Inventory management specialist vs supply chain director

The differences between inventory management specialists and supply chain directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an inventory management specialist and a supply chain director. Additionally, a supply chain director has an average salary of $129,438, which is higher than the $56,032 average annual salary of an inventory management specialist.

The top three skills for an inventory management specialist include customer service, inventory management system and purchase orders. The most important skills for a supply chain director are supply chain, logistics, and chain operations.

Inventory management specialist vs supply chain director overview

	Inventory Management Specialist	Supply Chain Director
Yearly salary	$56,032	$129,438
Hourly rate	$26.94	$62.23
Growth rate	1%	-
Number of jobs	108,982	37,396
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 38%	Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	6	6

What does an inventory management specialist do?

An inventory management specialist is responsible for maintaining the adequacy of stock supplies to support customers' needs. Inventory management specialists help develop inventory processes and strategies to keep the supplies organized and free of any defects while on storage. They also monitor inventory costs and process orders through various software tools, requiring them to have a working knowledge of computer systems and the ability to operate warehouse equipment and machinery on moving merchandise around the warehouse.

What does a supply chain director do?

A supply chain director is primarily in charge of the overall supply chain operations in a company. Their responsibilities revolve around devising strategies to improve processes, creating business plans and sales forecasts, delegating tasks, coordinating and selecting suppliers and vendors, creating new supply chain policies when necessary, and spearheading the inventory and delivery processes. There are also instances when a supply chain director must report to higher-ranking officials, produce progress reports, and craft presentations. Furthermore, as a director, it is essential to lead the workforce while implementing the company's policies and regulations.

Inventory management specialist vs supply chain director salary

Inventory management specialists and supply chain directors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Inventory Management Specialist	Supply Chain Director
Average salary	$56,032	$129,438
Salary range	Between $38,000 And $81,000	Between $90,000 And $185,000
Highest paying City	Tracy, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Maryland	Washington
Best paying company	NVIDIA	Chewy
Best paying industry	Government	Hospitality

Differences between inventory management specialist and supply chain director education

There are a few differences between an inventory management specialist and a supply chain director in terms of educational background:

	Inventory Management Specialist	Supply Chain Director
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 38%	Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Stanford University	Stanford University

Inventory management specialist vs supply chain director demographics

Here are the differences between inventory management specialists' and supply chain directors' demographics:

	Inventory Management Specialist	Supply Chain Director
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 66.2% Female, 33.8%	Male, 83.1% Female, 16.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 7.4% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 8.8% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	10%	10%

Differences between inventory management specialist and supply chain director duties and responsibilities

Inventory management specialist example responsibilities.

Plan, purchase and manage various commodities through the use of various MRP systems.
Experience decision-maker in high-pressure environments; efficiently manage vital decision points autonomously to ensure mission accomplishment in multiple combat deployments.
Scan product bins with RF scanner for refills.
Update the department's inventory with the RF scanner.
Update on hand counts to ensure accurate ordering through the POS system.
Create purchase requisitions base on MRP recommendations, as well as external factors.

Supply chain director example responsibilities.

Manage the NPI function from sourcing to production in low cost regions.
Lead DC improvements including cross-docking, order handling automation, re-slotting, bar coding and WMS.
Manage procurement method (contract, kanban, PO, consignment) as well as stocking/inventory parameters.
Manage``Pluto"( NPI) launch in NA, balancing between factory ramp-up, sales / customer expectations.
Attain ISO certifications and environmental stewardship.
Lead the development of integrate ERP processes require to support consign inventory initiatives.

Inventory management specialist vs supply chain director skills

Common inventory management specialist skills

Customer Service, 23%
Inventory Management System, 15%
Purchase Orders, 7%
Sales Floor, 5%
Stock Merchandise, 5%
Safety Standards, 5%

Common supply chain director skills

Supply Chain, 20%
Logistics, 9%
Chain Operations, 7%
Continuous Improvement, 5%
Chain Management, 4%
Supply Chain Planning, 3%

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Inventory Management Specialist
Inventory Management Specialist vs Supply Chain Director

Updated January 8, 2025

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