Career Overlap Transition record
RecordMove

Purchasing manager to supply chain manager

A purchasing manager already meets 53% of what the supply chain manager role asks for. The move turns on 6 required skills not yet in the profile.

Fig. 1 · Skill transfer ESCO v1.2.1 · directional
From purchasing manager
53 % overlap
Partial match
To supply chain manager
43 You already bring
6 Still to learn
99 Skills in the target role2
Learning distance Substantial retraining

59.4/ 100

1 How much of what a supply chain manager is expected to do is already part of a purchasing manager’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the supply chain manager role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.

Why

Why this move works

A supply chain manager role treats 17 of its required skills as things a purchasing manager already does. You would walk in with these on day one.

  • analyse logistic changes
  • analyse supply chain strategies
  • analyse supply chain trends
  • assess supplier risks
  • corporate social responsibility
  • estimate costs of required supplies

What stands in the way is 6 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 43 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A supply chain manager role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a purchasing manager background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area
  • already held calculate purchasing levels of raw materials information skills
  • already held manage rented goods returns management skills
  • already held estimate costs of required supplies information skills
  • already held track price trends information skills
  • already held analyse logistic changes information skills
  • already held advise on sustainable management policies communication, collaboration and creativity

All 43 carried skills, including the 17 the supply chain manager role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you may need to learn

The 56 missing skills fall into 8 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.

Skill to pick up Tier
01 business, administration and law 2 required, 10 supplementary
  • still to learn product life-cycle required
  • still to learn product data management required
  • optional, not held operations management optional
  • optional, not held project management optional
  • optional, not held warehouse operations optional
  • optional, not held business strategy concepts optional
  • optional, not held conflict management optional
  • optional, not held financial forecasting optional
  • optional, not held human resource management optional
  • optional, not held labour legislation optional
  • optional, not held multimodal transport logistics optional
  • optional, not held transportation software related to an ERP system optional
02 information skills 1 required, 16 supplementary
  • still to learn analyse business plans required
  • optional, not held analyse logistic needs optional
  • optional, not held monitor ingredient storage optional
  • optional, not held visit suppliers optional
  • optional, not held accurately estimate work hours optional
  • optional, not held advise on risk management optional
  • optional, not held analyse economic trends optional
  • optional, not held analyse market financial trends optional
  • optional, not held apply for government funding optional
  • optional, not held assess financial viability optional
  • optional, not held estimate duration of work optional
  • optional, not held estimate profitability optional
  • optional, not held forecast economic trends optional
  • optional, not held forecast future levels of business optional
  • optional, not held forecast production quantities optional
  • optional, not held forecast sales over periods of time optional
  • optional, not held perform resource planning optional
03 management skills 1 required, 15 supplementary
  • still to learn implement a management system required
  • optional, not held direct logistical functions optional
  • optional, not held plan future capacity requirements optional
  • optional, not held programme work according to incoming orders optional
  • optional, not held apply change management optional
  • optional, not held assist in planning production scheduling optional
  • optional, not held carry out tendering optional
  • optional, not held control financial resources optional
  • optional, not held forecast dividend trends optional
  • optional, not held forecast products' demand optional
  • optional, not held forecast workload optional
  • optional, not held manage human resources optional
  • optional, not held manage logistics optional
  • optional, not held manage sub-contract labour optional
  • optional, not held manage warehouse operations optional
  • optional, not held perform project management optional
04 communication, collaboration and creativity 1 required, 3 supplementary
  • still to learn identify key processes of traceability systems required
  • optional, not held develop professional network optional
  • optional, not held ensure cross-department cooperation optional
  • optional, not held negotiate supplier arrangements optional
05 working with computers 1 required, 2 supplementary
  • still to learn identify software for warehouse management required
  • optional, not held manage standard enterprise resource planning system optional
  • optional, not held use sales forecasting softwares optional
06 natural sciences, mathematics and statistics 2 supplementary
  • optional, not held geographical routes optional
  • optional, not held statistics optional

