Supply Chain Manager: Job Profile and Role

All of us go shopping at least once a week – be it the weekly grocery shop or splurging on some new clothes or shoes (ok, maybe this does not happen once a week). Have you ever wondered which people are involved in bringing all these goods to the stores? Well, one of the main players in ensuring quality products and delivery is the supply chain manager.

He or she needs a broad set of skills, including leadership, teamwork, and business management skills. Maybe these competencies are some of your strengths? Find out in the following blog if, therefore, the job of a UK supply chain manager might be the perfect job for you. Besides the annual salary and employers, you find out what other skills and qualifications you need. You also get a first glimpse into your future working day and three tips for thriving.

Short Summary

• As a supply chain manager, you liaise with other suppliers to ensure you have all the materials needed for your company’s products and services.
• As a supply chain manager, you plan supply chain strategies with the overall aim of cost-efficiency and optimal inventory levels.
• As a supply chain manager, you are your company’s risk manager as well, keeping a close eye on potential supply chain disruption, such as delivery problems and changes in delivery and customs regulations.

Job description

It is your supply chain manager’s job to oversee all aspects connected to your company’s products and services. To be precise, you are the person responsible for sourcing and acquiring the necessary materials, liaising and negotiating with suppliers, and delivering the finished products and services to their respective end consumers. To ensure smooth workflows, you are furthermore tasked with inventory management and planning supply chain strategies that comply with your company’s business goals.

Responsibilities

• Procurement Manager Collaboration
• Implementing Logistical Strategy
• Controlling Delivery Processes 
• Negotiating Supplier Contracts
• Overseeing Product Storage
• Logistics and Distribution
• Inventory Management
• Supplier Management
• Budget Management
• Demand Planning

Different types of Supply Chain Managers

• Demand Planner
• Logistics Manager
• Operations Manager
• Supply Chain Analyst
• Supply Chain Coordinator

Salary

Generally, your starting annual salary in supply chain management will come in at around ￡24,000 while, as an experienced supply chain manager, you can earn between ￡48,000 and ￡66,000 annually. Note that these numbers refer to full-time positions, whereas part-time supply chain managers earn less. Keep in mind as well that your location and your employer affect your annual wages as well.

Working hours

If you want to work in supply chain management, you need to factor in weekly working hours between 38 and 40. These working hours not only take place during regular office hours from 8 am to 6 pm Monday through Friday.

They can furthermore mean evening, weekend, and Bank Holiday work as well. This mainly depends on the company you work for since it may operate 24 hours a day. Note that in this case, evenings, weekends and Bank Holidays are subject to rotas, you will therefore not be asked to work every weekend and every Bank Holiday.

Note that your job can furthermore involve travelling, for example, when you meet with suppliers and key vendors. In some cases, this can mean overnight stays which you should factor in when working in supply chain management.

Employers

Retailers, e-commerce businesses, logistics companies, and manufacturing businesses can be among your potential employers when you want to get a job in supply chain management. Besides, you can find employment with pharmaceutical companies or even in aerospace and defence and other government agencies, as long as they deal with goods and supplies.

Qualifications

There are two main ways for you to become a supply chain manager in the UK: a university course and an apprenticeship. For these educational backgrounds, you need the following entry qualifications: between one and three A levels, for example, in economics or statistics, for a foundation degree or an undergraduate degree (university), or four to five GCSEs at pass grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) for an apprenticeship.

You will further benefit from software knowledge which you typically acquire during your education or in your first job. Here are some examples of the software you will likely use: supplier relationship management (SRM) systems like SAP Ariba, enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems like SYSPRO, and analytics and business intelligence tools like Yellowfin BI.

Skills

Every job requires a set of soft skills which may vary depending on your future employer’s needs. We therefore advise you to check which competencies are expected of you before applying for a supply chain manager job. Still, we are sure that the following three skills will be among those wanted by employers of supply chain managers.

Risk Management

Ideally, all things connected to a supply chain run smoothly. Unfortunately, supply chains are subject to disruptions which can include anything from delivery problems of raw materials to geopolitical factors like wars. As a supply chain manager, you need to be constantly aware of everything that might affect the supply chain. You need to both identify and mitigate risks and have a Plan B in store in case things do go awry.

Customer Focus

Since you are one of the people responsible for end-consumer products and services, you need to apply a strong customer focus in your job. The analytical thinking behind your daily tasks is all well and good – but you, your team, and other departments involved in production and delivery also need to know what the customers want. Your customer focus should be accompanied by empathy and the ability to change perspectives and see things from a customer’s point of view.

IT Literacy

As you have seen from our qualifications section, you will work with various supply chain management software. IT literacy is therefore a much-needed competency you should work on if it is not one of your strengths. You will need to know your way around all the relevant software and be able to handle electronic data connected to your daily tasks.

