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Supply chain lead skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

Quoted experts

Priya Nagaraj,

Daniel Stanton

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical supply chain lead skills. We ranked the top skills for supply chain leads based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 16.7% of supply chain lead resumes contained supply chain as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a supply chain lead needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 supply chain lead skills for your resume and career

1. Supply Chain

A supply chain is a network or a sequence by which finished products of a company are distributed to retailers and then supplied to the end-users. The distribution of products and services from the production line to the final buyers is carried out in a series of steps including; manufacturing, transportation, and their distribution. The whole supply chain consists of different entities including; manufacturers, transportation, warehouses, suppliers, and retailers. The entities ensure that the products retain their originality while also minimizing the cost of delivery.

Here's how supply chain leads use supply chain:

Handle daily supply chain management activities, including vendor relations, inventory management, procurement, and master data management.
Directed and prioritized improvement projects to build globally integrated supply chain processes, optimizing material and information flows end-to-end.

2. Project Management

Here's how supply chain leads use project management:

Supply project management of high profile builds including all critical and engineered components sourced globally with multiple quality control plan requirements.
Maximized material availability and minimized surplus through strong project management skills.

3. KPIs

Here's how supply chain leads use kpis:

Developed and implemented performance metrics and KPIs to ensure business benefits are realized.
Developed KPIs for inventory management and demand forecasting.

4. Customer Satisfaction

Here's how supply chain leads use customer satisfaction:

Focus on increasing production, minimizing equipment downtime and costs, maximizing overall plant efficiency, and ensuring customer satisfaction.
Coordinated with 175 + locations nationwide on agricultural demand with time sensitive delivery and customer satisfaction as primary goals.

5. HR

HR stands for human resources and is used to describe the set of people who work for a company or an organization. HR responsibilities revolve around updating employee records and carrying out management processes like planning, recruitment, evaluation, and selection processes. HR is a key contributor to any company or organization's growth as they are in charge of hiring the right employees, processing payrolls, conducting disciplinary actions, etc.

Here's how supply chain leads use hr:

Worked with senior management to create HR policies and procedures, develop orientation, training and incentive programs and benefits packages.
Managed personnel records; handled HR generalist workplace issues.

6. ERP

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is computer software used by major corporations and organizations for conducting their management and accounting tasks efficiently. ERP systems bind different business processes with each other allowing smoother flow of data between them resulting in swift project assessment and completion.

Here's how supply chain leads use erp:

Collaborated with division controllers to design and implement internal controls for post ERP implementation for financial processes.
Analyzed existing operations and systems to develop business and functional requirements for financial and manufacturing ERP systems.

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7. Logistics

Logistics is a complete organization and implementation of a problem. Logistics are often considered in a complex business operation, as some works need detailed plannings. Logistics are also used in military action.

Here's how supply chain leads use logistics:

Evaluated the efficiency of unit supply activities and advised the Logistics Manager of potential or actual Command Supply Discipline Program deficiencies.
Led product distribution and logistics, including contract negotiation, carrier qualification and claims management for international and domestic shipments.

8. Continuous Improvement

Continuous improvement is an ongoing process of improvement of products, services, and processes with the help of innovative ideas. It is an organized approach that helps an organization to find its weaknesses and improve them.

Here's how supply chain leads use continuous improvement:

PROFILE: Strategic-thinking Leader, providing team direction and enabling change to achieve organizational objectives through continuous improvement initiatives.
Promoted continuous improvement through strategic planning, aggressive contract negotiations, and detailed change management.

9. Customer Service

Customer service is the process of offering assistance to all the current and potential customers -- answering questions, fixing problems, and providing excellent service. The main goal of customer service is to build a strong relationship with the customers so that they keep coming back for more business.

Here's how supply chain leads use customer service:

Improved overall reliance on inventory integrity to levels required to reduce stock outages and increase customer service performance internally and externally.
Improved business results by developing and providing excellent customer service using marketing principles to resolve customer inquiries and complaint.

