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Career Details

11-3071.04 - Supply Chain Managers


Direct or coordinate production, purchasing, warehousing, distribution, or financial forecasting services or activities to limit costs and improve accuracy, customer service, or safety. Examine existing procedures or opportunities for streamlining activities to meet product distribution needs. Direct the movement, storage, or processing of inventory.


Key Facts
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Bright Outlook
Career Details
Green Job
Career Details
Current Employment
111,600
Estimate
Forecasted Employment
114,100
Estimate
Change in Employment
+2,500
Estimate
Change in Employment %
+2.2%
Estimate
Tasks
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Tasks
The tasks listed below can be performed to prepare you for a career in this field.
Core
  • Select transportation routes to maximize economy by combining shipments or consolidating warehousing and distribution.
  • Diagram supply chain models to help facilitate discussions with customers.
  • Negotiate prices and terms with suppliers, vendors, or freight forwarders.
  • Meet with suppliers to discuss performance metrics, to provide performance feedback, or to discuss production forecasts or changes.
  • Document physical supply chain processes, such as workflows, cycle times, position responsibilities, or system flows.
  • Develop or implement procedures or systems to evaluate or select suppliers.
  • Design or implement plant warehousing strategies for production materials or finished products.
  • Confer with supply chain planners to forecast demand or create supply plans that ensure availability of materials or products.
  • Define performance metrics for measurement, comparison, or evaluation of supply chain factors, such as product cost or quality.
  • Analyze inventories to determine how to increase inventory turns, reduce waste, or optimize customer service.
  • Analyze information about supplier performance or procurement program success.
  • Participate in the coordination of engineering changes, product line extensions, or new product launches to ensure orderly and timely transitions in material or production flow.
  • Develop procedures for coordination of supply chain management with other functional areas, such as sales, marketing, finance, production, or quality assurance.
  • Design or implement supply chains that support business strategies adapted to changing market conditions, new business opportunities, or cost reduction strategies.
  • Design or implement supply chains that support environmental policies.
  • Design, implement, or oversee product take back or reverse logistics programs to ensure products are recycled, reused, or responsibly disposed.
  • Evaluate and select information or other technology solutions to improve tracking and reporting of materials or products distribution, storage, or inventory.
  • Identify opportunities to reuse or recycle materials to minimize consumption of new materials, minimize waste, or to convert wastes to by-products.
  • Review or update supply chain practices in accordance with new or changing environmental policies, standards, regulations, or laws.
  • Determine appropriate equipment and staffing levels to load, unload, move, or store materials.
  • Manage activities related to strategic or tactical purchasing, material requirements planning, controlling inventory, warehousing, or receiving.
  • Implement new or improved supply chain processes to improve efficiency or performance.
  • Monitor suppliers' activities to assess performance in meeting quality or delivery requirements.
  • Monitor forecasts and quotas to identify changes and predict effects on supply chain activities.
  • Identify or qualify new suppliers in collaboration with other departments, such as procurement, engineering, or quality assurance.
Supplemental
  • Conduct or oversee the conduct of life cycle analyses to determine the environmental impacts of products, processes, or systems.
  • Investigate or review the carbon footprints and environmental performance records of current or potential storage and distribution service providers.
  • Locate or select biodegradable, non-toxic, or other environmentally friendly raw materials for manufacturing processes.
  • Forecast material costs or develop standard cost lists.
  • Appraise vendor manufacturing capabilities through on-site observations or other measurements.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Knowledge
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Knowledge

The items listed below are organized into sections that contain knowledge useful for pursuing a career in this field. Each section also contains a "Percentage of Importance" statistic that shows how relevant an item is to the occupation.
 Transportation
  • 90%
    Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
 Administration and Management
  • 87%
    Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
 English Language
  • 81%
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
 Economics and Accounting
  • 76%
    Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
 Customer and Personal Service
  • 75%
    Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
 Production and Processing
  • 75%
    Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
 Personnel and Human Resources
  • 73%
    Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
 Mathematics
  • 70%
    Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
 Computers and Electronics
  • 63%
    Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
 Sales and Marketing
  • 61%
    Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
 Law and Government
  • 58%
    Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
 Public Safety and Security
  • 56%
    Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
 Education and Training
  • 56%
    Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
 Geography
  • 54%
    Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
 Engineering and Technology
  • 51%
    Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
 Psychology
  • 50%
    Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Tools
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Tools
The tools listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Computers
  • Laptop computers
  • Personal computers
 Duplicating machines
  • Laser facsimile machines
 Audio and visual equipment
  • Radio frequency identification RFID scanners
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Technology
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Technology
The technologies listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Business function specific software
  • Purchasing software
  • Adexa Supply Chain Planning
  • Aldata Warehouse Management
  • CDC Supply Chain
  • Dex Warehouse
  • Epicor SRM
  • Epicor WMS
  • HighJump Software Supply Chain Advantage
  • HighJump Warehouse Advantage
  • IBM ILOG LogicNet Plus XE
  • IBS MRP
  • IBS Supply Chain Management
  • IFS Applications for Supply Chain Management
  • Infor Lawson Supply Chain Management
  • Infor SCM
  • JDA Master Planning
  • Lawson S3 Supply Chain Management
  • Manhattan Scale
  • Manhattan Supply Chain Process Platform
  • Oracle e-Business Suite Supply Chain Management
  • QAD MFG Pro
  • Red Prarie Warehouse Management
  • SAP SCM
  • Swisslog WarehouseManager
  • Warehouse management system WMS
  • i2 Collaborative Supply Execution
  • i2 Intelligence
  • i2 Supply Chain Visibility
  • Microsoft ProjectHOT
  • Microsoft SharePointHOT
  • IBM ILOG Inventory Analyst
  • Oracle Inventory
  • Microsoft OfficeHOT
 Finance accounting and enterprise resource planning ERP software
  • Microsoft DynamicsHOT
  • Microsoft Dynamics AXHOT
  • NetSuite ERPHOT
  • Oracle HyperionHOT
  • Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOneHOT
  • Oracle PeopleSoftHOT
  • SAPHOT
  • Oracle E-Business Suite Financials
 Content authoring and editing software
  • Graphics software
  • Microsoft VisioHOT
  • Microsoft WordHOT
  • Microsoft PowerPointHOT
  • Master scheduling software
  • Microsoft ExcelHOT
 Data management and query software
  • SAP BusinessObjects Crystal Reports
  • Microsoft AccessHOT
  • Microsoft SQL ServerHOT
  • Structured query language SQLHOT
 Development software
  • Advanced business application programming ABAPHOT
 Industry specific software
  • MinitabHOT
  • SAP APO
  • Simulation and modeling software
  • MEDITECH softwareHOT
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Certifications
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Certifications
The certifications listed below are useful to pursue if you are interested in a career in this field.
No specific certifications are listed for this career
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Licensing
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Licensing
The licensing information below is organized into sections and is useful for pursuing if you are interested in a career in this field.
No specific licensing information is listed for this occupation in the area you have selected.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Related Programs
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Programs related to this career, offered by participating institution(s), are listed below.

Clicking on the Degree programs in the list below will take you away from the Careers page.
INSTITUTION
PROGRAMS
Peirce College
Jobs
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Jobs related to this career may be found on Indeed.com or on the Google Job Search page.