Are you considering a career in supply chain management?  This article will give you an inside look into a day in the life of a supply chain manager.

When working in the supply chain industry, you have to be prepared to tackle a number of projects all at once. Being a manager in this field, you will be expected to adapt, organise, and delegate the priorities of the day to make sure that all business expectations are fulfilled.  Keep in mind that you will also be responsible for handling some of the financial aspects related to your department.

Here is a quick look at what you can expect to do on a daily basis:

Morning:            

  • Do a quick check on the production floor to ensure that everything is running smoothly.
  • Check e-mails and make calls to suppliers, clients, or staff
  • Place orders for the materials that are running short
  • Hold a staff meeting

Afternoon:

  • Meet with potential suppliers and/or clients
  • Do a floor check or inspection
  • Review the demand forecasts to make sure that they are up to date

You will usually be based in an office, working normal hours from Monday to Friday. On rare occasions, though, you might be required to work during the evenings or over weekends to deal with emergencies. Keep in mind that some companies operate 24/7, which might mean that you would need to work shifts. In some cases, you might need to travel, either locally or overseas, to oversee certain operations, or to meet with suppliers.

You might not be aware of this, but the success of a business is largely dependent on the skills and competence of its supply chain manager.

To be successful in this line of work, you have to:

  • Be good at problem solving
  • Have a strong work ethic
  • Be able to deal with a wide range of activities and responsibilities
  • Be able to manage a team
  • Be able to delegate duties
If you want to find out how you can start your career in supply chain management, simply click on the button below:

Find out how you can start your supply chain career