Supply Chain, Procurement and Logistics job titles

It's clear that position titles can vary massively from one company to the next.

At Jobsinsupplychain, we have taken time out to consider listing the most commonly used titles across supply chain, logistics and procurement. The purpose of this is to ensure you are aware of every possible connotation of role title pertaining to your area of responsibility.

For a comprehensive list of position titles in supply chain, procurement and logistics jobs visit Jobsinsupplychain.com.au.

Who are the best Supply Chain and Procurement Recruiters?

Save yourself time and get the best possible results

This article will outline how to identify the most credible supply chain recruiters out there in the market, ensuring you work with the best consultants who can find you the perfect job.
First and foremost, there wont be any naming of agencies or a ranking list! The reason for this is simple.... One supply chain recruitment agency may be well equipped with the consultants and client base to meet the requirements of a particular candidate from a given location working in a specific sector, however this doesn't automatically mean all supply chain candidates should engage with them. Certain agencies perform very well within niche industry sectors or at particular levels of management, whereas other can be really well entrenched within the supply chain market of Sydney (for instance) but not necessarily on a national scale.
Add to this the fact that there may be varying levels of expertise of consultants even within the same agency and it can become a rather daunting prospect of who to engage with first.
OK - so how can we ascertain who are the best consultants to meet your own aspirations?
This decision is made easier by taking the time to identify the types of roles, industry sectors and location that you are interested in - Already you have narrowed the field to a number of key players so what's next?
A good way to find out who plays in your space is to conduct a job search on a career site with your desired job title and location. You may see one particular recruitment company has a number of roles advertised that closely match your desired criteria. The next step is to see if there is a particular consultant at that company who is consistently advertising these types of roles.
It is important to state at this stage that your level of seniority will dictate how useful this exercise may be. For instance, Director/VP level positions tend not to be regularly advertised and therefore may fall into the search and selection domain. Even senior managerial roles tend not to be frequently advertised, and it becomes harder to identify specialists as they may only be advertising one or two vacancies at a given time.
Don't be afraid to leverage your network. If you are aware of ex colleagues or friends who work in a similar space, you should ask their opinion wherever possible - especially if they have recently changed positions. This advice could save you a great deal of time in identifying who to approach to handle your career search.
Of course, much of this advice assumes you haven't already been engaging with recruiters in your current role. If you have been fortunate enough to have enlisted the services of specialist recruitment consultancies to find you candidates for openings within your department or immediate team, then you may already have a good idea of who performed well, understood the brief, and presented the best shortlisted candidates. Better still, you are most likely working with these companies as they bring a strong understanding of your industry sector (FMCG, Heavy industry, Logistics etc)
By browsing career sites, running some well crafted Google searches, seeking advice from your immediate network and potentially using your own experience of engaging recruiters, you should now have something approaching a shortlist of agencies to approach.
Most specialist agencies will have a team of consultants who manage particular areas or industry sectors within supply chain, some deployed to certain geographical locations and others working on roles within set salary brackets. Usually there will be one consultant who recruits roles that meet your set criteria, however depending on your salary expectations and sectors of choice it may be beneficial to engage with another consultant within that agency. Executive Search firms tend to be structured in divisions by industry rather than functional specialty.
Before submitting your details to a recruitment consultant (either in application for a particular role or in order to become registered with them) you should call them to introduce yourself and ask a few questions to ascertain their level of expertise and track record. If you have noticed a particular role advertised by the consultant then this provides a good point of reference for the conversation.
Prior to the conversation, you could always browse the recruiter's public Linkedin profile to see how long they have worked in their current role and in this particular field.
Take a few moments to tell them about your current/most recent role, why you are looking, and the type of positions you are interested in. If the call is in relation to a particular role then the following questions should provide you with a clearer idea of the credibility and expertise of the recruiter:
1. Tell me some more about the company/business unit - number of employees, turnover, challenges, company culture etc.
2. The role - what are the expectations of the employer? Key deliverables - how is success measured? How is the role integrated into the team/department? Reason for the vacancy?
3. What is the manager like? What's their style?
4. Have you met with the hiring manager?
5. Are you the sole recruiter assigned to this vacancy?
6. Where is the process up to?
IMPORTANT - do not under any circumstances call a recruitment consultant and attempt to ask a list of questions if you have haven't previously engaged with them. The best approach is to:
A) Check the consultant has a few minutes to talk - imagine..... a recruitment consultant who has 10 roles advertised may have received 40+ applications per role and is therefore receiving a high number of calls and could be interviewing more than half a dozen candidates per day.
B) Introduce yourself and by opening up to the recruitment consultant and sharing this confidential information you are now entitled to hear more about the vacancy.
Clearly you may not be required to ask all of the questions outlined above if the consultant demonstrates a really strong appreciation of the company and the current vacancy. If you feel comfortable with the level of information provided and the consultant feels your experience fits the requirements of the role then the next step would be to meet in person.
On the other hand, you may literally have just decided to consider your future career options and have been recommended a particular recruiter or have noticed a number of roles advertised by the consultant. The initial call would then be slightly different in context:
A) Explain the reason for the call - recommendation/seen a number of roles advertised, then briefly introduce yourself and outline your current position and what is leading you to consider your options.
B) Ask the consultant about the types of roles they typically work on - management level, industry sector, how frequently do they work on matching assignments (this is critical as it may not be worth investing too much time in a relationship with a consultant who only works on two assignments per year that meet your desired criteria). Another good questions to ask them is regarding the current state of the market - is it competitive? Which sectors are hiring? Are people looking to move?
Again, be polite and courteous and try not to interrogate the consultant! If they are able to provide you with some really good examples of recent/current assignments that fall inline with your aspirations then clearly there are grounds to facilitate a face to face meeting. However if they worked on a matching role 7 months ago then you may wish to keep an arms length relationship and spend your time establishing more valuable relationships.
Having spoken to your shortlisted recruitment companies/consultants you will now have a more refined shortlist of who to meet "in person". No recruitment consultancy can (or will) profess to be working with every client in the market, however by selecting 3 to 4 well established agencies, you are guaranteed to have a really good level of market coverage.
When you do finally meet with your shortlisted consultants, this is a great opportunity to talk through your experience and core competencies in finer detail and outline your aspirations. A good consultant will be able to manage your expectations based on their own experience of candidates of similar situations and experience levels, coupled with hindsight of shortlist presentation and interview processes on past assignments matching your career aspirations.
It's always a good idea to set some parameters for how the relationship will be managed going forward - frequency and method of communication is a great one to agree on at this stage. Sometimes it's better to drop a consultant an e-mail to arrange a convenient time to talk, other consultants may prefer to touch base once per week on a set day. The same can be said from your side - if you find it really hard to answer the phone during work hours then inform the consultant of the best way to reach you - is it by text or calling after 5,30pm?
This is especially critical if the consultant is attempting to organise an interview on your behalf with a client and is under pressure to confirm the details.
In any case, agreeing upon this early in the relationship will reduce the chances of either party being disappointed along the way.
These tips are designed to save you time and hopefully ensure you get better results quickly with less effort. The best relationships are those that foster longevity - it is not uncommon for a recruitment consultant to successfully assist a candidate to transition into a new role more than once in their career.
Good luck ...and by taking some time to research and screen your initial recruitment options based on the advice in this article, I am positive you will see some good results and meet some outstanding people!

Living and working abroad

Article from Jobsinsupplychain's International Partner - People in Procurement

Advice for procurement, purchasing, supply chain and logistics professionals considering living and working in another country from our international partners People in Procurement.
To check on requirements in order to live and work in The UK, please click here for an online guide. 

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/do-you-need-a-visa/  or

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/working/

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/migrantworkers/index.htm

If you want to check your eligibility to live and work in The European Union, please check here:
http://www.workpermit.com/european_union/european_union.htm

If you want to check your eligibility for Switzerland, please check here:

http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/specials/switzerland_how_to/work_life/Work_permits.html?cid=29191706

If you are considering applying for Procurement, Purchasing or Supply Chain roles in The USA and are not a citizen of The United States of America, there is useful advice on this site:

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/

If you are a citizen of The United States of America and are considering working abroad, here's a link to The U.S Department of State website:

http://www.state.gov/m/fsi/tc/79765.htm

Advice for foreign nationals considering moving to Canada to live and work:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/index.asp or

http://www.job-hunt.org/international-job-search/Canada/canada-immigration-rules.shtml

Considering living and working in Singapore? Click here for official guidance on how to do it: 

http://www.contactsingapore.sg/professionals/visas_and_passes/for_employment/

Official Chinese Government advice on living and working in The People's Republic of China.

http://english.gov.cn/service/working.htm

Please remember that although highly skilled Procurement, Purchasing and Supply Chain professionals are in high-demand globally you cannot assume that you can work in a foreign country without first checking your eligibility. There is no substitute for expert advice and these links are provided for guidance only. If in doubt seek the advice of a local employment or migration expert or speak to the embassy representing your target country.

For Australian Supply Chain recruitment advice, e-mail jhilton@jobsinsupplychain.com.au

Finding a job in Supply Chain

Supply Chain Job Seeking 

This article was published on JobsinSupplyChain and covers off all the key tips you need to be aware of for finding Supply Chain jobs and securing your next career move.

Visit the article for tips on how to develop your career in supply chain. 

Writing an outstanding procurement resume

Procurement resume writing tips

I wrote this article specifically for Procurement practitioners to help them define the layout and content and develop a really outstanding procurement resume.

On JobsinProcurement you can find the latest Procurement jobs from Australia's leading employers and recruiters in addition to Procurement career news and resources.

Supply Chain Career Site Launched

Well... as we head into an extended weekend for the Easter break, I am really pleased that JobsinSupplyChain has finally now been launched to and is generating a good level of traffic already.

The new site brings practitioners from all areas of supply chain the latest news, career resources and job opportunities from a host of leading employers and recruiters. The unique aspect of JobsinSupplyChain is the site network of three specific niche areas to cover Supply Chain, Procurement and Operations individually.
Each network site brings professionals from that area bespoke news, jobs, career articles and industry information as well as a dedicated fortnightly newsletter crammed with the latest industry news and jobs.

JobsinProcurement is hosted on it's own domain is geared towards procurement, purchasing and sourcing professionals in Australia and New Zealand. JobsinOperations is the third part of the site network targeted specifically to logistics and manufacturing professionals.

Job seekers can easily register and set up jobs by e-mail alerts to hear about the latest and best vacancies the day they are posted. Featured career articles and job opportunities are promoted to our social media groups such as Linkedin  , Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Job seekers who register for alerts before April 30th 2013 automatically go into our prize draw for $200 of Westfield vouchers.

Employers/recruiters are welcomed to put forward thought leadership articles and there are some great opportunities for employment brand leverage to the supply chain, procurement and operations communities.

For enquiries about JobsinSupplyChain please contact Jon-Paul Hilton on 0061292733649 or jhilton@jobsinsupplychain.com.au

What is Supply Chain Management and the role of the Supply Chain Manager?

Robert Handfield Director of SCRC, Bank of America and University Distinguished Professor of Supply Chain Management believes that the concept of Supply Chain Management is based on two ideas:

"The first is that practically every product that reaches an end user represents the cumulative effort of multiple organizations. These organizations are referred to collectively as the supply chain. 

The second idea is that while supply chains have existed for a long time, most organizations have only paid attention to what was happening within their “four walls.” Few businesses understood, much less managed, the entire chain of activities that ultimately delivered products to the final customer. The result was disjointed and often ineffective supply chains.
Supply Chain management, then, is the active management of supply chain activities to maximize customer value and achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. It represents a conscious effort by the supply chain firms to develop and run supply chains in the most effective & efficient ways possible. Supply chain activities cover everything from product development, sourcing, production, and logistics, as well as the information systems needed to coordinate these activities.
The organizations that make up the supply chain are “linked” together through physical flows and information flows. Physical flows involve the transformation, movement, and storage of goods and materials. They are the most visible piece of the supply chain. But just as important are information flows. Information flows allow the various supply chain partners to coordinate their long-term plans, and to control the day-to-day flow of goods and material up and down the supply chain."

If we simplify this further, Supply Chain Management could be deemed to include all the activities that must take place to get the right product into the right consumer’s hands in the right quantity and at the right time – from raw materials extraction to consumer purchase.
Supply Chain Management focuses on planning and forecasting, purchasing, product assembly, moving, storage, distribution, sales and customer service. Throughout this chain of events, a company may control and effect all the elements of a supply chain once the finished good has been manufactured or purchased, or they may wish to outsource bespoke activities to specialist organisations. Third party logistics providers specialise in the storage, picking and transportation of goods either to a B2B client (e.g. from a textile manufacturer to a retailer) or direct to consumer (e.g. from a warehouse to a customer's home or office).
Some companies choose to outsource their entire logistics operations to a third party whilst others prefer to run certain key operations themselves and only outsource a specific component to a specialist organisation.

What is the role of a Supply Chain Manager?

Having already considered what the key elements of Supply Chain Management are, it follows that an appointed Supply Chain Manager within a given business effectively leads a broad variety of areas within the Supply Chain function. 

Indeed, the Supply Chain Manager can have a tremendous impact on the overall success of an organisation. Every company that specialises in the manufacture and/or delivery of a physical product to an end client would like to do this in the most cost effective way possible whilst meeting the customer's requirements. Running a "Lean" Supply Chain successfully requires the Supply Chain Manager to be "the glue" and successfully navigate stakeholder relationships around a business to determine what products are required and when to meet the customer's demand. 

By effectively engaging with the sales force and the end customers (and through technological enabled visibility), the Supply Chain Manager is able to monitor product flows and collaboratively respond to potential delivery problems.

Of course this is a straight forward way of looking at Supply Chain Management and the larger the organisation, the greater the scope of the Supply Chain and hence more complexity may arise, especially when Supply Chain Management takes on a regional or global dynamic.

Supply Chain Management can be a really rewarding career path offering the opportunity to work with most departments within an organisation to drive efficiencies and ensure the business operates profitably whilst limiting it's exposure to working capital. Tangible results are highly satisfying and a Supply Chain Manager enjoys having a major impact over the ability of the business to meet the customer's expectations, thus increasing sales and reduce operating costs. 

Salary Negotiations

Salary negotiations

This article is predominantly focussed on the critical part of the journey towards being offered and accepting your next role. You will however, be able to leverage some of the tips below when negotiating at salary review time.

No matter how comfortable an individual may be with negotiating a successful deal at work, or buying a new car, the thought of negotiating their own salary either during an employment selection process or at salary review time can be a cause for considerable concern. You are most likely presented with one opportunity, during which you state your position and attempt to achieve the best possible outcome. If things go perfectly your expectations will be met (or even better, exceeded) or in the worst case scenario the prospective employer finds your demands to be unreasonable and negotiations break down irreversibly.

Here we explore the methods behind ensuring the negotiation process gets the right result:

What are you worth?

This is very important to establish prior to applying for your next role. How does your current level of remuneration compare to what is currently happening in the market for similar role profiles and levels of experience? Explore salary checkers, speak to recruitment consultants and harness the power of our network where possible to find out what similar level roles are currently paying.

Seek out relevant opportunities

Now that you are clear about what your expectations are (financially) for your next role, the search is on to uncover opportunities that meet your requirements. Of course you will be clear in your own mind about these ‘parameters’, however if you are engaging with specialist recruitment consultants it is imperative that you outline your expectations early on in the process. Assuming the recruiter understands your aspirations and the types of roles and organisations that could be an optimum fit, a benchmark level of remuneration expectations will ensure you are contacted regarding positions on the right pay scale.

If you have sourced an opportunity yourself through your network or have applied to a position directly with an employer then it is likely that the employer will be keen to establish your expectations prior to inviting you for an interview. Key points to remember:

·         Try to avoid discussing salary until you have a job offer. It is certainly important to understand what the role is paying so get the employer to disclose the remuneration details before you do.

·         When pushed to disclose your salary, focus on expectations and even then you should try and counter that with a question to uncover the client’s desired pay scale for the position.

·         Be clear on all the elements of your desired package – if you expect health care, gym membership, shares and stock options then tell the employer. If they are not offered by the employer then they will have to be compensated in a different way.  

·         If the word ‘package’ is mentioned by the employer, ensure you have a clear breakdown of the fixed level components i.e. Base salary, car allowance, superannuation, health care, annual leave loading etc. You may discover that a significant portion of the package is made up of a highly geared bonus that is indexed around overall company performance.

·         Establishing rapport with the employer from the point of first contact will make the experience more enjoyable for both parties.

The interview process

The steps above outline the setting the tone for the ‘face to face’ parts of the selection process. Let’s consider that both you and the employer have established that there are now grounds to meet in person. It goes without saying that in order to secure an exciting opportunity and a pay rise you will need to sell yourself to the best of our ability during an interview. Instead, let’s focus on a couple of key points to remember for when those interviews take place:

·         Be consistent – if you are asked to confirm your salary expectations during an interview then this MUST be in-line with what you have previously communicated throughout the process. It doesn’t look good when your expectations suddenly increase from one stage to the next without a really valid and well thought-out reason. 

·         Don’t become irritated if the employer asks to re-confirm your salary expectations. There could be new stakeholders involved in the process who have genuinely not been provided with this information.

·         You may, when prompted, outline your involvement in other interview processes and at what stage of proceedings these currently stand. This will provide the employer with a clearer view of which candidates they are potentially at risk of losing from the interview process. Avoid being too aggressive by outlining this at the start of an interview. Sell yourself and ultimately win over the client before broaching the issue.

Congratulations – you’ve been made an offer!

Most employment offers are made after the final interview has taken place and the necessary background checks and testing has been completed. If you find yourself being offered a job during the final interview, try not to get caught up in the experience by being too impulsive and accepting on the spot. Be courteous and polite, thank them for the offer and communicate you will be keen to review the offer in writing and digest the entire situation.

When you have received the written offer letter/contract through:

·         Consider all aspects of the offer – both monetary and non-monetary. This is especially important for opportunities whereby you may be relocating or if you are considering moving into the NFP or public sector. Write down all the pros and cons associated with the role and company, and furthermore work/life balance, commuting distance and costs, industry sector, professional development etc. Each aspect requires a weighting based on your own values.

·         Take your time – you have demonstrated throughout the process why you are the best candidate for the role, now take the weekend or a couple of days to make the right decision.

What if the offer doesn’t meet your expectations?

It could well be that the sum total of the package on offer falls short of what you were expecting. Avoid any emotional reflex of calling to discuss the offer if you are particularly angry or feel hard done by. Reflect, and analyse the components that are potentially missing and write a list of possible options that could make up the shortfall.

If the offer was made via a recruitment agent then it is important they understand your exact positioning in this regard. The conditions towards which the offer will be accepted should be crystal clear, and you should obtain an understanding of what elements are non-negotiable.   

When receiving an offer via an employer that you deem unsatisfactory, try to arrange a face to face meeting. You should already have developed significant rapport during the interview process and this demonstrates your commitment to driving a successful outcome. If this is not an option then decide on the best form of communication. Stay positive and reinforce your enthusiasm for the role and company throughout.

Once you have arrived at a point that signifies ‘the final offer’ when all negotiations have been completed, it’s decision time!

If you are happy to accept the offer, request the contract through to double check on everything that was agreed.

Conversely, if the final offer still falls short of expectations then decline gracefully and thank the employer for their time and investment in the process. You never know if further down the track a more senior opportunity may come up that meets all your requirements!

 

Knowing when is the right time to move jobs.....

Here is an interesting article from the people at Supply Chain Quarterly on making the "should I stay or should I go" career decision.....

http://www.supplychainquarterly.com/columns/20121217-should-i-stay-or-should-i-go/

5 Supply Chain Predictions For 2013

Great article from Forbes (published on Supply Chain Management) regarding the trends in how supply chains will evolve and be driven forward during 2013.

5 Supply Chain Predictions For 2013 - Article from Supply Chain Management Review

How can I increase my chances of landing my dream job in 2013?

OK - we have explored social media platforms and how you can really harness their power to make them work for you........ next is my honest advice from a recruitment consultant perspective having managed the career search of hundreds of candidates in the supply chain space.

The harsh reality is that you really need to invest some time in the following areas in order to maximise your chances of being approached about or finding that dream supply chain job...........

First things first.... update your resume! Do not leave resume writing until the last minute... tailoring the resume towards a specific application is fine, however large scale creative writing at short notice doesn't usually get the best results. Get your main achievements and responsibilities down on paper and quantify them wherever possible as this adds a great deal of credibility.

Next, meet with a handful of select recruiters in your space. I would recommend no more than 4-5 since you will then start to notice consultants calling you about the same opportunities and it becomes harder to manage. Build the rapport and ensure that the recruiter knows exactly what you are looking for... more importantly, make sure the recruiter knows their space! They will then be working hard in the background to keep you updated on the best opportunities.

Next up is your Linkedin profile.... if you haven't updated it in a few months then think about adding your newly acquired skills or significant achievements. Try to envisage what keywords someone would be searching on to land the best candidate for your ideal role - make sure all these key words feature in your profile. More specific to supply chain, an example would be to think about specific ERP systems you have worked with and any continuous improvement or project management methodologies you have become experienced (and accredited) in. Attach yourself to a number of relevant networking groups to increase the visibility of your profile and start to follow the businesses that interest you the most. Most people are tentative towards putting their ideas out to the world straight away, so maybe ease yourself into things by sharing interesting articles and providing a brief comment on your thoughts. 

Finally, register for e-mail job alerts on specific job boards and make them work for you. I can guarantee from experience, if you put in the effort front end... you will be able to relax and go about your corporate and personal life without having to devote a significant amount of time every week towards managing your own career search. If you require any further advice, feel free to make contact with any specific questions you may have.

Linkedin for the Supply Chain job seeker

Coming from a supply chain recruitement perspective, Linkedin is a very important way to keep in touch with the local (as well as interstate and international) supply chain community.

Whenever I meet a new candidate who asks "what are the key things I need to do in order to tap into the supply chain job network?".... the answer is one which is vastly different to 5 years ago due to the advent of social media, and also the mobile optimisation of most of the leading job boards and recruitment websites. Print media has lost significant market share with regards to job advertising and there are infinitely more online opportunities to network with industry influencers. Having a complete Linkedin profile and a solid network is really important for the passive candidate who simply doesn't have the time to scour the internet for job opportunities, but would still like to be updated when interesting opportunities arise that may fit their own aspirations. This article provides a head hunter's perspective on effective Linkedin strategies to harness the power of the network and make it work for you.....


http://www.myjobthoughts.com/5-linkedin-strategies-to-uncover-the-hidden-job-market/

Using Social Media for your job search

I read an interesting article recently that highlighted how social media platforms can be used to create career opportunities. Despite there being some very credible advice towards using all the tools at your disposal, I feel the jury is still out on using Facebook in this way. Most individuals are keen to maintain privacy around their own job seeker status, therefore disclosing that you are seeking a new opportunity is risky business. There is however, a great deal of value in growing your reputation as a subject matter expert, industry influencer and generally putting your point across through Linkedin groups, forums etc. which takes up significantly less time than attending industry body events for the time-conscious supply chain professional of 2013.....

http://www.bestjobseeker.com/who-what-how-using-social-media-to-help-your-job-search.php