Supply Chain Management (SCM) professionals work in an inter-organizational, multi-functional world.  As supply chain leaders, they need to understand the big picture. They also need the ability to use a variety of tools and techniques to understand and manage the supply chain, as well as general skills to work with people and move their organizations forward.
To advance in their careers, SCM professionals need to hone their skills and expand the set of competencies they offer their employers and the market. Competencies define the abilities of a SCM professional, i.e. competencies specify what the professional can do. These competencies naturally evolve and expand over the course of a career.
PMAC has developed a competency mapping framework to help define and shape the competencies of strategic supply chain professionals, projecting specific competencies along a path of career progression, from early career to mid-career to peak career. The competencies for SCM professionals are structured around the core functional areas, the supporting and application areas, and general, managerial skill areas. The core competencies form the foundational, functional knowledge set for supply chain management professionals.  Building on the core and reflecting the current SCM environment are the supporting functional areas and the application areas that include Domestic and Global; Private and Public Sector; Goods & Services.  On the other hand, the managerial competencies focus on general, broad-based skills needed by supply chain professionals. These competencies are required for the effective management and leadership of the supply chain functional and supporting areas. These concepts are illustrated in the figures below.
The competency map serves as a communication tool for accreditation program candidates and their employers. It also guides the process of continuous program and content renewal – i.e. design and development of new program components and renewal of existing components/content.

Figure 1: SCM Knowledge Areas

The core areas of supply chain management knowledge (procurement, operations and logistics) are integrated with supporting knowledge areas (marketing, finance and accounting, human resources and knowledge management).

Figure 1: Field of Practice

The “Three Pillars”

The field of practice of strategic supply chain management consists of the “three pillars” of management, strategy and professionalism built on top of a strong foundation of functional supply chain knowledge.

MEETING THE NEEDS OF EMPLOYERS   

The marketplace is changing and new skill sets are being demanded of today’s supply chain professionals. Employers are seeking an exceptional standard of supply chain leadership to bring added value to their organizations. Specifically, the SCM professional is expected to:
• be a strategic leader,
• Possess an integrating perspective, and
• be a skilled decision-maker.

SUPPLY CHAIN LEADERSHIP
Competencies for 2007 and beyond.
• Risk Management
• Innovation
• Collaboration
• Strategic Planning
• Total Cost Optimization
• Technology
• Global Business
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Change Management


The Strategic Supply Chain Management Leadership Program was developed to answer employer demands for supply chain specialists who are also strategic business managers and is therefore, built on the comprehensive, strategic perspective of supply chain management to ensure that accredited professionals are equipped to meet and exceed these elevated expectations.
 
REFERENCES
PMAC Competency Map