Career Path

Your supply chain manager career can look as follows: the first step is your education after which you start your first job, for example, as an assistant supply chain manager which sets you up for becoming a supply chain manager. Typically, you can advance to the position of a senior supply chain manager. Promotion tends to be possible after about five years, maybe less, depending on your employer’s promotion policy.

Educational Background

You can choose between a university course and an advanced apprenticeship when you want to become a supply chain manager in the UK. Both approaches have their benefits and it is up to you which one suits you best. If you decide to enrol at university, you can do an undergraduate degree in supply chain management, transport management, or economics.

Appropriate apprenticeships can be the following: a supply chain practitioner advanced apprenticeship, a transport and warehouse operations supervisor advanced apprenticeship, and, later on, a supply chain leadership express delivery manager degree apprenticeship. 

Entry Level

Every job starts at an entry-level position which in the case of a supply chain manager tends to be the job of an assistant supply chain manager, a trainee supply chain manager, or a graduate trainee. You may already have lots of theoretical and maybe even some practical knowledge which you have earned during your education. But your entry-level position is this first job where you learn the ropes and how everything works in your company. 

Continuous Learning

During your education, you have already hit the books and spent hours on learning and gaining knowledge. And your learning curve is far from over as soon as you start your first job. On the contrary, continuous learning is essential for performing well and thriving. Some qualifications can also enable you to fast track your supply management career. Here are some further training and qualifications you can look into when working in supply chain management.

You can opt for doing a postgraduate degree which ideally is a follow-up of your undergraduate degree. A Master’s degree can be beneficial since it comes with a certain prestige and tends to weigh more than a Bachelor’s degree.

Besides, you can look into qualifications awarded by the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS), such as a diploma in procurement and supply. Similar certifications are offered by the Chartered Institute of Logistics (CILT) which works closely with two UK universities, the University of Huddersfield and Aston University.

NOVUS for Supply Chain Managers

This collaboration between the CILT and the two universities is called NOVUS. It offers supply chain management courses which are furthermore sponsored by some of the biggest industry names. As a student, you have the chance to work under a mentor during two placements. If you do well – which we assume you will – you are guaranteed a graduate job at the organisation you have been working for during your placements.

A Day in the Life of a Supply Chain Manager

Your day in supply chain management can be shaped by a myriad of tasks which can vary depending on your employer. As with your needed skills, there are still some typical jobs you have to do when working in this profession. In this section, we will explore three of the tasks that are waiting for your attention.

Prioritising and Planning

Even though most work days follow a certain pattern or structure, it never hurts to prioritise tasks. Yes, all jobs are important but they can still be listed according to their urgency and deadlines, respectively. This way, you ensure both smooth workflows and less stress for everyone involved in the daily running of your supply chain management. Prioritising can be followed by planning, for example, coming up with both short-term and long-term goals and analysing the current market and economic trends.

Relationship Management

Besides your team, you liaise with various other departments and third parties, among which are your suppliers and vendors. It is paramount that you build strong relationships with these parties and invest time in keeping it that way. Therefore, relationship management is another of your daily tasks where you ensure that all quality standards, expectations and supplies are met.

Tracking Logistics

A lot of the materials you need for your company’s products will have to be shipped – and the same applies to everything you are delivering to the end consumers. Since the latter are usually very interested in the order and delivery status, you need to spend some time on tracking logistics. Here, you keep an eye on the current shipping status, this way, finding out if everything runs according to plan or if you need to readjust and find a solution for potential disruptions and problems.

Tips for Thriving as a Supply Chain Manager

A postgraduate degree or qualifications from respected institutes are surefire ways to thrive as a supply chain manager. Further training aside, you can thrive by improving your competencies as well. In this section, we will take a look at some of the ways that help you thrive when working in supply chain management:

• Graduate trainee scheme
• Professional associations
• Stay informed

Graduate Trainee Scheme

This tip is something you should look into while still completing your education. A graduate trainee scheme like NOVUS does not only come with a job guarantee. It furthermore gives you the option of “department hopping”, meaning that you will work in different departments. This allows you to decide whether a) the job of a supply chain manager actually is your perfect fit and b) in which department you want to work and progress.

Professional Associations

Joining and becoming a member of professional associations is our second tip for thriving in supply chain management. You can approach the CILT where you become a MILT if you are accepted. To become a member, you need to apply as you would for a job. This means the CILT requires your CV and your two-year CPD (Continuing Professional Development) plan. The application is online. Being a member gives you access to important industry events and resources, as well as connecting to other supply chain managers. 

Stay Informed

Almost nothing in this day and age is prone to standstill, meaning that new developments happen regularly. Working in supply chain management requires a constant eye on the latest industry trends, market developments, consumer behaviour regarding buying, and the aforementioned geopolitical status quo. Staying informed is a necessity – both for performing brilliantly and for thriving.

Frequently Asked Questions