Supply Chain & Operations Management
Supply Chain Management encompasses the planning and management of all activities involved in sourcing and procurement, conversion, and all supply chain management activities. Importantly, it also includes coordination and collaboration with channel partners, which can be suppliers, intermediaries, third-party service providers, and customers
In essence, Supply Chain Management integrates supply and demand management within and across companies.
Supply Chain Management is an integrating function with primary responsibility for linking major business functions and business processes within and across companies into a cohesive and high-performing business model. It includes all of the Supply Chain Management activities noted above, as well as manufacturing operations, and it drives coordination of processes and activities with and across marketing, sales, product design, finance, and information technology.” – Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals
What do Supply Chain Management Professionals do?
Supply chain professionals manage and coordinate activities in this global pipeline to ensure an effective and efficient flow of materials and information from the time a need arises until it is satisfied and beyond. Some of the many activities involved in supply chain include:
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Comments from Recent Graduates
Lauren Wilder, Land Negotiator - South America & West Africa Exploration, Hess:
I work in the Global Negotiations and Business arm of Hess Corporation, a fully integrated oil and gas company. My role as a Land Negotiator is about as far upstream as you can get—I am the one who secures the licenses between Hess and foreign governments for the right to explore for hydrocarbons. I also am involved with creating joint venture exploration deals between my company and other companies like Exxon, BP, and Petrobras. My group is based out of Houston but focuses on creating opportunities and managing existing assets in South America and West Africa. I travel to either Lima, Peru or Rio de Janeiro about once a month, both really great places to visit, even if it is on business. I missed out on the opportunity to travel to Barbados back in October, but coming back to Tuscaloosa for Homecoming instead was almost as good.
Logan Young, General Manager, Kenco Group:
The day I was hired I was told that I would be flying out to Iowa on my first day to do some Project Management on an assembly line start-up for one of our clients. I spent the first week learning some of the ropes with a mentor, then I was on my own for the next 5 weeks. I helped out, threw in my ideas, we started hitting our quota rate consistently and the moved me home where I was needed.
They made me a GM of one of their smaller facilities in Chattanooga. My client is Wrigley and we serve mainly as a buffer warehouse for their plant in Chattanooga. We mostly handle all their incoming packaging and some of their WIP, as well as providing storage for some of their larger equipment that they're not using. My day-to-day life consists mainly of tracking billing, forecasting budgets, P+L, keeping tabs with the customer, thinking up any efficiency items, and coordinating the implementation of SOP's into ISO format.
I love the company I'm working for, they're very people focused and I feel like I'm in the spot light a little since I'm the youngest GM in the company (by at least 7 years I think).
Peter Ralston, Manager Trainee, S. P. Richards, Chicago:
I work for S. P. Richards. They are an office products wholesaler and are owned by Genuine Parts Company. I am a manager trainee on a 9 month training program that will prepare me either for a middle to upper level management position in Sales or Operations. I recently found out that I am moving from Atlanta to Chicago where I will finish my training and began a career in Operations. I really like it!!!
Brandi Nix, Marketing Research Analyst, Compass Bank:
My title is Market Research Analyst and I basically crunch numbers. I analyze market information (such as demographics, products we have, who uses them, who doesn't and why?, things like that). It's a lot of spreadsheet and database work (like SAS).
Brad Dearman, Executive In Training, Target:
I am currently home based in Vendor Operations, which is a pretty cool department. I get to work all aspects of our supply chain that deal with anything from vendors to Distribution Centers. My specific role in the department is project based. I have been working on projects that deal around optimizing processes (these can be DC based, Headquarters based, or a combination of both) as well as statistical analysis of data.
The EIT role is very unique because you learn Target's entire supply chain!We have begun rotating through other departments within Distribution. During the year, I will go through Global Trade, Import Transportation, and Domestic Transportation.
