The process of sourcing materials, manufacturing goods and then transporting those products to market is at the heart of supply chain, so most people tend to think of large manufacturing companies when they consider career opportunities in the field. But the fact is that MANY, many types of companies operate in this arena. Amazon, Fedex, UPS, IBM, CH Robinson, Schneider, PWC, Maersk, BNSF Rail, and countless others provide services to support the supply chain process.
Which is why there is a vast range of job opportunities within the industry.
This site provides detailed descriptions of the 7 most common categories in the supply chain field. Within each there are hundreds of individual roles with varied levels of responsibility. To give you a frame of reference, here are a number of sample job descriptions for positions posted on popular job search sites. Jobs cannot be applied for through this website.
These are just a small sample of what is available within the industry. They illustrate what tasks are associated with the most common roles, and the corresponding requirements for job applicants.
It is important to remember that job definitions/roles vary by industry and even by company. For example, a buyer at a manufacturing firm might perform different functions than a buyer in a retail organization. A demand planner at one company might focus on forecasting of product, while a demand planner at another might have more of a production planning function.
The supply chain industry is experiencing explosive growth, which is why there are no standards or guidelines for job descriptions or tasks. There are new roles being created every day, and we will continue to update the list as new and exciting opportunities present themselves.