Customer Supply Manager jobs
Maintaining a supply of stock is vital in retail and manufacturing. With retail, a lack of stock can result in empty shelves or inability to monopolise on promotions. In manufacturing, failure to supply vital components can bring a production line to a halt, with potentially disastrous results for supplier and manufacturer alike.
The customer supply manager’s job will be at the bare minimum to ensure that such events never happen. But it will also be about much more. It will be to ensure regular and timely delivery to meet the customer’s needs, communicate with the customer regularly to be updated on shifting needs which can either be predictable (e.g. seasonal demand or national festivals) or in reasonably short timeframes (e.g. something sparked by unseasonable weather or product recall replenishments). It will also to ensure that efficiency is built into the whole process.
Modern supply management can involve a good deal of automated ordering via direct-channel communication between sales departments, stock rooms and supplier. It is still essential to keep on top of the supply needs and manage forecasts and fine-tuning however, and since this might form only a part of the supply effort, there could be a good deal of juggling between this and the traditional means of identifying supply needs.
The skills required
With regular contact with customers an essential part of the job, the customer supply manager will need to possess first rate communication skills over any channel or face to face. Errors in ordering that are down to bad communication or overly complex instructions will not be tolerated in almost any supplier/customer relationship.
Since you might have a good deal of autonomy in the role, you’ll need to demonstrate an ability to make actionable decisions and see them through to fulfilment without constant reference to senior management. In high volume customer supply, such as in supermarkets, the supplied goods could be diverse and numerous, so you’ll need to be on top of all their stats from an early stage.
You’ll also need to be completely at ease using software solutions that are relevant to the type of supply you’ll be engaged with. A good all-round ability to pick up and master novel IT solutions will stand you in good stead, as many suppliers will have their own systems in operation.
Customer Supply Manager Jobs in the West Midlands
Home to a number of cities and towns, including Birmingham - often called Britain's Second City - as well as Coventry, Stoke-on-Trent and Wolverhampton, the West Midlands has long been a centre of industry and commerce for the UK and it's an ideal location for anyone seeking Customer Supply Manager jobs.
During the Middle Ages and throughout the Industrial Revolution, Coventry was known for producing wool and cloth. Meanwhile, other parts of the region were known for their metalwork - Birmingham for its small arms and Wolverhampton for locks, ironmongery and brass work.
In addition, the West Midlands region was a prime source of raw materials like coal and iron ore, something that became increasingly important throughout the 18th and 19th centuries.
As time moved on, the focus of the region shifted and car manufacturing overtook the other industries, while bicycle production was also a large part of the local economy for many years.
Today, the West Midlands area is home to a number of tech companies, as well as food and beverage manufacturers, with Nikon, Hitachi maxell, Fujitsu, Muller Dairy Ltd, Bulmers Cider, Cadbury UK, Marmite, Coors Brewers and Bird's Custard just a few examples.
Other brands that call the area home include Michelin Tyres, Dechra Pharmaceuticals, Volvo Group UK and the National Express Group.
Popular locations
Cast UK’s supply chain opportunities
Cast UK’s founder members and consultants all come from the logistics, procurement and supply chain sectors, so we know what employers and candidates are looking for in their staff and careers respectively. Cast UK is growing in this part of the UK recruitment industry, mainly because these are the only sectors we deal with, which means that many employers come to us first to create a candidate shortlist because they know we’re tightly focused on delivering the best people to them.
People approach us for many reasons, whether seeking more job fulfilment or simply relocating with the family, so it’s good to know that we always have the complete range of positions available nationwide.
Please see what’s available in your region and if you’ve seen something you’re interested in, do get in touch – whether it’s today or tomorrow, we might have the ideal position for you.
To find out more about how Cast UK can help you recruit a Customer Supply Manager for your business or find you a job as a Customer Supply Manager then contact one of our consultant team on 0333 121 3345.
Contact us