Operations and Supply Chain Management

It covers everything along the path goods travel from suppliers to eventual consumers.

Every environment from government to banks to schools to hospitals either consumes or sells items, and they need raw materials or product with which to work.

A supply chain is involved in processing or using these materials or even providing services to customers using these materials. Professionals in these fields also work with processes and increasing efficiencies with processes. Operations and supply chain professionals have a place in all of these environments.

Consider environments where there are large volumes of movement; movement of people, product, raw material, data, money or consumers. This occurs in almost any environment and any industry.

Learn more about working in supply chains from our alumni and partners such as Sudhir Holla, MBA'17, Senior Supply Chain Management Specialist at Walmart eCommerce. Holla has seven years of multinational corporation experience in supply chain operations, marketing, IT and healthcare and now manages the end-to-end supply chain for SKUs generating more than $75M in revenue annually for at Walmart eCommerce. Access his Power Chat (and more) in BizLink – Document Library.

In the supply chain, there are various roles responsible for getting products to customers, from raw material to consumption. 

In Manufacturing and Operations: Sourcing, Procurement, Buying and Planning.  Titles include Purchasing Agents, Schedulers, Customs Brokers, Buyers, Contract Administrators, Materials Analyst, Foreman, Production Manager, and upwards to more senior roles.

In Logistics and Transportation and Warehousing: Inventory Planner, Logistics Analyst, Logistics Manager, Receiving Coordinator, up through senior level roles.

Supply Chain and Operations careers exist in more than manufacturing. You can find relevant work in all industries where processes are important and products or material is moved, i.e. healthcare, banking, education, government, military, consulting, airlines, entertainment, nonprofit, retail, energy, and of course, the freight and third party logistics industry.

• UB Supply Chain and Operations Club: This is a School of Management student club. 
• American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS): A source of solutions, support and networking with local chapters, workshops, symposia and the annual conference.
• American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS) - Buffalo Chapter: This is the local chapter of the national APICS organization.
• Institute for Supply Management (ISM)
• Institute for Supply Management (ISM) - Buffalo Chapter
• American Society of Transportation and Logistics
• Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals
• Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences
• Manufacturing Council - Buffalo Niagara Partnership  
• Association for Quality
• Distribution Business Management Association  
• International Warehouse Logistics Association
• International Federation of Warehousing & Logistics Associations
• American Logistics Association

• Communication and negotiation 
• Organization and time management
• Teamwork
• Customer focus
• Process orientation
• Reading comprehension
• Critical thinking and analytical skills
• Foreign language skills are increasingly important
• Technical skills (i.e. Excel, ERP systems)
• Forecasting and planning
• Mechanical and spatial ability
• Quantitative and financial understanding

• CPIM: Certified Production and Inventory Management (through APICS)
• CSCP: Certified Supply Chain Professional (through APICS)
• CFPIM: Certified Fellow in Production and Inventory Management (through APICS)
• CPSM: Certified Professional in Supply Management (through ISM)
• CPSD: Certified Professional in Supplier Diversity(through ISM)
• Six Sigma, White, Yellow, Green and Black Belt, focuses on Lean, quality, problem solving and  leadership
• PMP: Project Management Professional

• Supply Chain Manager vs. Operations Manager 
• Career Connector Network - Webinars on Careers in Supply Chains & Operations, Working in Supply Chain Management (via BizLink. Register to "Get Advice" using your UB email)