The 5 Supply Chain professions of the future

Supply chain talent must constantly reinvent itself to meet the new challenges challenges. It is now essential to master digital tools to to maintain the performance and competitiveness of its value chain.

The job market has changed dramatically in recent years. Supply chain recruiters have re-evaluated their priorities in order to meet consumer demands. They are now looking for resilient resilient profiles with cross-disciplinary skills.

These changes have led to the emergence of new Supply Chain professions. What are they and what do they bring to the company? Procemo takes a closer look at the 5 strategic profiles you need on your team.

Supply Chain Visibility Manager, an indispensable collaborator

What is the role of the Supply Chain Visibility Manager?  

Its role is twofold:

• ensures that the value chain meets employee expectations in terms of transparency and traceability
• it maintains and optimizes the chain's performance level by considering each link.

He supervises and coordinates visibility-related activities for each operation. His 360° approach enables him to propose strategic recommendations and areas for improvement in real time.

The visibility manager is the cross-functional profile par excellence. They collaborate with business partners, service providers and other team members. Their clear, detailed reporting enables the company to adjust its organization for greater efficiency.

In short, the visibility manager is the guarantor of the measurability, transparency and performance of the value chain.

The path of the Supply Chain Visibility Manager

There are a number of training courses leading to the position of Supply Chain Visibility Manager. As with most new jobs in this field, a versatile, curious and proactive profile will make all the difference.

The Visibility Manager has a degree in Logistics, Supply Chain Management or Business Administration, with a specialization in Supply Chain. This job is also accessible after a master's degree in logistics or supply chain management.

The employee must also develop good interpersonal skills and be a good communicator. He or she works on a daily basis with the company's various service providers, and is able to clearly communicate his or her expectations and observations.

Why hire a supply chain visibility manager?

The job of Supply Chain Visibility Manager is still little-known, but is becoming indispensable as the sector continues to evolve. The employee ensures the transparency of the chain, and helps the company to anticipate possible disruptions : poor stock levels or quality problems, for example.

According to a Clés du Digital article on new consumer demands, 75% of supply chain stakeholders have experienced negative repercussions on their business due to a lack of visibility. A reality that can easily be transformed thanks to the expertise of a professional.

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Supply chain project manager: a profile in vogue

What is the role of the supply chain project manager?

The project manager has a cross-functional, multi-skilled profile, whatever his or her field. He/she coordinates the various players involved in a given project to meet the company's objectives.

The job of project manager is often associated with agencies, consultancies or large companies. But the supply chain sector also needs this profile to remain competitive.

Here are the main tasks of a Supply Chain project manager:

• draw up performance reviews ;
• draw up functional and technical specifications ;
• guarantee that the company's budget and deadlines are met;
• orchestrate the various service providers involved in a single project;
• keep a constant watch on competitors' strategies.

The career path of a project manager specializing in Supply Chain

There are several ways to become a project manager. The most difficult is to specialize in Supply Chain.

Supply chain project managers generally come from a business school or management training program. This initial training enables them to develop their interpersonal, project management and leadership skills. They can then specialize in supply chain management, acquiring valuable knowledge in the field.

Why hire a supply chain project manager?

The project manager will quickly become an indispensable member of your team. They bring structure to every assignment and help you optimize your processes. He or she is constantly alert to new political, economic and social issues, and can suggest ways of maintaining your competitive edge.

The Data Scientist, tomorrow's supply chain talent

What is the role of the Data Scientist?

The Data Scientist or Big Data Engineer is a key profile in the Supply Chain of the future. As their name suggests, they work in close proximity to data, collecting, processing and interpreting it.

In concrete terms, they design algorithms that collect and analyze data from the value chain. The Data Scientist translates this data into mathematical problems to propose an optimization solution.

In addition to these highly technical missions, the Data Scientist is a popularizer and advisor. He provides his analyses in an accessible way to his team, and helps them identify performance levers.

The Data Scientist's career path

To become a Data Scientist specialized in Supply Chain, you need at least a Master's degree in computer science, statistics or digital marketing. It is possible to qualify for an assistant position with a BAC+3.

