How to hire a supply chain specialist

How to hire a supply chain specialist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step supply chain specialist hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a supply chain specialist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new supply chain specialist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a supply chain specialist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your supply chain specialist job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a supply chain specialist for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A supply chain specialist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, supply chain specialists from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of supply chain specialist salaries for various roles:

   Type of Supply Chain Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Supply Chain Specialist		$23-49
   Inventory Control Manager	An inventory control manager is a professional who is responsible for directing all tasks related to inventory management of a company. They manage the allocation of materials, supplies, and finished goods as well as design strategies to minimize the cost or time to move goods... Show more	$19-40
   Inventory Manager	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... Show more	$20-43

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Supply Chain
   • Logistics
   • Chain Management
   • Customer Service
   • Continuous Improvement
   • Lean Six Sigma
   • Purchase Orders
   • Supplier Performance
   • Supply Chain Planning
   • Sigma
   • MRP
   • ERP
   • Data Analysis
   • Process Improvement

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage the phase in phase out process for NPI builds.
   • Code macros using VBA in order to automate repetitive tasks.
   • Manage supply operations including purchasing, financial reporting, inventory, organization, and logistics as required by various commands worldwide.
   • Create customized SQL queries for analysis and inventory management on a daily basis.
   • Ensure all detail parts pass QA FAI or reconstruct with alterations.
   • Generate POs to plant in Denmark, follow through until product is received in warehouse.

   More supply chain specialist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your supply chain specialist job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A supply chain specialist can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, supply chain specialists' average salary in alaska is 43% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level supply chain specialists 52% less than senior-level supply chain specialists.
   • Certifications. A supply chain specialist with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a supply chain specialist's salary.

   Average supply chain specialist salary

   $71,414yearly

   $34.33 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level supply chain specialist salary

   $49,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 30, 2025

   Average supply chain specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$89,652	$43
   2	New York	$77,791	$37
   3	Massachusetts	$77,661	$37
   4	North Carolina	$77,088	$37
   5	Virginia	$76,248	$37
   6	Texas	$75,229	$36
   7	Alabama	$74,182	$36
   8	Ohio	$72,693	$35
   9	Pennsylvania	$72,351	$35
   10	Maryland	$71,111	$34
   11	Utah	$71,069	$34
   12	Oklahoma	$70,190	$34
   13	Tennessee	$70,079	$34
   14	Minnesota	$67,197	$32
   15	Illinois	$66,590	$32
   16	Georgia	$66,587	$32
   17	Indiana	$66,014	$32
   18	Florida	$62,929	$30
   19	Oregon	$59,952	$29
   20	Colorado	$58,397	$28

   Average supply chain specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Meta	$120,087	$57.73	26
   2	BP America Inc	$116,259	$55.89
   3	Google	$109,793	$52.79	50
   4	Bunge	$104,047	$50.02
   5	ICONMA	$102,821	$49.43	2
   6	Abiomed	$98,609	$47.41
   7	Bain & Company	$98,461	$47.34
   8	Novo Nordisk	$98,009	$47.12
   9	Patterson Companies	$97,632	$46.94
   10	The Chemours Company	$96,551	$46.42
   11	Arkema	$96,285	$46.29
   12	BCP	$94,905	$45.63
   13	KLA	$94,874	$45.61	4
   14	PVH	$94,328	$45.35
   15	Sony Interactive Entertainment America	$94,159	$45.27
   16	Momentive	$93,890	$45.14	1
   17	Hess	$93,486	$44.95
   18	Florida Power and Light	$92,877	$44.65
   19	The Dow Chemical Company	$92,711	$44.57
   20	Huntsman	$91,940	$44.20	5

4. Writing a supply chain specialist job description

   A supply chain specialist job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a supply chain specialist job description:

