Supply chain success hinges on finding the perfect balance between established expertise and cutting-edge developments. That’s been the career story of Robert Munro, GESG’s Supply Chain Management Practice Leader. Over the course of a four-plus-decade career, he’s consulted on nearly 200 projects and developed top-tier expertise in warehousing, supply chain, and what that looks like in today’s world.
“The first priority always has been to get the basics right,” Munro says, with those basic traits including planning, communication, motivation, and control. “Good systems were available five years ago, too; AI and automation are just current examples of potential systems to use today.”
6 Roles You Can’t Go Without
When it comes to handling the complexities of today’s supply chain, Munro firmly believes that top talent needs a balance of leadership capability (“soft” skills) and strong technical expertise. He suggests six key roles that would be his first priorities if he were building a supply chain team from scratch today.
- An IT expert: “You have to have a system, so you might as well get the best,” Munro explains. He particularly recommends finding someone with expertise in WMS and TMS type systems.
- An operations expert who knows how to maximize that IT investment – not just in regards to materials management, but also in labor management. “Most companies seriously underutilize their IT investment,” he says, making this type of role a key competitive advantage.
- A global purchasing/strategic sourcing expert: “Typically, purchasing is not regarded as part of the supply chain – but it is!” says Munro.
- A sales & operations planning expert, including purchasing and finance. The key objective is to avoid “silos of inefficiency” within the business.
- A supply chain HR expert: “Supply chain is not just about managing material – that’s relatively easy. It’s also about managing people, which is relatively hard!” says Munro. He prioritizes HR talent who are expert in communications, particularly communication supply chain information with senior management.
- A supply chain expert analyst: “Many companies don’t understand the data that is needed to fully analyze current situations and future scenarios, or even where to obtain the data,” Munro explains. “Many decisions are based on a combination of ‘gut instinct’ and inadequate analysis, especially when decisions are made by leaders who aren’t supply chain experts.”
While it’s not necessarily a one-size-fits-all prescription, Munro’s framework is a helpful blueprint for today’s organizations looking to reshape their approach to supply chain in a landscape that just seems to keep changing.
The Importance of Systems and Tech
Munro sees systems experience – particularly IT – as non-negotiable for a resilient supply chain today. Talent with this expertise is better positioned to select the “correct” systems for each organization and optimizing their use. This, in turn, can help stop competitors from gaining an advantage and can, in fact, give your organization the edge.
Although it may not seem like it, Munro says technology – whatever that looks like at any given point – as holding a top role in supply chain hiring.
“Before we had IT, we had paper. Before we had paper, we had our voice,” he says, “As consultants, we have to be able to select the appropriate solutions to remain consistent with organizations’ business development.” In this, supply chain is linked to all the other areas of business: even an exceptional supply chain VP, for instance, can’t survive and thrive if their colleagues aren’t equally outstanding in their areas.
Hiring Through the Right Lens
According to Munro, the most common mistake organizations make in hiring is simply not understanding the position they’re trying to fill. When those making the hiring decision for a supply chain leadership don’t adequately understand supply chain itself, they’re poorly equipped to make an effective, lasting hire.
That struggle is one of the reasons Munro sees consultancy as an important part of the recruiting infrastructure. Experienced HR and recruiting professionals, with specialized expertise in areas like supply chain and warehousing, can help guide leaders to the right priorities and recruit to the right profile and specifications. With this kind of expert advice, organizations can avoid costly mis-hires and turnover.
This expertise is precisely what GESG brings to every search: a combination of industry-specific knowledge and deep recruiting expertise. When hiring pairs yesterday’s experience with today’s insights and tomorrow’s innovations, the sky becomes the limit.