“Supply chain consulting is focused on three broad areas” points out Lisa Anderson, president of Claremont, CA-based LMA Consulting Group, Inc manufacturing and supply chain expert as she gives advice on a Career in Supply Chain Consulting.
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Supply chain consulting is focused on three broad areas…
There are three broad areas that supply chain services are organized into, and every job can fit into one or more of these categories:
Supply Chain Strategy & Planning: This consultant often includes using advanced analytical tools like the Supply Chain Guru who helps to create the be strategies to improve supply chain performance. Consultants advise on Network design, Inventory Optimization, Total Cost Optimization, and Transportation planning just to name a few areas.
Supply Chain Process Consulting designs a roadmap for process improvement. These consultants analyze the supply chain processes and look for any weaknesses that can be improved. Consultants help to connect different processes within the organization, aligning them all to the main goals of the business.
Supply Chain Implementation Consulting: This category helps to implement the supply chain systems (ex. SAP, Warehouse Management software, Oracle, etc.) The consultant must have understood the systems they are implementing because they are the ones facilitating these systems into the larger supply chain organization.
Advice #1
Lisa Anderson is the President of LMA Consulting Group, Inc. Lisa is ranked 16 in SAP‘s Supply Chain Influencers and recognized as one of the top 1% of consultants worldwide.
“Supply chain consulting is always exciting. There are no two days that are ever the same! To engage with your clients and help them to keep their promises to their customers while achieving profits is amazing. Saying this, consulting should not be the first step into the area of Supply Chains for young professionals.
There are two different career paths when it comes to Supply Chain Consulting, one of the behind the scenes analysis and research, and one that has a direct impact on the clients. If you are interested in research and analysis, then a large consulting firm may be a good fit for you.
On the other hand, if you want to work directly with the clients and help to impact their performance positively, you need experience in the field first. No executive will respect the advice of a person who hasn’t had experience in the area that they are consulting on! The best bath would have the consultant spending time in research and analysis, and career progression in the actual supply chain to be a consultant.”
Published in Supply Chain Modeler on June 25, 2019