   Supply chain specialist job description example

   We are seeking a Supply Chain Specialist to join our federal team based at the Camp Humphrey’s U.S. military site in South Korea . This position will be responsible for managing the supply operations for a high security command center on Camp Humphrey’s. This position requires a TS/SCI clearance so the successful candidate must be able to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI clearance within one year of employment. This is an exciting opportunity to work in a challenging yet rewarding military facility making a true contribution to our nation’s defenses. The successful candidate will be expected to live in South Korea and will be provided with a housing and subsistence allowance. This role is a key business leader as a member of the Camp Humphrey’s Leadership Team for a highly secure facility maintenance and service contract reporting to the project manager. At Johnson Controls, we support our nation’s most critical facilities, the people who occupy them, and the missions they enable. Johnson Controls Federal Systems (JCFS) is a specialized team serving as a trusted partner to the federal government. We help modernize U.S. military installations, Department of Defense and other federal agency facilities to be smarter, more resilient, efficient, sustainable, and secure.
   Benefits: Eligible for benefits on first day of employment
   Vacation: 3 weeks of paid vacation per calendar year
   Travel Required : Limited. Most of the work will be based at this location. As a Supply Chain Specialist , you will: Be responsible for ordering, tracking, receiving, storing, inventory management, and issuance of materials for the project Responsible to identify a supplier network and maintain a relationship with the suppliers Partner with operations team to optimize supplier network utilization and ensure customer satisfaction in support of the project goals and strategic plan Implements supply chain strategies to facilitate the cost-effective flow of materials and products from suppliers to the project site and ultimately through installation Position will have functional responsibility for a purchasing / material planning organization Drive continuous supplier process and performance improvement related to procurement, inventory control, capacity planning and manufacturing strategies Monitors the performance of suppliers, assessing their ability to meet quality and delivery requirements; identifies and qualifies new suppliers in collaboration with other departments. Develops performance metrics both organizational and supply based that drive initiatives to ensure goals are met on schedule. Responsible for compliance to all FAR/DFARs regulations. Works cross-functionally to forge collaborative relationships across all functions to drive best practices Proactively seeks solutions to internal processes and leads change that drives continuous improvement to ensure an efficient and effective order to delivery process Ability to reduce cost and improve efficiency Supports business objectives with supplier risk assessments and development of mitigation activities in conjunction with engineering and manufacturing Process data, identifying problematic areas and drive and execute improvements Design and implements necessary supply chain optimization projects Responsible for coordinating delivery through customs and the military customer Responsible for the control and issue/delivery of high value tools onsite
   
   Required Qualifications:
   
   5+ years of experience in a progressive procurement/sourcing environment or related experience in Supply Chain operations Experience with procurement efforts in a Department of Defense (DOD) contracting environment. Knowledge of FAR and DFAR regulations and the nature of flow down requirements Excellent interpersonal and negotiation skills with a proven ability to create and maintain positive working relationships with vendors, suppliers, shippers, and customers. Strong supervisory and leadership skills. The ability to obtain and maintain a Department of Defense Top Secret/SCI clearance within one year of start of employment required. Active TS/SCI clearance preferred. (This involves a background/character, criminal history, employment, and credit check.) Preferred Qualifications:
   
   Experience with material planning and warehouse operations
   
   Who We Are At Johnson Controls (NYSE:JCI), we are One Team working collaboratively to create purposeful solutions that make a difference in the world. We are a Fortune 500 company with more than 100,000 employees worldwide offering the world`s largest portfolio of building technology products, solutions and services. As a member of our Federal Systems team, your work matters. We value and recognize your contributions and want to help you succeed. We invest in our employees, provide opportunities for growth and advancement, and foster a culture of inclusion and respect. To learn more about who we are and what we do, please check out our Take a Journey video.
   
   Recently, Johnson Controls has been recognized by several organizations for leadership in Environment, Sustainability and Governance, as well as innovations in smart building platforms:
   
   Named to FORTUNE’s “Most Admired Companies” List Corporate Knights Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World Identified as a Sustainalytics Top-Rated ESG Performer for managing material ESG issues Received HRH The Prince of Wales’ inaugural Terra Carta Seal Ranked 67 on the Drucker Institute’s list of best-managed companies in America Named Chairman and CEO George Oliver IoT CEO of the Year for 2022 Johnson Controls is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, protected veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a qualified individual with a disability, or any other characteristic protected by law. For more information, please view EEO is the Law. If you are an individual with a disability and you require an accommodation during the application process, please visit www.johnsoncontrols.com/careers Division: JCFS (Johnson Controls Federal Systems)

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5. Post your job

   To find supply chain specialists for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any supply chain specialists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level supply chain specialists with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your supply chain specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit supply chain specialist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit supply chain specialists, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new supply chain specialist

   Once you've selected the best supply chain specialist candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new supply chain specialist first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a supply chain specialist?