Supply chain managers will be among the most sought after professionals in 2009 as companies target efficiency savings, according to Wayne Brophy, head of recruitment consultancy Cast UK.
He argues that demand for supply chain professionals, once the preserve of large multi-site manufacturing organisations, is growing because even smaller companies are realising it as one of the most effective ways of increasing profit in a recession.
And he predicts that supply chain professionals will become one of the biggest targets of the global HR market.
“In the boom times there are a lot of companies that don’t make supply chain efficiencies a key priority because they are busy making money. But in a recession having an efficient, well-managed and structured supply chain is one of the most effective ways of increasing and protecting profitability.
“Over the past 12-months we have seen companies putting far more emphasis on managing the supply chain, with many creating dedicated positions for supply chain directors and managers where they did not have them before.
“Based on our observations and data, supply chain roles will be a big growth area in 2009 as the UK heads deeper into recession. Businesses are asking themselves how they can increase profits when nobody is increasing their spending. Reducing supply costs puts money straight onto the bottom line and is an obvious answer.”
