The 5 Essential Skills Required for Supply Chain Management

Supply chain professionals are constantly evolving. They are no longer confined to just using spreadsheets, clipboards and phones to manage the company’s supply chains.This evolution has brought on the need for all-rounded experts that possess the essential skills required to be a successful supply chain executive. Onethateffectively and efficiently helps the organization grow.

Business Skills

It is important for Supply chain managers to be able to converse and be understood by senior executives. Professional terms such as economic profit,ROIC, and EBITDA should be part of their vocabulary as supply chain issues are constantly not understood by the board. Good communication skills are a big part of business acumen. From knowledge of demand forecasting to the ability to discuss cash flow at the treasurer’s office; a supply chain professional must be able to do it all. Good written and oral communication skills coupled with interpersonal skills makes for smooth transactions in the supply chain industry.

Computer skills

the second most in-demand skill in the world of supply chain management has to be computer skills. Supply chain professionals are required to not only possess basic computer literacy, but also need to be adept at industry-specific software. Most job advertisements, however, listed MS Excel skills as a minimum requirement. Candidates lacking even in this area can look up ways to learn excel online. Apartfrom possessing basic computer skills such as the knowledge of excel, industry experts are now required to exhibit proficiency in soft wares such as AX Dynamix, SAP and SYSPRO.

Analytical skills

Superior analytical skills are essential to the professional advancement of any supply chain industry professional. Strong conceptual and numerical thinking skills are necessary traists that a supply chain manager must possess.

Planning skills

A supply chain professional holds the responsibility of coordinating the entirety of supply chain activities which occurs on a daily basis. To handle this largely important task, strong planning and scheduling skills must be in place. To understand how to effectively manage and systematically plan supply chain activities is essential to the smooth flow of organizational success.

Negotiating and problem solving skills

Good negotiating skills are necessary while working with retailers and suppliers to be able to obtain the best possible outcome for your employers when it comes to pricing.

Things easily and often go wrong in the world of supply chain management. Wrong deliveries, misunderstood product specifications and late shipments are some of the problems that require a manager with strong problem solving skills to solve.

Apart from being experts at managing basic functions such as inventory management, transportation and warehousing, successful supply chain managers must be able to handle end-to-end processes within and outside the firm including smooth relationships with customers and suppliers internationally. Even though a supply chain manager is not the one who controls the entire process, he is seen as the essential expert when it comes to coordination. The requirement for top supply chainmanagers are now focused on not justprocess expertise. There is a large shift on the emphasis of the overall capability, and that largely includes functional competence as well.

For continuous success of the organization and the survival and growth of the profession, a well-rounded education on supply chain management is essential. Many online courses,professional courses as well as part-time courses are available to learn the same. Extreme impacts as well as drastic changes upon the field of supply chain management have taken place due to various factors such as the rise of the e-business leading to the growth of internet usage, the fluctuating customer-supplier relationship and a significant focus on strategic goals that are related to cost/value.