Operations and Supply Chain Management The Core

OPERATIONS AND SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT chapter 1 15
than being on the selling side, they are on the buying side: trying to select the best materials
and hiring the greatest talent. They will use the data generated by the finance people
and analyze processes to figure out how to produce those goods and services. OSCM jobs
are hands-on, working with people and figuring out the best way to do things.
The following are some typical jobs in OSCM:
∙ Plant manager—Oversees the workforce and physical resources (inventory, equipment,
and information technology) required to produce the organization’s product.
∙ Hospital administrator—Oversees human resource management, staffing, and
finances at a health care facility.
∙ Branch manager (bank)—Oversees all aspects of financial transactions at a branch.
∙ Department store manager—Oversees all aspects of staffing and customer service at
a store.
∙ Call center manager—Oversees staffing and customer service activities at a call center.
∙ Supply chain manager—Negotiates contracts with vendors and coordinates the flow
of material inputs to the production process and the shipping of finished products to
customers.
∙ Purchasing manager—Manages the day-to-day aspects of purchasing, such as invoicing
and follow-up.
∙ Logistics manager—Oversees the movement of goods throughout the supply chain.
∙ Warehouse/Distribution manager—Oversees all aspects of running a warehouse,
including replenishment, customer order fulfillment, and staffing.
∙ Business process improvement analyst—Applies the tools of lean production to
reduce cycle time and eliminate waste in a process.
∙ Quality control manager—Applies techniques of statistical quality control, such as
acceptance sampling and control charts, to the firm’s products.
∙ Lean improvement manager—Trains organizational members in lean production and
continuous improvement methods.
∙ Project manager—Plans and coordinates staff activities, such as new-product development,
new-technology deployment, and new-facility location.
∙ Production control analyst—Plans and schedules day-to-day production.
∙ Facilities manager—Ensures that the building facility design, layout, furniture, and
other equipment are operating at peak efficiency.
The OSCM Profession
Operations and Supply Chain Management Professional Societies
If you are interested in career opportunities in operations and supply chain management, you
can learn more about the field through the following professional societies. These groups provide
industry-recognized certification programs and ongoing training for those seeking to work
in the field.
APICS, the Association for Operations Management: www.apics.org
Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP): www.cscmp.org
Institute for Supply Management (ISM): www.ism.ws
Project Management Institute (PMI): www.pmi.org