SupplyChainTalk: Leadership and career growth - nurturing the next supply chain generation

On 13 November 2024, SupplyChainTalk host Ana-Maria Velica was joined by Samantha Stephenson, Procurement Manager, Center Parcs; and Yuliya Khilko, Supply Chain Manager, Strategic Infrastructure, National Grid. 

 

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The supply chain discipline has become a C-suite concern that drives competitive advantage and customer excellence — one that requires expansive leadership skills and technical prowess. As a result, upskilling and reskilling are essential for supply chain and logistics professionals to be effective.

 

Effective tactics include offering tuition reimbursement or company-paid courses, but to truly nurture career growth, the discipline must be infused throughout the business and its culture. The kind of challenges supply chains must face – the National Grid has to deliver six times more projects than in the past 30 years – call for new methodologies in supply chain management too. In this environment interpersonal relationships across departments become paramount.

 

Beside training schemes, on-the-job training constitutes the core of skills development. With the concept of supply chain as an ecosystem, network building has become an essential skill too.  

 

Building new skills for the modern supply chain 

Relationship building has become an essential skill, which the ability to choose the right channel for a communication is also an integral part of. Other important skills include confidence to speak up and challenge, being able to prioritise and good decision making. Professionals with backgrounds other than procurement can bring the knowledge of a particular industry to the table. On the leadership level, however, strategic thinking is key.

 

Graduate programmes run by large companies can also ensure the progression of young people into the talent pipeline. Talent management has the advantage of nurturing talent gradually into leadership positions, where they will already know the ins and outs of the business and the sector. Leaders must also live the culture they want to see across the organisation.  

 

Augmented and virtual reality are now being used for training for jobs to be performed in remote areas such as wind farms.  

 

The panel’s advice 

• The biggest skill is the right attitude and willingness to learn – other important skills can and must be nurtured.   
• Employers must try to strike the right balance between supporting talent and giving them space and agency, as well as play to the different skills of their people.