Dive Brief:

• Out of the current top 50 jobs in the U.S., supply chain manager ranks at 18, according to a recent ranking released by Glassdoor.
• The ranking was compiled based on the number of job openings, the salary and overall job satisfaction. Supply chain managers listed their job satisfaction level at 3.9 out of 5, an average pay of $100,000 and recorded 1,270 job openings.
• Various other jobs along the supply chain also made the ranking. Jobs in quality assurance ranked highly, with QA Manager (#22) and Supplier Quality Engineer (#45) making the cut. Similarly, 4 of the top 10 jobs were responsible for data management, and various more were reported in manufacturing.

Dive Insight:

With the designation as a top 50 job, a perceived talent crisis, and industry shifts, it is an exciting time to begin working in the supply chain. After all, supply chain management as an employment field continues to grow rapidly as companies see the need for end-to-end value chain integration and its potential to drive down operational costs.

Companies are looking for a skilled labor force capable and willing to engage in data analytics projects while engaging with the entire supply network. While supply chain professionals are often hired to work on a vertical process, such as logistics, procurement, warehousing or quality assurance, the thousands of openings in the horizontal category reflect the growing need for full corporate integration.

In fact, many in the industry are already referring to the employment needs as a talent crisis that will only be aggravated as the Baby Boomer generation nears retirement. Position availability is not restricted to particular locales, either: jobs are available in the South, Midwest, and West, primarily, although numerous east coast employers also appear in the list. .