10. Chain Management

Here's how supply chain leads use chain management:

Facilitated daily conference call with Global Supply Chain management to discuss equipment, product and customer orders forecast.
Supply Chain management lead for rapid launching of OEM and Aftermarket direct ship scenario.

11. Supply Chain Planning

Here's how supply chain leads use supply chain planning:

Direct, coordinate, assign, monitor and review the work of individuals engaged in supply chain planning related duties
Served as a global supply chain planning leader for new plastics business startup with $5B in global revenue.

12. Lean Six Sigma

Here's how supply chain leads use lean six sigma:

Orchestrated a series of high tempo, high impact Lean Six Sigma Projects for the U.S. Air Force.
Mentored Green Belt candidates through Lean Six Sigma projects.

13. Process Improvement

Here's how supply chain leads use process improvement:

Improved customer and vendor relationships with a combination of strategic engagement events, process improvements, and communication initiatives.
Led the engineering team to drive process improvements in manufacturing that exceeded quality and productivity goals.

14. SCM

Supply chain management can be described as the management of the movement of goods and services, the storage and movement of raw materials. Furthermore, tracking ongoing inventory along with finished goods and placing inventory orders is also part of SCM.

Here's how supply chain leads use scm:

Finalize the bid summary and make recommendations to the Project SCM Lead and/or to the Project Manager for technically acceptable solutions.
Lead person in updating and maintaining all the EBS Financial, Procurement and SCM modules configuration and new feature design documents.

15. Lean Manufacturing

Here's how supply chain leads use lean manufacturing:

Lean manufacturing initiatives that achieved dock to stock delivery system.
Lean manufacturing member, Production Burning team

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What skills help Supply Chain Leads find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What supply chain lead skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Priya Nagaraj

Professor of Economics and Global Business, Website

One of the most important factors is some experience in the industry. An internship working in the logistics or supply chain area is a plus. Sometimes students' internships are not specifically in logistics, in such cases, it helps to have worked on a project in class that mimics real-life situations.

What type of skills will young supply chain leads need?

Daniel Stanton

CEO, Mr. Supply Chain

Of course, supply chain professionals need to understand the basics of logistics, procurement, and operations. But if I had to pick just three skills that I think are going to be critical for supply chain graduates in the years ahead, I'd say 1) Data Analysis, 2) Systems Thinking, and 3) Project Management. The amount of data that's available is growing quickly, and we need people who can access and analyze it. Then, we need to understand what that data means, and how it affects all of the different functions within our supply chains. And finally, in order to use that data to make changes, supply chain professionals need to be able to launch and manage projects effectively.

What technical skills for a supply chain lead stand out to employers?

Jason Hewitt Ph.D.

Lecturer, Pennsylvania State University - Behrend, Erie PA

Zoom for every industry. Industry-specific software is of course important as well. Communication skills, both internally as well as customer facing, are essential in these times of uncertainty.

Do you want to know more?

List of supply chain lead skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a supply chain lead resume and required skills for a supply chain lead to have include:

Supply Chain
Project Management
KPIs
Customer Satisfaction
HR
ERP
Logistics
Continuous Improvement
Customer Service
Chain Management
Supply Chain Planning
Lean Six Sigma
Process Improvement
SCM
Lean Manufacturing
Excellent Interpersonal

Chain Processes
On-Time Delivery
Oracle Ebs
Sigma
Value Stream
Corrective Action
Business Process
Chain Operations
Demand Planning
Inventory Management
Cost Savings
Purchase Orders
Strategic Sourcing
Chain Strategy
MRP
Cost Reduction

Inventory Control
Order Management
Lifecycle Management
BI
Direct Reports
WIP
Performance Metrics
Supplier Quality
Enterprise Resource Planning
Management System
Production Planning
MM
Kanban
EDI

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

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.

Updated January 8, 2025

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