Reasons to Pursue a Career in Supply Chain Management

1. Supply chain professionals play exciting roles in their organizations.

Every phase of a product’s life cycle, from acquisition, distribution, allocation to delivery, falls under the supply chain umbrella. The list goes on and is rapidly evolving with the introduction of new technologies like blockchain and cloud computing. Your organization will rely on you to forecast where the market will go, make sure the right people are in the right place, ensure parts come in on time, and to be quick-on-your-feet if they don’t. You are the priority-triaging guru, master of getting the job done. Your expertise and skills make everyone else’s roles possible, which can be incredibly rewarding. 

2. The industry is growing, fast.

Supply chain opportunities are expanding from both ends, from global sourcing of goods to distribution, sales, and fulfillment. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that supply chain jobs are on the rise at twice the rate of all other jobs in the US. And, this isn’t just a domestic trend. Shortages of skilled professionals have been reported in Hong Kong, China, and other Asian countries. 

3. There is tons of room for career growth.

Due to the highly structured and tiered nature of supply chain management, there are plenty of opportunities to advance for ambitious and driven people. In fact, CNN Money found that there’s an average of 25.5% career growth over 10 years for people in the industry. The trends indicate that you can advance as much as you want to. 

4. There are many career options.

Supply chains have a lot going on. Take a look at some of the varied roles available within the industry: 

•    Procurement Analyst 
•    Business Analyst 
•    Logistics Manager 
•    Purchasing Manager 
•    Distribution Manager 
•    Operations Research Analyst 
•    Supply Chain Manager 
•    Director of Operations 
•    Senior Consultant 
•    Project Manager 
•    Warehouse Operations 
•    Procurement Manager

5. Careers in supply chain pay well.

Supply chain jobs are typically financially rewarding, according to indeed.com, the median pay in 2020 was reported at $81,808.  Which is real close to the perfect salary for happiness, according to the famous Princeton study. The median salary for popular supply chain roles in Seattle are as follows: 

• Logistics Manager: $60,278 per year, which is 4% above the national average. 
• Procurement Analyst: $62,542 per year, which is  22% above the national average. 
• Supply Chain Manager: $65,307 per year, which is 5% above the national average. 
• Purchasing Manager: $73,337 per year, which is 7% above the national average. 
• Operations Research Analyst: $76,068 per year, which is 9% above the national average. 

6. The supply chain always bounces back

The bottom line is that new supply chain technologies are always emerging. So even when drastic global supply chain disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic occur, the supply chain always manages to bounce back. In fact, according to Forbes, the way businesses can best mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic is by starting with implementing more resilience and intelligence into their respective supply chains. Some of the ways that supply chains have been re-imagined in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic include the acceleration of the digital supply chain, the placement of a stronger emphasis on the mapping of suppliers, and through the implementation of more sustainability in supply chains.

Ready to jump in to a career in supply chain management? Check out the UW Foster School of Business Master of Supply Chain Management Program. 

This post was originally published on October 22, 2018 by Victoria Pinheiro, MSc, and updated on January 31, 2020 by Olga Jimenez.