What does a supply coordinator do?
A supply coordinator is primarily in charge of overseeing a company's supply chain operations, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. Their responsibilities include gathering and analyzing data to identify and understand the company's needs, coordinating with procurement managers, liaising and negotiating contracts with vendors and suppliers, and monitoring the procedures and arrival of supplies. Furthermore, as a supply coordinator, it is essential to maintain an active communication line with internal and external parties, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.
Supply coordinator responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real supply coordinator resumes:
- Manage five budgets on a PPD, weekly, monthly and quarterly basis.
- Manage the ordering of all community office supplies, furniture, rehabilitation supplies, house stock and chargeable supplies.
- Manage property books and logistics for international inventory replenishment.
- Manage weekly inventory of various products following FDA requirements.
- Maintain supplier records into AS400.
- Prepare reports for the AS400 server.
- Assist circulating nurse in surgery and perform sterile processing duties as necessary.
- Perform payroll and human resource using excel, Kronos, Peoplesoft program.
- Resolve shortage and scheduling issues that may impact the customers JIT warehouse.
- Negotiate vendor's rate and check supplies availability within the Medicaid and Medicare guidelines.
- Deliver and transport daily instrumentation and implants to local hospitals for various types of surgery.
- Coordinate among globally disperse teams to ensure timely development of next generation HIV and HCV drugs for FDA approval.
- Complete patient financial services duties including prior authorization for benefits, Medicare and Medicaid verification, and I-CD-9 and CPT coding.
- Improve logistics management by providing continuity for deployments and re-deployments.
- Take ownership for full implementation of corporate programs and initiatives on merchandising, payroll management, productivity, and associate morale.
Supply coordinator skills and personality traits
We calculated that 20% of Supply Coordinators are proficient in Patients, Customer Service, and Patient Care. They’re also known for soft skills such as Customer service skills, Organizational skills, and Problem-solving skills.
We break down the percentage of Supply Coordinators that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Patients, 20%
Resolve inventory issues and adjust inventory daily based on projected volume of patients visiting our facility.
- Customer Service, 18%
Received commendations from flight commanders for emergency decompression syndrome interventions and level of customer service.
- Patient Care, 10%
Used color codes to visually interpret supplies based on patient need and medical staff usage during patient care.
- Purchase Orders, 7%
Placed purchase orders using established sources for materials and services under category management control or locally sourced.
- Data Entry, 6%
Perform data entry of receipts for inventory and non-inventory.
- Inventory Control, 5%
Trained junior logistics staff in inventory management, procurement, and inventory control practices.
Common skills that a supply coordinator uses to do their job include "patients," "customer service," and "patient care." You can find details on the most important supply coordinator responsibilities below.
Customer service skills. One of the key soft skills for a supply coordinator to have is customer service skills. You can see how this relates to what supply coordinators do because "logisticians must know the needs of their customers in order to coordinate the movement of materials between suppliers and customers." Additionally, a supply coordinator resume shows how supply coordinators use customer service skills: "completed patient financial services duties including prior authorization for benefits, medicare and medicaid verification, and i-cd-9 and cpt coding. "
Organizational skills. Many supply coordinator duties rely on organizational skills. "logisticians must be able to keep detailed records and simultaneously manage several projects in a fast-paced environment.," so a supply coordinator will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways supply coordinator responsibilities rely on organizational skills: "demonstrated excellent multi-tasking, organizational and customer service skills. "
Problem-solving skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of supply coordinators is problem-solving skills. This skill is critical to many everyday supply coordinator duties, as "logisticians must handle unforeseen issues, such as delivery problems, and adjust plans as needed to resolve the issues." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "resolved goods/invoice receipt issues on purchase orders. "
Communication skills. supply coordinator responsibilities often require "communication skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "logisticians need strong communication skills to collaborate with colleagues and do business with suppliers and customers." This resume example shows what supply coordinators do with communication skills on a typical day: "breast and cervical cancer)-scheduling appointments, corresponds with patients via phone/written communications as directed. "
The three companies that hire the most supply coordinators are:
- Johns Hopkins Medicine15 supply coordinators jobs
- Hackensack Meridian Health10 supply coordinators jobs
- Northwell Health4 supply coordinators jobs
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Compare different supply coordinators
Supply coordinator vs. Logistics internship
In a logistics internship, an intern's duties depend on the directives of a supervising staff or manager. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around processing documentation, producing progress reports, maintaining records, updating databases, answering calls and correspondence, disseminating information, and running errands. They may also participate in coordinating deliveries, devise strategies to optimize processes according to schedules, liaise with clients, and participate in preparing presentations. Should there be any problems or concerns, it is essential to report to the manager right away.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a supply coordinator are more likely to require skills like "patients," "customer service," "patient care," and "data entry." On the other hand, a job as a logistics internship requires skills like "supply chain," "logistics intern," "chain management," and "data analysis." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
The education levels that logistics interns earn slightly differ from supply coordinators. In particular, logistics interns are 4.7% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a supply coordinator. Additionally, they're 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Supply coordinator vs. Logistics team member
A logistics team member is an employee who works as part of the logistics team to unload trucks and prepares the new merchandise to be displayed inside the store and stock room. Logistic team members are required to move products from the backroom to the sales floor using forklifts and other proper equipment and techniques. They manage freight flow by collaborating with distribution centers and other logistics team so that they can regulate freight flow and resolve any issues. Logistic team members must also provide excellent customer service by answering questions and assisting them with the merchandise.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that supply coordinator responsibilities requires skills like "patients," "customer service," "patient care," and "purchase orders." But a logistics team member might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "exceptional guest," "quality standards," "pet," and "work ethic."
Logistics team members earn similar levels of education than supply coordinators in general. They're 3.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Supply coordinator vs. Logistics team lead
A logistics team lead is responsible for the management, inspection, and supervision of all the needs of a company or enterprise. They are needed to ensure that the product is properly used and coordinate the delivery, procurement, and shipping of goods. These team members are detail-oriented to ensure that customers are confident that their packages are secure and will be delivered without any hassle. Logistics leaders can often be seen in warehouses, factories, and cargo stores.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a supply coordinator is likely to be skilled in "patients," "patient care," "purchase orders," and "data entry," while a typical logistics team lead is skilled in "excellent interpersonal," "hr," "customer satisfaction," and "safety procedures."
Most logistics team leads achieve a similar degree level compared to supply coordinators. For example, they're 0.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Supply coordinator vs. Logistics planner
A logistics planner is responsible for tracking and monitoring the shipment operations of warehouse and distribution centers. Logistics planners assist with the project management procedures, identifying resources, calculating cost and expenses reports, and the manufacturing timetables. They also coordinate with suppliers and third-party vendors to verify delivery and shipment details and ensure clear and accurate specifics. A logistics planner must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially on data processing procedures and updating product information on the database.
Types of supply coordinator
Updated January 8, 2025
