As a supply chain manager, you will be tasked with identifying, acquiring, and managing all of the resources your business may require in order to operate. Supply chain management can be a fairly complex discipline, as you may be responsible for over half of all of your organization's total expenditures, and you'll need to make sure that you anticipate, and then purchase, all of the necessary supplies in the right quantities at the best prices. You'll need the negotiating skills to work not only with suppliers and distributors, but also with potential business partners and with the other managers within your organization. As supply management is such a vital element of business success, you may find yourself involved in product development, policymaking, or working with a market research team to project future needs.
An associate degree in Acquisition & Contract Management can teach you the basics of purchasing, while a bachelor's in supply chain management will focus on specific aspects of the position including negotiating, performing cost/price analysis, measuring performance, evaluating suppliers, developing and managing contracts, forecasting future need, controlling inventory, distributing, and benchmarking. Such a degree can get you into the supply chain management field.
With a master's, MBA or graduate certificate you will go in-depth on both the strategic and operational functions of supply chain management. With this step of qualification, you can advance to the point where you play a vital role in determining the direction of your organization.