Procemo has identified the 4 essential technical skills needed to become a Data Scientist:

1. mastery of the Hadoop platform for Big Data processing and SQL programming;
2. knowledge of Machine Learning to popularize the data and make it accessible to the rest of the team;
3. knowledge of the challenges of Artificial Intelligence ;
4. programming language skills (Python, R, Java, Julia).

As with other emerging professions, experience is essential for understanding the workings of Supply Chain 4.0. Currently, all sectors, without exception, are recruiting Data Scientists, and there is no shortage of opportunities to gain solid experience.  

Why hire a Data Scientist?

The Data Scientist is an employee who helps the company make the most of the data in the value chain. He or she identifies and interprets the indicators you need to monitor to optimize each link in the chain.  

It should be noted, however, that some of the Data Scientist's tasks tend to be automated. They must therefore consolidate their marketing skills to become unrivalled strategic advisors. He or she will then be able to bring valuable know-how to the company and work in concert with technological tools.  

The customer experience manager, a job that's close to the consumer

What is the role of the customer experience manager?

The customer experience manager is in direct contact with the company's customers. He or she is the intermediary between the end consumer and the various players in the value chain.

This employee manages orders from receipt to delivery, and even afterwards. They ensure that stock levels are sufficient to meet demand. They are also the people customers turn to in the event of complaints, production defects or dissatisfaction.

This job requires complementary skills in communication, organization and computer software. The customer experience manager is the company's showcase, guaranteeing its reputation and building consumer loyalty.

The customer supply chain manager's career path 

The customer manager combines technical skills in supply chain management with soft skills in customer relationship management. There are a number of training courses from Bac+3 to Bac+5 that give access to this position. Above all, companies are looking for people who are aware of supply chain issues and have excellent interpersonal skills.

To find out more about the career prospects, remuneration and working conditions of a customer manager, please consult our full job descriptions.

Why hire a customer experience manager?

The customer experience manager is one of the few employees with a direct link to the end consumer. He or she is the final link in a chain working towards the same goal: customer satisfaction.

A good customer manager is aware of the expectations of today's consumers. They are able to answer their questions about the company's values, its commitment to the environment and the transparency of its processes. He/she advises and assists customers with the aim of building satisfaction and loyalty.

Supply chain resilience expert: a strategic position

What is the role of the supply chain resilience expert?

The supply chain resilience expert anticipates and manages risks at every stage of the value chain. Whether the risks are human, technological or environmental, their expertise enables the company to maintain its level of performance.

Like all the other players in the chain, the resilience expert's priority is customer satisfaction. He is the guarantor of delivery times and the conformity of distributed products. His experience and skills enable him to implement clear action plans to preserve chain efficiency and the customer experience.

The path of the supply chain resilience expert

Supply chain resilience experts master every link in the chain at their fingertips. To be able to anticipate and counter the various disruptions that may occur, he or she generally has several years' experience in the field.

Ideally, the resilience expert has a background in risk management and/or crisis management, and has developed strong communication skills. They are expected to be responsive, creative and conscientious. In the event of a crisis, he or she becomes the conductor of the value chain, and must mobilize every player in the best possible way.

Why hire a supply chain resilience expert?

The supply chain resilience expert is an increasingly sought-after profile in large companies. With the explosion of e-commerce, it has even become indispensable.

Companies are subject to a frenetic pace of production and must satisfy increasingly demanding consumers. This new context exposes all sectors to a multitude of risks: late deliveries, non-compliance, logistical incidents... To maintain a company's reputation and stay ahead of the game, the resilience expert is the key profile.

Conclusion

Emerging professions enable companies to remain competitive in a fast-changing industry. Resilience, transparency and eco-responsibility are the challenges of tomorrow's Supply Chain.

To help you achieve your goals, why not call in the experts? Our consultants Procemo support you in your strategic and operational challenges and are specialized in Supply Chain, Purchasing and Logistics. To find out more, don't hesitate to contact us.