The demand for innovative Supply Chain Directors continues to grow. In the fourth quarter of last year, the number of published job openings increased 16% compared to the previous quarter. This upward trend looks set to continue into 2024: we saw an 18% increase in job openings in January compared to the previous month.   

Deniz Garip, engineering & supply chain consultant at international recruitment firm Robert Walters, provides insight into the evolution of the role of a Supply Chain Director, the skills required, the future of supply chain management and the rise in salaries.  

How has the role of a Supply Chain Director evolved so far?  

With the rise of Industry 4.0, the supply chain function has been significantly digitized, taking the era of supply chain recruitment into a new phase. Deniz emphasizes, "The role of a Supply Chain Director is now more analytical and focused on improving workflows with a Lean Six Sigma approach. There is a need for a wider range of skills to explore new supply chain channels and provide innovative solutions."  

What skills are required to be such an innovative Supply Chain Director?  

Says Deniz, "The modern Supply Chain Director no longer relies solely on traditional methods to implement the supply chain life cycle, but focuses on digitalization and a Lean Six Sigma approach. In addition, 'human skills' are gaining in importance, with an emphasis on strong communication, people management, persuasion and negotiation skills. Supply Chain Directors must understand customer needs and expectations, define the essential characteristics of the product or service that affect customer satisfaction, and measure process performance against these characteristics. In fact, the Supply Chain Director is evolving into a specialist with multidisciplinary knowledge and is more digitized than ever."  

What does the future of supply chain management look like?  

"With the drastic changes in the profile of the Supply Chain Director, companies are now looking for professionals with strong interpersonal skills, an eye for efficiency and an analytical mindset," Deniz says.

"The rise of robotization and automation will eliminate some logistics functions, making room for supply chain advisors and analytical consultants."

"Although this transformation is happening at every level today, the supply chain director seems to be in a strong self-teaching position to face the changing schedule."  

Are we also seeing an evolution in salaries for Supply Chain Directors?  

"A Supply Chain Director with 3 to 6 years of experience can expect a maximum gross monthly salary of 90k EUR. With 6 to 10 years of experience, this salary increases to 125k EUR. For senior Supply Chain Directors with +10 years of experience, gross annual salaries are between 125-180k EUR. With growing demand for technically savvy and analytically strong Supply Chain Directors, these salaries are expected to rise further in the coming years," Deniz said.  

Find out more

Is becoming Supply Chain Director also your ultimate career goal and would you like to spar about what would be the best route for you to get there? Please contact one of our consultants today. Do you already know what would be a good next step for you? Check out our jobs in engineering & supply chain.