What does a Supply Chain Manager do?

According to people in this career, the main tasks are...

TaskImportance
Determine appropriate equipment and staffing levels to load, unload, move, or store materials.
84%
Manage activities related to strategic or tactical purchasing, material requirements planning, controlling inventory, warehousing, or receiving.
84%
Select transportation routes to maximize economy by combining shipments or consolidating warehousing and distribution.
82%
Develop procedures for coordination of supply chain management with other functional areas, such as sales, marketing, finance, production, or quality assurance.
81%
Define performance metrics for measurement, comparison, or evaluation of supply chain factors, such as product cost or quality.
81%
Implement new or improved supply chain processes to improve efficiency or performance.
81%
Confer with supply chain planners to forecast demand or create supply plans that ensure availability of materials or products.
81%
Analyze inventories to determine how to increase inventory turns, reduce waste, or optimize customer service.
81%
Negotiate prices and terms with suppliers, vendors, or freight forwarders.
81%
Analyze information about supplier performance or procurement program success.
80%
Monitor suppliers' activities to assess performance in meeting quality or delivery requirements.
79%
Design or implement supply chains that support business strategies adapted to changing market conditions, new business opportunities, or cost reduction strategies.
79%
Meet with suppliers to discuss performance metrics, to provide performance feedback, or to discuss production forecasts or changes.
79%
Monitor forecasts and quotas to identify changes and predict effects on supply chain activities.
73%
Participate in the coordination of engineering changes, product line extensions, or new product launches to ensure orderly and timely transitions in material or production flow.
72%
Design or implement plant warehousing strategies for production materials or finished products.
72%
Identify or qualify new suppliers in collaboration with other departments, such as procurement, engineering, or quality assurance.
72%
Design, implement, or oversee product take back or reverse logistics programs to ensure products are recycled, reused, or responsibly disposed.
71%
Develop or implement procedures or systems to evaluate or select suppliers.
68%
Document physical supply chain processes, such as workflows, cycle times, position responsibilities, or system flows.
67%
Forecast material costs or develop standard cost lists.
67%
Diagram supply chain models to help facilitate discussions with customers.
67%
Evaluate and select information or other technology solutions to improve tracking and reporting of materials or products distribution, storage, or inventory.
66%
Identify opportunities to reuse or recycle materials to minimize consumption of new materials, minimize waste, or to convert wastes to by-products.
66%
Design or implement supply chains that support environmental policies.
65%
Review or update supply chain practices in accordance with new or changing environmental policies, standards, regulations, or laws.
65%
Locate or select biodegradable, non-toxic, or other environmentally friendly raw materials for manufacturing processes.
62%
Appraise vendor manufacturing capabilities through on-site observations or other measurements.
56%
Conduct or oversee the conduct of life cycle analyses to determine the environmental impacts of products, processes, or systems.
53%
Investigate or review the carbon footprints and environmental performance records of current or potential storage and distribution service providers.
50%