Supply Chain Consultant

What is a supply chain consultant and how to become one

Updated April 25, 2024 7 min read

A supply chain consultant advises companies to improve their supply chain management processes. They identify areas for improvement and develop strategies to optimize efficiency and reduce costs. Supply chain consultants may also assist with implementing new technology, developing relationships with suppliers, and improving logistics. They work across various industries and provide expertise in areas such as procurement, inventory management, and distribution. A supply chain consultant aims to help companies operate more effectively while maximizing profits.

How long does it takes to become a supply chain consultant?

It typically takes 6-8 years to become a supply chain consultant:

• Years 1-4: Obtaining a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field, such as business, logistics, or supply chain management.
• Years 5-6: Accumulating the necessary work experience in supply chain management, logistics, or a related field.
• Years 7-8: Participating in on-the-job training to learn specific consulting skills and knowledge.

Potential for growth and advancement in the field

Cons

Long hours and high workload

Tight deadlines and fast-paced work environment

Difficulty in maintaining work consistency due to project-based nature of work

High competition with other consultants and firms

Challenging communication with clients and stakeholders

How to become a supply chain consultant in 6 steps:

• Step 1: Explore Education
• Step 2: Develop Skills
• Step 3: Complete Relevant Training
• Step 4: Research Duties
• Step 5: Prepare Your Resume
• Step 6: Apply For Jobs

Supply Chain Consultant career paths

Supply chain consultants often move into roles like purchasing manager, supply chain manager, and senior manager-supply chain manager. They also transition into operations manager, vice president, and supply chain vice president roles. Some become consultants, production managers, material managers, and materials directors. Some supply chain consultants move into sales management roles, while others become logistics managers, supply chain logistics managers, and global logistics managers. They can also become senior buyer, director of purchasing, and director of strategic sourcing.

Functional Consultant

Avg Salary $85,317

Supply Chain Specialist

Avg Salary $71,414

Supply Chain Analyst

Avg Salary $67,450

Business Analyst

Avg Salary $74,431

Procurement Consultant

Avg Salary $81,254

Procurement Agent

Avg Salary $72,384

Production Planner

Avg Salary $60,390

Demand Planner

Avg Salary $82,287

Master Production Scheduler

Avg Salary $77,455

Master Scheduler

Avg Salary $77,733

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Supply Chain Consultant

9 years

Supply Chain Project Manager

Avg Salary $95,298

Procurement Agent

Avg Salary $72,384

Logistics Manager

Avg Salary $74,702

Senior Buyer

Avg Salary $79,848

Supply Chain Manager

Avg Salary $100,414

Operations Manager

Avg Salary $76,894

Project Manager

Avg Salary $91,578

Purchasing Manager

Avg Salary $98,118

Material Manager

Avg Salary $96,125

Consultant

Avg Salary $78,912

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Key steps to become a supply chain consultant

Explore supply chain consultant education requirements

The educational requirements for a supply chain consultant typically include a bachelor's degree, with approximately 67% of professionals holding this level of education. Common majors include Business, Supply Chain Management, Industrial Engineering, Management, and Mechanical Engineering. According to Jason Hewitt Ph.D. , Lecturer at Pennsylvania State University - Behrend, "Building a career means taking a series of better and better positions as you gain experience in your field."

Supply chain consultants may also pursue certifications such as Certified Supply Chain Professional, Six Sigma Green Belt, and Certified Product Safety Manager. In the next five years, technology is expected to have a significant impact on the field, with large organizations investing in data mining efforts and smaller companies utilizing cloud computing applications to remain competitive. Adrian Tan , Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator at Pennsylvania State University - New Kensington, predicts that governments and verification or certification organizations may also invest in blockchain technologies for reliable tracking of goods.

Bachelor's

70.8 %

Master's

22.2 %

Associate

4.6 %

Start to develop specific supply chain consultant skills

A supply chain consultant needs to have skills such as process improvement, strategy, sap, supply chain planning, lean six sigma, erp, wms, and inventory management. They must be able to design and test processes to implement new modules, propose improvements and standardization possibilities, and provide strategic consultation for the development and implementation of new charge processes. They must also be able to manage various projects, extract material master data, and create training materials and business processes documentation.

Skills

Percentages

Supply Chain 21.60%

Logistics 7.33%

Supply Chain Planning 7.10%

Project Management 6.37%

Order Management 6.03%

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Complete relevant supply chain consultant training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New supply chain consultants learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a supply chain consultant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real supply chain consultant resumes.

Research supply chain consultant duties and responsibilities

A supply chain consultant's responsibilities include designing and testing processes to implement new systems, proposing innovative improvements, providing support for ongoing projects, and contributing to a well-regarded industrial supply chain strategy practice. They also provide strategic consultation, develop training materials, and assist with writing RFPs and price comparisons. Other responsibilities include managing supply chain process improvement and technology integration projects, creating value stream maps, and providing one-to-one support after go-live. They also conduct business process design workshops, provide sound business intelligence, and perform functional and system integration testing.

• Manage any procurement activities including RFP s
• Manage production and warehouse teams ensuring DOD policies and corporate rules and regulations compliance while exceeding government nuclear facility audit standards.
• Consult clients on efficient use of their ERP and SCM methods to effectively plan all the resources in the business enterprise.
• Assist transition from existing legacy ERP applications to PeopleSoft by investigating and troubleshooting errors.

Prepare your supply chain consultant resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your supply chain consultant resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a supply chain consultant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Supply Chain Consultant Resume templates

Build a professional Supply Chain Consultant resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume.

Now it's time to start searching for a supply chain consultant job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

• Browse job boards for relevant postings
• Consult your professional network
• Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly

Share your story for a free salary report.

The average Supply Chain Consultant salary in the United States is $88,400 per year or $43 per hour. Supply chain consultant salaries range between $69,000 and $112,000 per year.

How do supply chain consultants rate their job?

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Supply Chain Consultant reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2020

Pros

its a challenging work. you need lot of potential to be materials manager.

A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2019

Pros

I am continuously working to develop my the communication and computer skills necessary listed in the job description job description. My formal education which is bachelors degree in philosophy and a minor in economics. I am currently furthering my education in the area of computer science.

Cons

I am working to improve my area of concern which is having limitations when managing employees.

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The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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