2 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a supply chain manager role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 43 skills that carry over
Skill Type
  • already held analyse logistic changes skill
  • already held analyse supply chain strategies skill
  • already held analyse supply chain trends skill
  • already held assess supplier risks skill
  • already held corporate social responsibility knowledge
  • already held estimate costs of required supplies skill
  • already held follow company standards skill
  • already held liaise with managers skill
  • already held maintain relationship with customers skill
  • already held maintain relationship with suppliers skill
  • already held manage inventory skill
  • already held manage supplies skill
  • already held order supplies skill
  • already held strive for company growth skill
  • already held supplier management knowledge
  • already held supply chain management knowledge
  • already held supply chain principles knowledge
  • already held advise on sustainable management policies skill
  • already held analyse consumer buying trends skill
  • already held attend trade fairs skill
  • already held calculate purchasing levels of raw materials skill
  • already held carry out statistical forecasts skill
  • already held coordinate purchasing activities skill
  • already held ensure equipment availability skill
  • already held identify suppliers skill
  • already held international business knowledge
  • already held issue sales invoices skill
  • already held maintain contract administration skill
  • already held manage budgets skill
  • already held manage contracts skill
  • already held manage rented goods returns skill
  • already held manage staff skill
  • already held market pricing knowledge
  • already held monitor stock level skill
  • already held negotiate buying conditions skill
  • already held negotiate sales contracts skill
  • already held pricing strategies knowledge
  • already held quality standards knowledge
  • already held recruit employees skill
  • already held risk management knowledge
  • already held study sales levels of products skill
  • already held track price trends skill
  • already held train employees skill
The 2 learning areas not shown above
Skill to pick up Tier
07 assisting and caring 1 supplementary
  • optional, not held control trade commercial documentation optional
08 social sciences, journalism and information 1 supplementary
  • optional, not held economics optional
50 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
Skill to pick up Tier
  • optional, not held analyse logistic needs optional
  • optional, not held control trade commercial documentation optional
  • optional, not held direct logistical functions optional
  • optional, not held manage standard enterprise resource planning system optional
  • optional, not held monitor ingredient storage optional
  • optional, not held operations management optional
  • optional, not held plan future capacity requirements optional
  • optional, not held programme work according to incoming orders optional
  • optional, not held project management optional
  • optional, not held visit suppliers optional
  • optional, not held warehouse operations optional
  • optional, not held accurately estimate work hours optional
  • optional, not held advise on risk management optional
  • optional, not held analyse economic trends optional
  • optional, not held analyse market financial trends optional
  • optional, not held apply change management optional
  • optional, not held apply for government funding optional
  • optional, not held assess financial viability optional
  • optional, not held assist in planning production scheduling optional
  • optional, not held business strategy concepts optional
  • optional, not held carry out tendering optional
  • optional, not held conflict management optional
  • optional, not held control financial resources optional
  • optional, not held develop professional network optional
  • optional, not held economics optional
  • optional, not held ensure cross-department cooperation optional
  • optional, not held estimate duration of work optional
  • optional, not held estimate profitability optional
  • optional, not held financial forecasting optional
  • optional, not held forecast dividend trends optional
  • optional, not held forecast economic trends optional
  • optional, not held forecast future levels of business optional
  • optional, not held forecast production quantities optional
  • optional, not held forecast products' demand optional
  • optional, not held forecast sales over periods of time optional
  • optional, not held forecast workload optional
  • optional, not held geographical routes optional
  • optional, not held human resource management optional
  • optional, not held labour legislation optional
  • optional, not held manage human resources optional

10 further entries not listed here

10 held skills the supply chain manager role does not ask for
Skill Type
  • not needed by the target role assess procurement needs skill
  • not needed by the target role category specific expertise knowledge
  • not needed by the target role implement procurement of innovation skill
  • not needed by the target role implement sustainable procurement skill
  • not needed by the target role manage procurement planning skill
  • not needed by the target role perform procurement market analysis skill
  • not needed by the target role procurement legislation knowledge
  • not needed by the target role procurement lifecycle knowledge
  • not needed by the target role sustainable manufacturing knowledge
  • not needed by the target role use e-procurement skill
15 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to pick up Tier
  • still to learn product life-cycle required
  • still to learn product data management required
  • optional, not held operations management optional
  • optional, not held project management optional
  • optional, not held warehouse operations optional
  • optional, not held business strategy concepts optional
  • optional, not held conflict management optional
  • optional, not held economics optional
  • optional, not held financial forecasting optional
  • optional, not held geographical routes optional
  • optional, not held human resource management optional
  • optional, not held labour legislation optional
  • optional, not held multimodal transport logistics optional
  • optional, not held statistics optional
  • optional, not held transportation software related to an ERP system optional
Index

Other moves recorded from purchasing manager

Full index of moves from purchasing manager

FAQ

Common questions about this move

Can a purchasing manager become a supply chain manager?

Yes, and it is a substantial move. A purchasing manager already covers 53% of what a supply chain manager is expected to do: 43 skills carry over, 17 of which the supply chain manager role treats as required.

What skills does a purchasing manager need to become a supply chain manager?

6 required skills are missing, plus 50 optional ones. They fall into 8 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by business, administration and law. The single most important is product life-cycle.

How hard is the move from purchasing manager to supply chain manager?

Its learning distance is 59.4 out of 100, which is the substantial band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.