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The differences between supply chain directors and inventory managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a supply chain director and an inventory manager. Additionally, a supply chain director has an average salary of $129,438, which is higher than the $62,768 average annual salary of an inventory manager.
The top three skills for a supply chain director include supply chain, logistics and chain operations. The most important skills for an inventory manager are PET, direct reports, and customer service.
| Supply Chain Director | Inventory Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $129,438 | $62,768 |
| Hourly rate | $62.23 | $30.18 |
| Growth rate | - | -6% |
| Number of jobs | 37,396 | 30,717 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
An inventory manager is responsible for supervising the overall inventory operations, monitoring supplies and materials, and checking the accuracy of data reports from the inventory associates. Inventory managers' duties include validating stock levels using record software tools, determining the availability of stocks for purchase orders, inspecting the incoming and outgoing shipments, and addressing product concerns by communicating with suppliers and third-party vendors. An inventory manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills to handle the staff's performance and manage customers' inquiries and complaints.
Supply chain directors and inventory managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Supply Chain Director | Inventory Manager | |
| Average salary | $129,438 | $62,768 |
| Salary range | Between $90,000 And $185,000 | Between $43,000 And $91,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Chewy | NVIDIA |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Retail |
There are a few differences between a supply chain director and an inventory manager in terms of educational background:
| Supply Chain Director | Inventory Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between supply chain directors' and inventory managers' demographics:
| Supply Chain Director | Inventory Manager | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.1% Female, 16.9% | Male, 69.4% Female, 30.6% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 13.1% Asian, 8.5% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |