Hunter Campbell’s Mastering Supply Chain Series profiles roles within the Supply Chain job family including jobs in demand, salaries, and employment prospects.
In this article, the role of Supply Chain Manager is in the spotlight.
Purpose of the role
The Supply Chain Manager’s role largely focuses on managing the plan, source, deliver, and return functions. Their overall purpose is to ensure that the supply chain strategy aligns with the business strategy. Depending on how the business chooses to compete in the market, the supply chain is designed to support that direction and aims to add maximum value across the entire value chain. Essentially, they manage how products move from creation to the customer, ensuring everything runs at peak efficiency by eliminating inefficiencies and optimising processes. Supply Chain Managers often monitor the functions under their responsibility using key metrics that are reviewed on a weekly or monthly basis. This analysis provides insights into inefficiencies and allows for timely adjustments to optimise the supply chain. Although they interact across the organisation, Supply Chain Managers develop critical working relationships with sales, manufacturing, and IT/systems.
Recruitment Forecast 2025
Supply Chain Manager’s role encompasses multiple functions that together provide stability and continuity for an organisation—and this won’t change in 2025! However, the role continues to evolve, adapting to new technologies, global impacts on supply chains, shifting regulations and an overarching need for agility. Looking back on 2024 can give us some clues for what to expect in 2025. Last year, New Zealand faced a recession, leading to dips in sales and revenue. Many organisations responded with cost-cutting, reducing headcount, pausing
projects and capital expenditure. Today’s environment, marked by economic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions, has highlighted the vulnerability of some supply chains. For New Zealand—often seen as the “last bus stop on the planet”—this exposure is especially pronounced. Many businesses are realising they are overextended in key areas of their value chain and are under-resourced in terms of talent. This landscape, however, creates excellent career opportunities for supply chain professionals in both corporate and SME sectors. It’s a positive time to be a Supply Chain Manager!
Some General KPIs Include:
- DIFOT (delivery in full on time)
- Planning accuracy across the S&OP process
- Inventory record accuracy including SLOB (slow-moving and obsolete) management
- Warehouse order performance
- Case fill
- Freight cost per ton
- Supplier on time delivery
Every dollar saved across the value chain adds directly to the bottom line, making it essential to get it right for a business’ success. A Supply Chain Manager plays a pivotal role in driving that success, influencing every aspect of the supply chain, including:
- Sourcing
- Procurement/purchasing
- Inventory management
- Distribution/logistics
- Customer service
- Planning/S&OP/IBP
- WMS/ERP integration
Key Skills and Qualifications Required
There are a number of core skills required by a Supply Chain Manager to lead complex supply chains. It would be fair to say a complementary mix of EQ and IQ is a winning combination along with the skills listed below, which by no means covers them all.
These skills can be broken into two key areas:
Technical skills that include:
- A tertiary education in supply chain, business,
commerce, maths, operational science or statistics is an
advantage - An affinity for technology, within an ERP/WMS
framework - A working knowledge in warehouse, distribution, and logistics management
- Lean and CI tools
- Planning within an IBP/S&OP framework
- And increasingly, an understanding of driving sustainability through the supply chain
Non-technical skills that include:
- The ability to lead teams, often across multiple sites and across regions
- Clear communication and influencing skills
- Conflict management
- The ability to translate complex information
How to become a Supply Chain Manager
There are many paths to becoming a Supply Chain Manager, with no single formal qualification or set educational route. Unlike roles like Financial Controller, which often require a commercial degree and CA qualification, the path to Supply Chain Manager is more varied. Some individuals gain their experience in freight, warehousing, or distribution, while others advance through planning roles in demand, supply, or S&OP. Still, others may come from a procurement or commercial management background. One of the greatest advantages of a career in supply chain is this flexibility—the ability to progress through different levels and specialties to reach a managerial role. Gaining as much exposure as possible to various supply chain disciplines will broaden your expertise and ultimately make you a more effective Supply Chain Manager.
Salary guide
This information is anecdotal and based on roles Hunter Campbell is currently recruiting or has previously recruited and relate to base salaries. They do not include any additional bonuses or benefits. The size of an organisation will often determine the scope and scale of the Supply Chain Manager’s responsibilities. This is directly reflected in remuneration and title, whether that be Supply Chain Manager/GM Supply Chain or Supply Chain Director. In addition, Supply Chain Managers are often bonused on achievement of KPIs.
- Supply Chain Manager: $150,000 – $220,000
- GM Supply Chain: $220,000 – $300,000
- Supply Chain Director: +$300,000
In New Zealand, SMEs make up a significant portion of businesses. In these smaller companies, it’s common for a Supply Chain Manager to take a hands-on approach, engaging in both tactical and operational activities. Their responsibilities may span warehousing, distribution, transport, purchasing, and planning. In larger organisations, a Supply Chain Manager may oversee multiple direct reports, such as the DC Manager, Planning/S&OP Manager, Purchasing/Procurement Manager, and Transport/Freight Manager. Additionally, large companies with complex global supply chains might have several Supply Chain Managers handling specific areas, all reporting to a Supply Chain Director.This naturally raises the question: “What comes next after a role as Supply Chain Manager, GM, or Director?” With the business insight, leadership, and wide-ranging expertise that Supply Chain Managers acquire, they are well-prepared to step into general management, commercial roles, or even advance to a Chief Operations Officer position.
If you would like to find out more about the role of Supply Chain Manager, please contact Senior Consultant Wayne Fry. Wayne specialises in the recruitment of Supply Chain, Procurement & Operations roles. For more news and views visit our website by clicking here, see what opportunities we have available here or follow us on LinkedIn.
