Working in the Supply Chain

Candidates have a higher education in Transport/Supply Chain or Purchasing, often supplemented by a postgraduate degree, and can justify a solid experience in Purchasing or Transport. The qualities required are: autonomy, rigour, good operational sense and result orientation, negotiation skills and strength of proposal/conviction, analytical and synthesis skills, dynamism, team spirit. Fluent English is imperative.
Generally, candidates with Transport expertise are rare. They are all the more rare when the company is looking for a speciality (hazardous products, air transport, sea transport, etc.). The scarcity of these profiles means that candidates from the following positions are considered: Transport / Chartering Manager, Transport Research Engineer, Logistics Coordinator.
Positions dedicated solely to the Transport family exist in the Purchasing organisations of large Groups and are sometimes directly attached to the Supply Chain / Corporate Logistics Department.
In the majority of companies, within the Purchasing Department, candidates are often required to manage several indirect purchasing families.
Within smaller structures, the Purchasing or Transport Manager may be responsible for Purchasing or Transport, and may be either the Transport Manager or the Purchasing Manager of the company.

The Engineering and Deployment Project Managers have a 5-year degree (ideally in engineering, ISLI, or business school with a specialization in transport, logistics or supply chain).
The Project Manager must have a first operational experience as a Project Manager or come from a Supply Chain consulting firm. If he/she comes from the service sector, the Project Manager will have several years of experience as a Design Engineer. An operational business expertise can facilitate the understanding of the customer's needs and the relations with all the actors.
Beyond that, the Project Manager must have very good interpersonal skills, method, rigor and analytical skills are required. A perfect command of Excel is necessary, the use of a project management tool is appreciated. Customers' supply chains are becoming more complex and service providers' offers more global. The position of Project Manager has been enriched, in particular if it has a study and implementation dimension. Indeed, depending on the organization and its size, the Project Manager can concentrate on the study part (within a Design Office) or combine studies and implementation of solutions.
The mastery of the English language is essential in this type of position, which is increasingly focused on international issues.

The Organization Project Manager is ideally a graduate of an engineering school, ideally with a master's degree in Supply Chain. He/she has proven experience in the management of business projects and real expertise in the organization business (know-how). His experience is oriented either in a direct distributor or in a consulting company.
His relationship with others is easy and he has a real ability to listen and formalization. Open-minded, he is endowed with a real personal leadership and he knows how to convince and federate in a complex environment.
He/she has a strong ability to work in project mode, to functionally coordinate teams and to drive his/her ideas. English is a must for this position.
The internationalization of markets makes knowledge of a second or even third language desirable.
or even a third language.

A graduate of an engineering or business school, ideally completed by a postgraduate degree in Logistics, this position requires a mastery of the Supply Chain both upstream and downstream. A good mastery of ERP and Supply Chain software suites as well as the ability to implement project governance (acquired in consulting firms, groups whose size justifies this type of project or with IS editors) are essential or even imperative. He or she will also have to be efficient in leading steering committees with stakeholders likely to have divergent interests. In this position, which is particularly found in international groups, the candidate must be comfortable with English but also have a strong ability to persuade in order to set multidisciplinary teams in motion. In addition, he/she will have to demonstrate a very good analytical spirit as well as an ability to formalize processes and solutions.

A Bac+ 5 training is required. Experience with a service provider is not always required. On the other hand, candidates must have operational experience in the dominant business line of its contracts. For example, for contracts with a significant Warehousing Logistics component, several years of experience as a Logistics/Operations Site Manager will be expected. Part of his/her career path will also have to correspond to the sector of activity of his/her client(s)
(e.g. FMCG, Pharma, Automotive, Defence...).

Experience in project management is expected as well as mastery of reporting and analysis tools.
A very good sense of customer service and excellent interpersonal skills (internal/external) are required due to the multiplicity of interlocutors and their diversity in terms of profiles and hierarchical levels. They are all the more so as the Contract Manager plays the role of Coordinator/Facilitator with no hierarchical power over his internal contacts. The profiles of candidates who have evolved in matrix organisations will thus be valued.
The exposure of this type of position must be emphasised because of this diversity of players but also because of the challenges that managed accounts represent.
The cross-disciplinary nature of the expected skills and the willingness of certain players in logistics services to open up their recruitment to external profiles that do not come from the service sector constitute an interesting entry point for candidates from the distribution or industrial sectors.