Concentration Checksheet
The Supply Chain Management curriculum provides students with the analytical and managerial foundation needed to satisfy the needs of business partners and the ultimate consumer to ensure that the right product, in the right quantity, in the right condition, is delivered to the right customer at the right place, at the right time, at the right cost. Supply Chain & Operations Management Checksheet
How are Supply Chain Managers Compensated?
Earning potential for supply chain managers is excellent! In addition to receiving outstanding salaries, supply chain managers‚ receive a full range of valuable benefits and most are eligible for bonus pay. A recent study by William M. Mercer, Inc indicates that more than 85% of supply chain managers can earn incentive pay in addition to their base salary. It is also important to note that salaries for supply chain managers have risen each of the last five years according to annual surveys conducted by the Ohio State University and Cahners Research in 1997.
Position Type (Pay 90% Confidence Interval)
Middle Level Management
(International) Supply Chain Manager $69,200 to $100,100+bonus
Inventory Planning & Control Manager $74,800 to $105,200+bonus
Transportation Manager $76,100 to $111,100+bonus
Operations Manager $78,700 to $ 99,900+bonus
Executive Level Management
Director of Supply Chain $138,600 to $221,100+bouns
Vice President of Supply Chain $182,200 to $288,500+bonus
Your supply chain career path can focus on a wide variety of functional areas.
Some of these include:
• Supply Chain planning and analysis
• Transportation management
• Warehouse operations management
• Inventory planning and control
• Purchasing and materials management
• International Supply Chain Management
• Production planning and operations
• Supply Chain Management
• Customer service management
• Supply Chain services marketing and sales
• Supply Chain engineering
A graduate degree can enhance your Supply Chain Management expertise as well as improve your strategic planning, financial management, and analytical skills. Such skills translate into upward mobility, career flexibility, and increased earnings potential according to recent research. Here’s what Supply Chain professionals say about the value of the MBA degree:
“I’m pursuing an MBA even though it’s not needed for my current position. If I ever change jobs, the degree combined with my experience will provide a lot of options and opportunities.”
“An MBA degree is very helpful to a supply chain manager. I’d recommend that you get 2-3 years of work experience before going back to school. It will help you relate what you learn to what you do.”
“I wouldn’t qualify for my current position without a graduate degree. It also gave my career a real jump start. I’d need to work for ten years to have my current responsibilities and salary with just an undergraduate degree.”
-- CLM Careers in Logistics
Careers and Placement
Students graduating from the SCOM Concentration are highly marketable as:
Typical Job Titles |
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Analyst |
Materials Manager |
Students enrolled in the SCOM Concentration have interned with:
| Recent Internships |
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Mike Carver |
Alabama Productivity Center Future Partnerships: |
Tuscaloosa, AL |
Students enrolled in the SCOM Concentration have earned positions with:
2006 Job Placements |
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Ryan Burns |
Parts and Procurement Analyst |
Schindler Group |
Supply Chain & Operations Management Concentration
Required Courses
OM 517 Supply Chain Design
MKT 511 Supply Chain Management
MKT 522 Supply Chain Strategy
OM 500 Linear and Network Optimization
Elective (Pick 3)
OM 522 Production Scheduling Problems
OM 523 Inventory Management
OM 524 Manufacturing Scheduling and Control Systems
OM 525 Effective Quality Management
OM 540 Systems Simulation
ST 575 Statistical Quality Control
MKT 530 Advanced Marketing Analysis
IE 517 Project Management
Contact:
Dr. Chuck Sox
343 Alston Hall
Telephone: 205-348-8992
Email: csox@cba.ua.edu
Dr. Alex Ellinger
130 Alston Hall
Telephone: 205-348-8941
Email: aellinge@cba.ua.edu
Dr. Glenn Richey
129 Alston Hall
Telephone: 205-348-8922
Email: grichey@cba.ua.edu
Affiliated Faculty:
Dr. Chuck Schmidt, Professor of Operations Management
Dr. David Miller, Professor and Director of the Alabama Productivity Center
Dr. John Mittenthal, Associate Professor of Operations Management
Dr. Jerry Weaver, Associate Professor of Operations Management