Supply chain leadership professionals are responsible for procuring, producing, moving, and delivering products or services from suppliers to customers or end-users, regardless of location. They play a critical role in integrating the functions and processes of customers, distributors, manufacturers, partners, regulators, sub-suppliers, and suppliers across companies, cities, towns, and countries, forming an efficient and effective end-to-end supply chain. These professionals are adept at both global and domestic operations, capable of leading effectively, facilitating trade, and executing supply chains successfully. To achieve this, they collaborate effectively with organizations and individuals, leveraging information and resources to ensure optimal outcomes.

Main Duties and Tasks: The role encompasses all mission-critical business activities, including finance, HR, IT, marketing, and sales, with the primary goals of driving company growth, increasing market share, and generating revenue and profit. Key duties involve organizing a company’s supply chain network across the essential operational functions: plan, source, make, deliver, return, and enable. Every task is focused on adding value to the customer and the end-to-end supply chain.

Types of Assignments Undertaken: These vary based on geography, business size, industry, timelines, products, systems, and legislative requirements. Typical assignments include:

• Achieving marketing advantage through superior logistics
• Designing and implementing solutions for sourcing and delivering materials to production facilities or finished products to consumers
• Exploring multi-modal transport and cost-effective storage solutions
• Deciding on investments in research and knowledge exchange to improve supply chain continuity
• Optimizing supply chain assets through continuous improvement
• Planning, building, and utilizing IT infrastructures to bring new products and services to market
• Managing relationships with suppliers, intermediaries, third-party service providers, and customers

Typical Job Titles: Supply Chain Executive, Supply Chain Management Lead, Chief Supply Chain Officer, Demand Planner. This role exists across public, private, and charitable sectors and in organizations of all sizes. Typically, it reports to, or is a member of, a company’s main executive board, commercial, operational, or supply chain director, with responsibilities that may include geographic oversight, team management, business unit leadership, and budget management.