With a higher education in Logistics or Engineering, often supplemented by a postgraduate degree, the candidates have experience in the field, which has enabled them to understand the main constraints of Logistics. They have, in general, previously held a management position such as Production Unit Manager or Supply Chain Manager of one of the Supply Chain Services such as Planning, Supply... The Logistics Manager demonstrates firmness and diplomacy. Demanding, he is pragmatic and has a strong sense of reality. Fluent English is essential.

With a higher education in Logistics or Engineering, often completed by a postgraduate degree, candidates can justify an experience in the field, which allowed them to understand the main constraints of their activity as a service provider or even as a Supply Chain Manager of an industrial or distribution company.
They have generally previously held a similar position in a narrower geographical area and have commercial, management and technical skills. The Service Provider Business Manager is diplomatic. Fluent English is a must.
Demanding, he has all the dimensions of a company manager. He is pragmatic and has a strong sense of reality.

The candidates have a higher education (engineers, business school, university), have obtained a certification such as APICS or a postgraduate management degree.
After a career in operations/logistics site management, they are excellent profiles if they are able to fulfill the entire managerial dimension of the position. Sales Managers from the same sector, appreciated for their leadership qualities, their customer relations and their portfolio development orientation, can also progress in this position.
Profiles with experience as a General Manager in the business services sector may have the required skills. The position requires an ability to understand technical issues related to flow/stocks and to work on solutions to be implemented, very good managerial skills and a sense of customer development. The political dimension of the position must be taken into account. It also assumes a strong regional "anchoring": relations with local and regional authorities constitute a strong lever to carry out the mission.
It should be noted that the position can be challenging and attractive for candidates if it is not limited to a "controlling" function of the supervised sites.

With a university degree, business school or engineering school, ideally supplemented by a postgraduate degree, he or she must have at least ten years' experience in a Logistics or Supply Chain department of a national distribution group. He/she may come from the sales function after a cross-functional career in the functions covered by the Supply Chain. The main mission of the Supply Chain Operations Director is to organise and manage non-sales distribution operations. To this end, he or she must be familiar with all the requirements of the various distribution channels.

Training at Bac+4 to Bac+5 level, such as a business school or engineering school, often supplemented by a third cycle specialising in logistics. The Group Logistics Director is one of the key members of the smooth running of the logistics strategy. He is a charismatic, diplomatic manager with a great sense of listening to the company's staff, customers and service providers. He must be able to make decisions and anticipate the market in which the company operates. He or she has a thorough knowledge of the company's products, tools, suppliers and customers.
He or she must also have a taste for negotiation and be a good communicator. The pace of work requires availability adapted to the company's imperatives. The use of IT tools has become commonplace and indispensable. Finally, his resistance to stress allows him to evolve on a daily basis and to assume the pressures of his environment. Fluency in English is essential.

This position, which can be accessed with solid experience, can be entrusted to candidates with continuing education or to graduates with 2 to 5 years of higher education specializing in logistics.
Fluency in English is desirable.
This job requires the ability to withstand pressure and a spirit of analysis and synthesis that is keen enough to make quick decisions when faced with unforeseen circumstances. In addition to solid managerial skills, organization and responsiveness are required, as well as undeniable commercial and relational skills.
Basic financial skills are frequently required to analyze an income statement, a balance sheet and the usual management ratios.

The candidates have a commercial training from Bac+2 to Bac+5.
They often come from sales/customer service manager positions.
They can also come from the Sales function (Sales Management, Marketing) but also from the Supply Chain (Logistics Manager, Operations).
The position attracts people because of its diversity, its customer orientation and the Sales and/or Supply Chain function that it can present.

With a higher university education, business or engineering school, ideally completed by a postgraduate degree or a CPIM type certification from APICS or CSCP, candidates generally come from Production or Factory Supply Chain, at least at the national level, within a logistics organisation concerned with the global management of physical (materials, products, people) and immaterial (information) flows.
The main mission of the Supply Chain Manager is organization. He must see and anticipate changes in the Supply Chain in order to guarantee the company a head start over its competitors. He must also have a taste for negotiations. In addition, he must be able to cope with stress if he wants to meet the many demands and pressures of the job.
The most sought-after profiles have acquired solid international experience and will have been confronted with a mature organisation that they will be able to duplicate. English language skills are imperative. They speak a second and ideally a third language.

