Supply Chain Managers

Operations & Service Delivery

Level 6710 of 1200 points

Job description

Supply Chain Managers

Job purpose

To direct and coordinate purchasing, production, warehousing, distribution and financial forecasting activity, and to design and improve the supply chains that move, store and process inventory, so that materials and products are available when needed, at controlled cost and in line with quality, service and environmental requirements.

Skills

Specialist knowledge of transportation principles and the relative costs of moving goods by air, rail, sea and road, purchasing and material requirements planning, inventory and warehousing strategy, supplier qualification and evaluation, and the environmental policies, standards and regulations governing supply chain practice, combined with business management and economics and accounting. Bachelor's degree is the norm, with a substantial minority holding a master's, together with several years of related experience.
Negotiates prices and terms with suppliers, vendors and freight forwarders, meets suppliers to give performance feedback and discuss forecasts and changes, and confers with supply chain planners on demand and supply plans. Develops procedures to coordinate supply chain management with sales, finance, production and quality assurance. Guides, motivates, coaches and trains subordinate staff and builds cooperation across the team.
Analyses inventories to increase inventory turns, reduce waste or improve customer service; analyses supplier performance and procurement programme results; and monitors forecasts and quotas to predict effects on supply chain activity. Redesigns supply chains for changing market conditions and cost reduction targets. Problems are systemic and interdependent — a change made to reduce cost may create shortage, delay or quality risk elsewhere.
Designs and implements supply chain and plant warehousing strategies, defines the performance metrics against which supply chain factors are measured, selects transportation routes and combines shipments to maximise economy, and coordinates engineering changes and new product launches so that material flow transitions cleanly. Sets own priorities and those of the team against time pressure.
Work is carried out at a computer and in meetings, and in warehouse and production areas. No manual handling demands.

Responsibilities

Manages a team, setting performance standards, monitoring performance, coaching and training staff and recruiting into the unit, and determines the equipment and staffing levels needed to load, unload, move and store materials. Accountable for the work outcomes of others and for their health and safety, and influences other functions through the coordination procedures set.
Controls significant recurring expenditure: negotiates prices and terms with suppliers and freight forwarders, controls resources and spending, and forecasts material costs and develops standard cost lists. Decisions on sourcing, routing and inventory levels directly determine cost of goods within limits set by business strategy.
Responsible for inventory in storage and in transit, for warehousing facilities and material-handling equipment, and for the take-back and reverse logistics programmes ensuring products are recycled, reused or responsibly disposed of. Identifies opportunities to reuse or recycle materials and to convert waste to by-products.
Documents the supply chain's physical processes — workflows, cycle times, position responsibilities and system flows — evaluates and selects technology for tracking and reporting materials movement, and holds the supplier pricing, performance and procurement records for the function. Exactness matters because production and purchasing decisions are taken from these figures.

Effort required

Sustained analysis of inventory, cost, supplier and forecast data where exactness matters, carried on alongside a high volume of contact by telephone, e-mail and face-to-face discussion. Decisions are taken frequently and under time pressure, on forecasts that may prove wrong, and their consequences reach co-workers and company results.
Commercial negotiation and supplier performance conversations are adversarial by nature, and shortages, delays and quality failures generate conflict situations and contact with unpleasant, angry or discourteous people. Requires composure in holding a position against pressure from both suppliers and internal customers, in a competitive market.
Predominantly seated work at a computer. No lifting or exertion is recorded.

Working conditions

Mainly indoors and environmentally controlled, with some time in indoor areas that are not environmentally controlled and where noise is distracting, and work in close physical proximity to others. No hazardous conditions or weather exposure is recorded. Psychosocial demand comes from conflict situations and from dealings with unpleasant, angry or discourteous people when supply fails.
Most incumbents work more than forty hours a week; most are on a regular established schedule, but a substantial minority have hours that change with production demands or contract duration. The work is done under time pressure, with decisions taken frequently. Determines own tasks, priorities and goals with considerable freedom inside business strategy and budget set above.

Skills

40% · 302 points▾

KnowledgeLevel 5 of 8
90 of 144 points
Specialised and theoretical knowledge within a field of work and an awareness of the limits of that knowledge. The job requires a comprehensive range of cognitive and practical knowledge to develop creative solutions to abstract problems.
Interpersonal and communication skillsLevel 4 of 5
77 of 96 points
Advanced communication and interpersonal skills. The job holder is required to manage complex interactions, mediate interpersonal conflicts and support group collaboration.
Problem-solving skillsLevel 4 of 5
77 of 96 points
Non-standard problems. The job involves solving complex, non-standard problems involving multiple factors to consider. Solutions often require careful analysis and the adaptation of current methods.
Planning and organisational skillsLevel 4 of 5
58 of 72 points
Advanced organisational skills required. The job requires planning and managing complex, often overlapping tasks or schedules. The job requires a degree of autonomy and joint planning, and managing interdependencies across teams or departments.
Physical skillsLevel 0 of 5
0 of 72 points
Not applicable. The job does not require any particular physical skills (although there is likely to be some physical activity).

Responsibility

35% · 281 points▾

PeopleLevel 4 of 5
115 of 144 points
High level of responsibility for people. The job involves significant responsibility for the well-being and development of others. This includes making decisions that affect others' jobs, tasks or welfare, such as managing teams, providing care, teaching or ensuring psychological safety. It can also include hiring, evaluating, motivating, coaching and leading workers.
Goods and equipmentLevel 3 of 5
50 of 84 points
Moderate responsibility for goods or equipment. The job involves the regular use and maintenance of more valuable equipment or materials. It may include managing resources or ensuring equipment stays in good condition.
InformationLevel 3 of 5
58 of 96 points
Moderate responsibility for information. The job involves managing information to ensure it is accurate, of high quality and secure. The job holder may make decisions about the handling of sensitive data.
Financial resourcesLevel 3 of 5
58 of 96 points
Moderate responsibility for financial resources. The job requires handling significant financial resources, including managing budgets, overseeing expenditures, being accountable for spending and participating in financial decision-making.

Effort

15% · 79 points▾

Mental effortLevel 3 of 5
36 of 60 points
High level of mental effort. The job involves frequent concentration on complex tasks that require considerable mental effort, such as interpreting complex data.
Psychosocial and emotional effortLevel 3 of 5
43 of 72 points
Moderate psychosocial and emotional effort. The job requires the regular management of emotional responses, such as dealing with sensitive or challenging individuals or situations.
Physical effortLevel 0 of 5
0 of 48 points
Not applicable. The job does not require any physical effort.

Working Conditions

10% · 48 points▾

Environment (physical, psychological or emotional)Level 2 of 5
34 of 84 points
Occasional exposure to hazards or stress. The job involves occasional exposure to mild physical risks (e.g. working with light machinery, occasional noise) or psychosocial risks (e.g. occasional interpersonal conflict or minor repetitive tasks). Exposure occurs two to three times a year.
Organisational environmentLevel 2 of 5
14 of 36 points
Occasional organisational demands. The job may involve occasional irregular hours (e.g. the requirement to work weekends or holidays), minimal travel or limited digital connectivity outside normal working hours.