers

Consumer packaged goods

Warehousing/Distribution

4th Party Logistics (4PL)

Business rationalization

Consumer electronics

Resource Management

Staffing & Executive Search

Supply Chain Strategy Alignment

Hospitality

Relationship Management

… and more.

Regional Planning

E-commerce

Logistics & Transportation

Business integration

Technology Evaluation

…., and more.

Project management

Infrastructure development

and more…

Construction

Contract Management

Transport Contract Negotiation Services

 

Government & Economic Development

Technology Implementation

…and more…

 

IT & Telecommunications

Inventory management

  

 

…and more…

  
 
 

The Current & Future Potential Of Careers In Supply Chain Management

Today’s CEO roles are more complex than ever seen before, with rapidly changing consumer demands, technological advances, and global uncertainties. Presently, Chief Supply Chain Officers (CSCO) are controlling over 50% of a typical company’s spending. And these numbers are getting bigger.

It’s no wonder CEOs today come from operational roles such as supply chain management because of their value to understanding and tackling these issues. Businesses have come to realize the vast potentials supply chain leaders can deliver, beginning from helping control costs, managing risks to driving product innovation.

SCM.Jobs believes that supply chain professionals today can become CEOs of the future. However, the typical time frame for promotion to management level or CEO positions is 15 years.

Besides the increasing prospects of CEO positions, you must also pay heed to other trends in the supply chain to forge a better career path and upskill in the right direction. Trends and skills driving present supply chain management jobs outlook include:

  • Real-time response to customer’s needs
  • Better forecasting, sales, and operations planning
  • Information sharing
  • Sustainability and optimal resource consumption
  • Outsourcing
  • Risk management
  • Centralized logistics/procurement for efficient cost tracking
  • Innovative & sustainable cost savings solutions
  • The growing emphasis on certifications and training for supply chain professionals (especially procurement professionals)
  • Technological advancements (IoTs, Data Analytics, AI, Machine learning, automation, and Robotics)
  • Rationalization to minimize the supply base to a small set of strategic supplies
 

Maximizing Supply Chain Potential For CEO Positions

Supply chain executives are rapidly taking over CEO positions in diverse organizations all over the world. Their jobs encompass all aspects of the supply chain, and so building a career path to the executive level requires a wide array of capabilities. As a supply chain executive, you need knowledge across boards, especially in procurement, logistics, personnel management, data analysis, strategic planning, and supply chain operations.

Here are our steps to improve your advantage towards the CEO position.

  • Bachelor’s degree: The most popular education paths for supply chain executives today began at business administration and engineering courses. According to a review, 44 percent of top-level supply executives studied business administration, while 19 percent studied engineering, and 14 percent studied industrial engineering. Also, business majors in accounting, sales, marketing, finance, and economics are considered.
  • Advanced Education – Masters in supply chain management or related master’s degree programs (18 months to five years). Executive MBA programs in Global Supply chain is also a welcome advantage (less than a year).
  • Certifications: Certifications such as CSCP, CPIM, SCOR-P, CPSM, SCPro™, CSSBB, CPSD, Oracle E-Business Suite, CPL, and CPCM
  • External training: Over 88 percent of supply chain executives have previous experience in positions not entirely related to the supply chain, bringing more exposure and driving their ability to see the big picture. Firms value previous experience in staffing and recruitment, sales, marketing, finance positions, manufacturing background, consulting positions.

Required skills
  • Understanding of global trends, social changes, political and economic advancements
  • Leadership skills
  • Creative thinking
  • Organizational development
  • Awareness of technological trends in Big Data, 3D printing, and forecasting
  • Negotiating skills, especially the ability to sell oneself
  • Matchmaking skills (building connections between diverse aspects of the business
  • Business decision’s financial impacts on companies’ bottom lines
  • Ability to think like a salesperson and engineer

The supply chain management job outlook is indeed lucrative. Even more, is the streamlined access to CEO positions. CEO positions differ across organizations. Therefore, as a supply chain professional, it would be helpful to forge the part to CEO positions by focusing on a specific niche. Build knowledge on all aspects of that niche beyond the typical demands of the job.