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Materials Manager

"I oversee the brass tacks of supplies within a business. I design, direct and control all inventory related processes in support of meeting business service, cost and timing requirements. Whether it’s products leaving for consumers, or inventory being stored somewhere, I handle it. I work on the most physical level of supply chain management, dealing only in the real people, places, and things, that run a business. Money, time, and products are the three things which I deal in, and I enjoy dealing in."

Salary Range:

$72,000 - $101,000

The Tip

Go travel internationally. Go do a semester abroad. Go volunteer overseas. You’ll realize it’s a really big world. Once you realize this first hand, complacency is not an option.

Priority Knowledge & Skills
Customer Relationship Management

Knowledge & ability to:

  • Apply principles of CRM

  • Manage a sales process

  • Compelling presentation & report writing

  • Develop & execute a distribution strategy

  • Leverage e-commerce

  • Develop & execute a merchandising strategy

  • Leverage co-operative marketing

  • Provide customer support

  • Develop & execute a pricing strategy

 

General Management

Knowledge & ability to:

  • Manage budgets

  • Manage projects

  • Negotiate contracts

  • Conduct competitive analysis

  • Conduct environmental scan

  • Leverage contextual knowledge

  • Analyze data & leverage business intelligence

  • Develop and manage forecasts

  • Manage business intelligence and analytics

  • Negotiate and manage contracts

Internal Supply Chain Management

Knowledge & ability to:

  • Collaborate with partners in product/service design

  • Manage inventory and warehousing

  • Manage order fulfillment

  • Manage transportation logistics

  • Design, establish and manage related contracts

  • Identify and develop strategic sourcing relationships

  • Establish strategic and tactical SCM plans and processes

Building Block Experiences
Education & Learning:

  • Bachelor of Arts (sociology). Did one semester abroad.

  • Master of Science SCM and Logistics, Cranfield University (UK)

  • Avid listener of SCM podcasts. Supply Chain Brain is a current favourite.

 

"SCM is fast and changing; stagnation is a career killer. My goal was to break into international SCM, which led me to pursuing an MSc in in the UK. The classroom learning combined with the cultural context of this experience created my unique value proposition. Few days go by when I don’t have a reason to refer back to my time in the UK."

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Employment Experiences:

  • Retail telecommunications sales during university

  • Following my undergraduate degree, I worked for three years as an inventory management coordinator for a telecommunications firm

  • Following the MSc, moved into a SCM management position at a small technology start-up

  • My product line was acquired by a larger systems integrator and my position was relocated to London

 

"My employment pathway was intentional. I built my technology sales credentials early at home, but with a vision of working in a global technology company. My international MSc in Supply Chain & Logistics (combined with my sales experience) was my differentiator."

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Community Experiences:

  • International travel and assignments makes active engagement in my community difficult

 

"This is a part of me I had to sacrifice, but with my recent three-year appointment in the UK, I want to become engaged in the community."

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Contextual Experiences:

  • Doing an international exchange program in high school sowed the seed for building an international career

 

"It sounds like a cliché, but the exchange program I did in high school was life-changing. After this, the question wasn’t “if,” it was “how” I’ll build a global life."

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Relationships:

  • Focused on building international networks

 

"I have a genuine passion for other people’s stories. This interest is reciprocated. I consider my international relationships a constant opportunity to learn from others."

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