Supply Chain Management

What is a career in supply chain management?

The supply chain is the network of companies that participate in the design, assembly, and delivery of a product for consumer purchase.

Supply chain management professionals make it possible to get your products better, faster, and cheaper. They manage inventory but also people, automation, data, facilities, vehicles, and other significant company assets.

Few business careers offer more opportunities to travel the world visiting customers and suppliers than supply chain management.

Career Fields in Supply Chain Management

Careers in supply chain management typically involve:

Procurement

Strategic sourcing of required materials to support production without wasting resources.

Logistics & Distribution

Tracking materials and determining how to move them efficiently from source to endpoint.

Demand Planning

Using data to forecast the inventory needs of the company and allocating resources effectively.

Operations Management

Managing the associates and processes on the manufacturing floor.

Local Companies Hiring Supply Chain Majors

  • enVista
  • Allison Transmission
  • Rolls-Royce
  • Spot Freight Inc.
  • JB Hunt
  • Scotlynn USA

Salary Statistics

Review Career and Salary Statistics to learn more about the earning potential of supply chain management careers.

Potential Supply Chain Management Jobs

Entry-Level Positions

  • Supply chain planner or analyst
  • Logistics coordinator
  • Procurement analyst

Mid-Level Positions

  • Demand or sourcing manager
  • Global logistics manager

Senior-Level Positions

  • Director of supply chain
  • Chief operating officer (COO)

Preparing for a Career in Supply Chain Management

Academics

Consider minors that can help build your skillset.

  • Economics: Understand how global factors affect business production and customer consumption.
  • Data analytics: Use programming and software to better understand numbers and inform your decision-making process.

Get Involved

Get involved through student organizations and professional associations.

Build Experience

Supply chain management job and internship recruitment is focused on the Fall semester.

  • Seek out internships to gain experience in the professional world. These can be found on Handshake and other job boards.

Key Tips to Consider about Supply Chain Management Careers

  1. Supply chain management (SCM) jobs exist in every company and in non-profits and public-sector organizations.
  2. Many SCM jobs require communication skills, analytical skills, and the ability to collaborate effectively across organizational boundaries.
  3. A Chief Operating Officer (COO) ensures effective and efficient operations. Experience as the most senior operations person is a promising path to becoming CEO. Tim Cook was Apple's COO before he became CEO.
  4. Great supply chains are environmentally friendly, which benefits both society and the planet.

Explore careers in business.

Meet with a Kelley Career Coach to discuss which degree path best fits your skills, and follow us on social media to stay current on the latest opportunities.

Schedule an appointment in Handshake.

Meet with Us

Follow KelleyCareers.

Contact us.