Since the pandemic, supply chain issues have been in the news repeatedly. Something most of us took for granted—the transportation of goods from one place to another—is responsible for many of the shortages, higher prices, and empty store shelves we continue to see. If you’re intrigued by supply chains and would like to make a career out of helping goods get to market, there are a number of interesting ways to do just that. We’re highlighting what we think are some of the most interesting, challenging, and lucrative supply chain management careers.
1. Supply Chain Manager
A supply chain manager gets involved with all aspects of the supply chain, coordinating the acquisition, storage, production, distribution and identification of company goods. This multifaceted position usually involves managing a team of associates.
A bachelor’s degree in business is generally needed for a position as a supply chain manager and a master’s degree is helpful. As this is a supervisory position, several years’ experience as a supply chain associate is usually required. According to Salary.com, the median annual salary for a supply chain manager in the United States is $117,740.
2. Logistician
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a logistician ‘analyzes and coordinates an organization’s supply chain.’ As a result, they are charged to find the most efficient and cost-effective ways to get a company’s products to the consumer, either directly or via wholesalers and retailers. A bachelor’s degree is generally required for a career as a logistician.
Logisticians work in virtually every industry. If a company has products to get to market, then they need a logistician. Due to the many variables in the supply chain, this job can be stressful, but it’s rarely boring. According to the BLS, the average annual salary of a logistician is $77,030. The BLS also reports that the number of jobs for logisticians is expected to grow 30 percent between 2020 and 2030, which is faster than the average growth rate for all jobs in the United States.
3. Logistics Manager
A logistics manager is the next step in the career path for logisticians. For this job, a person generally needs at least a bachelor’s degree and a few years of experience as a logistician, and a master’s degree can improve your chances of advancement.
4. Purchasing Managers
Purchasing managers are charged with making sure that the company has enough raw materials to make their products, or, in the case of retailers, enough inventory to supply their stores. Purchasing managers may also have several buyers or purchasing agents working under them. A bachelor’s degree is typically required for a career as a purchasing manager. According to the BLS, the average annual salary for a purchasing manager in the US is $75,410.
5. Logistics Analysts
A logistics analyst is a numbers person, who oversees and tracks delivery times and routes using invoices and delivery route activity. This career also requires at least a bachelor’s degree. Unlike a logistician who is tasked with getting goods to market in the most efficient way, a logistics analyst examines the numbers to ascertain whether this is happening.
According to the BLS, a logistics analyst can expect to make an average annual salary of $82,360, with the number of analyst jobs to increase by around 25 percent between 2020 and 2030.
6. Transportation Manager
This supply chain management career has to do with dispatching trucks, ships, and other vehicles in the supply chain, determining the most efficient routes, and tracking those modes of transportation. These can be company vehicles, like an Amazon delivery truck, or third-party supply or delivery transportation, such as a cargo ship or a FedEx plane or truck.
A transportation manager generally has a bachelor’s degree, preferably in business. According to the BLS, the median annual salary for a transportation manager in the US is $98,230. Although there are transportation manager positions in all 50 states, most of the positions are located on the east coast, west coast and Great Lakes states.
7. Warehouse Operations Team Lead
A warehouse operations team lead supervises a company’s warehouse operations and makes sure that inventory comes and goes efficiently without excess inventory accumulating. They plan and organize projects and the storage of inventory and plan for future needs. According to Indeed.com, the average annual salary for a warehouse operations manager in the US is $50,734.
A bachelor’s degree, ideally in business, is preferred for a position as a warehouse operations manager, although years of experience working in a warehouse is often accepted in lieu of a degree.
8. Global Logistics Manager
A global logistics manager is a promotion from a logistics manager who handles operations solely in the United States. A global logistics manager works for a company that has manufacturing and/or distribution centers in multiple countries and coordinates the purchasing or manufacturing of product, storage, inventory management, and distribution of the products.
A global logistics manager usually needs to have at least a bachelor’s degree and experience working with a multinational corporation. According to Zippia, the average annual salary for a global logistics manager in the US is $82,506.
9. Operations Manager
An operations manager is a broad title encompassing many of the job functions previously discussed. Not all companies are large enough to have separate logistics, transportation, and warehouse managers. Often, a single person or team handles all of these duties. An operations manager is an interdepartmental position that coordinates production, distribution and inventory control within a company.
An operations manager is usually required to have a bachelor’s degree, preferably in business administration or a related field. According to the BLS, the average annual salary for an operations manager is $115,250.
10. Storage and Distribution Manager
Another interesting supply chain management career is that of a storage and distribution manager. This person gets involved with the company’s products post-production or after they’ve been purchased. They plan, direct, and coordinate how inventory is to be stored and how to get it to customers, whether they be wholesalers, retailers, or direct customers. They are also charged with making sure the company follows organizational and governmental rules regarding distribution.
Like most of the other careers we’ve profiled, a four-year degree is generally required to land a position as a storage and distribution manager, and a master’s degree is usually required for advancement. According to the BLS, the average annual salary for a storage and distribution manager in the United States is $105,580.
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