Holder of a solid experience in Transport acquired after a Bac+2 or Bac+4 training in Transport/Logistics, the Transport Manager/Responsible must have an excellent knowledge of his geographical area, the different modes of transport and routing that can be used there, and the possible combinations between them. Knowledge of transport and logistics service providers, their service offers and their differentiating factors is essential.
In addition to technical skills, solid managerial qualities are essential for this position, which requires a proven negotiator.
English is strongly recommended; a second or even third language is appreciated in large international groups.

With a 5-year degree specialized in Logistics (ISLI...) or an engineering degree specialized in Logistics, he/she has a first experience in Logistics or Production. He/she has a perfect knowledge of continuous improvement tools and methodologies (Lean, 6Sigma, Kaizen, 5S, TPM, Petit Train, etc.), and is familiar with computer tools (Excel, etc.) and information systems (SAP, etc.).
He/she has a professional English. He/she must have a very good analytical mind, a good team spirit, a developed sense of organization, team leadership and observation as well as a lot of teaching skills.

Training from 2 to 5 years of higher education with a specialization in logistics. We also meet a lot of self-taught profiles who have passed through different functions within the company (Export, Sales, Logistics...).
This function requires an excellent knowledge of ERP (SAP, JDE...) and all their modules.
Another particularity, the profiles that evolve in this position are polyglot (two foreign languages minimum).

This position is usually open to Sales Assistants with a higher education (Bac+2 to Bac+5). A good command of IT and management tools is required as well as a good command of foreign languages, especially when dealing with international groups. He/she must be rigorous, concerned about the quality of service delivered to customers, dynamic, reactive, with very good interpersonal skills and an ability to understand the needs of the team and motivate them.

The Supply Manager is generally trained with 2 or 5 years of higher education, specialising in Logistics. They must be proactive and organised, combine rigour and flexibility, have a strong commercial sense and excellent negotiating skills, as well as undeniable interpersonal and managerial qualities and a constant desire to improve. He/she must also know how to manage the stress inherent in the logistics business. The use of English is highly desirable in this position.
The internationalisation of markets makes it desirable to know a second or even a third language. ERP software and office automation tools are used on a daily basis.

With a solid experience in Transport acquired after a Bac+2 or Bac+4 in Transport, the Transport Manager is multi-skilled in technical, managerial, management, purchasing and sales. He or she is a confirmed negotiator.
At the international level, English is essential, and a second and third language are appreciated.

The Site Manager generally has a logistics training course such as BTS Transport and Logistics, or a Higher Transport School. He can be self-taught having completed continuous training courses such as AFT/IFTIM.
The development of the Supply Chain function attracts candidates who have graduated from business schools or engineers.
The Site Director is necessarily a very good manager, recognized by his teams, close to the field.
Good customer relations are expected, in particular the qualities of facilitator.
Called upon to manage critical situations (customers, social), a very good resistance to stress and pressure is necessarily required. The workload and the diversity of subjects require excellent organizational skills.
Site Managers generally come from an Operations Manager/Director position, or possibly from the Methods Department if they have prior managerial experience.
If they do not come from the service sector, the candidates have held identical positions with distributors or manufacturers. The transition from one sector to the other is observed if the candidate has worked on products with the same logistical constraints and if they have good commercial qualities. The main obstacle observed in this transition from shipper to service provider is the salary, which is generally 10 to 20% lower. If the job has constraints that require a lot of availability, it offers a wide and complementary range of responsibilities.

Higher education Bac+2, or even self-taught, supplemented by experience in an operational function including team management. As a field manager, he has most often occupied the functions managed by his team, which enables him to be a real operational referent. He has a strong sensitivity to issues of safety and a healthy working environment for his teams. Rigorous, organised and autonomous, he must be able to withstand stress. Mastery of IT tools (WMS/Excel) is essential.

