Supply chain manager
Supply chain managers organise the movement of goods and materials from suppliers and manufacturers to customers.
- Starter salary£28,000 a year
- Experienced£50,000 a year
- Typical hours37 to 42 a week
What you'll do
As a supply chain manager, you could:
- work with procurement managers and buyers to select products that will sell well
- negotiate and manage contracts with suppliers
- plan how to get goods from suppliers to distribution centres and retailers
- track shipments and stock levels using computer software
- make sure retailers receive their goods on time and in the right condition
- look at ways to improve supply chain networks
- monitor overall performance and meet targets
- prepare forecasts and inventories
- recruit, train and manage a team of supply chain staff
Working environment
You could work in an office or at a client's business.
Skills and knowledge you'll need
You'll need:
- business management skills
- leadership skills
- knowledge of transport methods, costs and benefits
- knowledge of manufacturing production and processes
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- customer service skills
- the ability to work well with others
- the ability to organise your time and workload
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently
How to become a supply chain manager
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- an apprenticeship
- working towards this role
University
Positions for trainee managers are open to graduates of most subjects though you may find it useful to do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in a subject like:
- logistics
- supply chain management
- transport management
- business management
You can find out about industry sponsored degree courses in supply chain management from NOVUS.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
- 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
Apprenticeship
You may be able to apply for a Supply Chain Practitioner Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship, which could lead to an assistant manager position.
You might also be able to do a Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship, such as:
- Supply Chain Leadership Professional
- Express Delivery Manager
- Senior Procurement and Supply Chain Professional
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a degree apprenticeship
Work
You could start in a junior role, like transport clerk, and work your way up through training and promotion.
You might study for work-based qualifications through The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport or the Institute of Supply Chain Management .
Career path and progression
With experience, you could progress to senior supply chain management jobs, strategic planning or consultancy work.
You could also specialise, for example in e-commerce.
Guides for this industry
Related roles
- Job rolePurchasing manager
- Job roleRetail buyer
- Job roleRoad transport manager
- Job roleWarehouse manager
- Job roleImport-export clerk
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0