How do I Become a Supply Chain Manager?

The supply chain manager is involved in every step of getting products into the hands of customers. As a result, the supply chain manager is involved at every stage of the process, from the beginning with raw materials to the end when customers buy the product and take it home. A college degree and postgraduate training are usually required if you want to work as a supply chain manager.

If you want to work as a supply chain manager, you should get a bachelor’s degree in business. Depending on which college you attend, your bachelor’s degree may or may not include a supply chain specialization. Granted, if your college offers a supply chain specialization at the bachelor’s degree level, you should consider taking it because it will show prospective employers that you are academically qualified and have a strong interest in a career in supply chain management.

If you want to be a supply chain manager, a college internship can be a great way to get real-world experience that complements your classroom learning. The internship can provide you with firsthand experience with the pressures that a supply chain manager faces. During the internship, you will also have the opportunity to be supervised and form business relationships, both of which will be beneficial as you progress up the career ladder.

A Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in business with a supply chain specialization is required to become a supply chain manager. Supply chain coursework, such as sourcing, operations research, marketing, and logistics management, is typically included in this MBA. In addition, as part of the MBA program, a supply chain graduate-level internship is usually required.

Although certification is not required, it can significantly aid your career efforts. A Certified Purchasing Manager (CPM) or a Certification in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) certificate are two options. A certificate establishes your professional credibility and demonstrates your knowledge and commitment to a career as a supply chain manager.

Working as a supply chain manager entails taking on a variety of responsibilities. Managers in the supply chain, for example, can do procurement, logistics analysis, warehouse management, material management, and inventory analysis. If you want to be a supply chain manager, it helps if you have a natural ability to multitask. Furthermore, developing the ability to work well under pressure is beneficial, as the process of getting products to customers in a timely manner can be stressful.

Supply chain managers have a wide range of career options. Work, for example, is not limited to the following settings; however, logistics firms, transportation providers, communications providers, manufacturing companies, retailing companies, or the government are examples of possible work settings. If you were a supply chain manager who didn’t want to keep working in the industry, you could return to school and earn a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in business so that you could teach college classes.