With a good experience in Transport acquired after a Bac+2 or Bac+4 in Transport, the Transport Manager has both technical and managerial, negotiation and purchasing skills.
On an international level, English is essential, and even the language of the countries with which the company's traffic is established.

With a higher education in Logistics or Engineering, often supplemented by a postgraduate degree, the candidates have experience in the field, which has enabled them to understand the main constraints of Logistics. They have, in general, previously held a management position such as Production Unit Manager or Supply Chain Manager of one of the Supply Chain Services such as Planning, Supply... The Logistics Manager demonstrates firmness and diplomacy. Demanding, he is pragmatic and has a strong sense of reality. Fluent English is essential.

Import/Export Logistics Managers generally have a degree from Bac+2 to Bac+5 with an option or additional training in international trade.
An excellent knowledge of operational techniques (incoterms, customs regulations, transport and logistics) and of the multiple operators making up the entire chain is essential. Experience with both a shipper and a transport provider is considered an asset.
Successful experience in hierarchical and/or matrix management in a logistics or commercial function is appreciated. These positions may also be open to Import/Export Logistics Managers with potential.
The qualities required are: rigor, reactivity and pragmatism, negotiation skills and resistance to stress, and good interpersonal skills.
Fluency in English is essential and a second language is appreciated.

With a 5-year degree specializing in Logistics or an engineering degree with a post-graduate diploma in Logistics (ISLI, etc.), he/she has initial experience in Logistics. He/she has a perfect knowledge of continuous improvement tools (Kaizen, 5S, TPM, Petit Train...) and is comfortable with computer tools (Excel...) and information systems (SAP...).
He/she is fluent in English. He/she must have a very good analytical mind, a good team spirit, a developed sense of organization, team leadership and observation as well as a lot of teaching skills.

Engineering training sometimes supplemented by a postgraduate degree or a specialization in logistics. This type of profile often comes from production and generally has a good industrial culture enabling him/her to grasp the technical issues impacting production. There are also profiles from the logistics sector. Mastery of the indispensable computer tools and scheduling modules (ortems, genesis...) and planning.

Higher education (Bac+5) (generalist or scientific) completed by a postgraduate degree in Logistics or a specialization in Logistics (ISLI...). This position requires excellent human contact and a strong ability to adapt. A certain leadership is essential for the animation of business meetings. Business sectors such as food, consumer goods and pharmaceuticals structured these functions very early on and often offer very mature profiles.
Mastery of IT tools (Excel, ERP, sales forecasting tools, SAP APO module, Futurmaster, Manugistics) is essential.

With a 4 or 5 years' higher education, such as a business or engineering school, completed by a postgraduate degree in Supply Chain, he is familiar with SAP-type ERPs and the main logistics flows. Knowledge of basic statistics and computer software is necessary. In this function, which is mainly found in international groups, a command of English is imperative. He must also be open-minded and have excellent interpersonal skills. In addition, he or she will need to demonstrate a very good analytical and synthesis mind as well as great teamwork skills.
The industrial constraints and the versatility of the markets with which companies are confronted, combined with strong requirements in terms of product availability, stock reduction and supply lead times, have led them to create the position of S&OP Manager. This position is becoming more and more common, and the demands of recruiters on the profiles they are looking for contribute to creating tensions in this market.

Higher education, Bac+4 or Bac+5, such as business school or engineering school, ideally completed by a postgraduate degree in Logistics or Supply Chain.
He/she speaks fluent English. The Supply Chain Manager must have in-depth knowledge of the company's business, its environment and the players with whom he/she will have to negotiate.
He/she must also have a global and transversal vision of Logistics and Supply Chain.
He/she must be able to demonstrate a spirit of analysis and synthesis as well as knowledge of the field.
With strong interpersonal skills and the ability to be both firm and diplomatic, he or she is a true manager.

With a solid experience in Transport acquired after a Bac+2 or Bac+4 in Transport/Logistics, the Transport Director/Responsible must have an excellent knowledge of his geographical area, of the different modes of transport and delivery methods that can be used there, of the possible combinations between them. Knowledge of transport and logistics service providers, their service offers and their points of differentiation is essential.
In addition to technical skills, strong managerial skills are essential for this position, which requires experienced negotiators.
English is highly desirable; a second language, or even a third in large international groups, is appreciated.