What Does a Supply Chain Planner Do? Your 2026 Guide

Key takeaways

Supply chain planners forecast demand, manage inventory, and improve logistics to keep operations efficient and cost‑effective.

• The estimated median total pay for supply chain planners in the US is $112,000 per year [1].

• Key supply chain planning skills include critical thinking, keen problem-solving, industry awareness, data analysis, and clear communication.

• You can prepare yourself for senior-level positions in the field by learning more about business administration. 

Explore what this role involves and the different career paths it can lead to. Gaining experience with real supply chain data and tools can help you move confidently into roles that require strategic thinking, problem‑solving, and data‑driven decision‑making across the logistics lifecycle. If this sparks your interest, then Unilever's Supply Chain Data Analyst Professional Certificate may be a good fit for you. In as few as four months, you can build job-ready skills to be a supply chain analyst.

What is a supply chain planner?

A supply chain planner keeps a business running smoothly by ensuring it always has the right inventory level, either in stock or in storage, to meet customer demands. These logisticians predict the organization’s inventory needs based on everything from their financial needs to changes in the market. 

What does a supply chain planner do?

Supply chain planners execute various tasks, including overseeing product acquisition and allocating supplies, managing business systems, and strategizing ways to contain costs. What a supply chain planner does largely depends on how a company divvies up the roles and responsibilities among its logistics team. Other team members might include:

• Senior demand planner

• Demand planning manager

• Distribution manager

• Logistics analyst

In some cases, members of the logistics team may even report directly to you.

No matter how the company sets up its team, your job as a supply chain planner is to ensure that the organization has the supplies it needs when it needs them so it can produce and sell products to customers. You might do this by forecasting sales, tracking performance, and keeping up with global trends and demand to ultimately create a strategic plan. Doing this helps the company's operations run more efficiently, often saving the organization money and helping it stay ahead of the competition.

What do I need to know to create a strategic plan?

To devise a strategic plan, you must first understand the customer’s needs and the business’s goals and objectives. Understanding the competition, the business's place in the global marketplace, and industry trends is also essential. You'll also examine how the company handled logistics in the past, look for weaknesses, and complete an evaluation to identify areas in need of improvement. 

Supply chain planner tasks and responsibilities

Although all supply chain planner jobs share similar tasks, your responsibilities will vary from organization to organization. Depending on where you work, you might:

• Identify strategies for demand, allocation, and capacity of products and materials needed to complete projects.

• Understand and oversee the life cycle of a product or materials.

• Develop relationships with vendors and suppliers. 

• Constantly review a company's logistics and develop a strategic plan for improvement.

• Prioritize production work orders.

• Communicate new ideas with management.

• Communicate regularly with the logistics teams, supply chain managers, and external vendors and suppliers.

• Prepare reports and create and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs).

• Look for ways to save time and money while producing and transporting goods.

Supply chain planner skills

As with any career choice, you’ll need a number of workplace skills to succeed as a supply chain planner. Some essential ones include:

• Communication skills: Both written and oral, so you can effectively communicate with colleagues, management, vendors, stakeholders, and other relevant supply chain professionals

• Critical thinking skills: To come up with ways to save time and money throughout the logistics process

• Problem-solving skills: Problems will arise, and you must come up with ways to solve them creatively and quickly.

• Organization skills: Logistics is fast-paced, and you'll handle several aspects of several projects at once. Staying organized is a must.

• Industry-specific skills: Supply chain planners work across almost every industry, ranging from medical and chemical manufacturing to technology and consumer goods, so you will likely need to have some knowledge about the industry in which you want to work

• Analytical skills: You'll spend a lot of time analyzing and interpreting data

Knowing a foreign language may be beneficial since many supply chain planners work globally. You may also need technical skills like Microsoft Office, email, QuickBooks, and enterprise systems.

Supply chain planner salary and job outlook

According to Glassdoor, the estimated median total pay for supply chain planners in the US is $112,000 per year [1]. This figure includes base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

Zippia reports that factors like location can affect how much you can make as a supply chain planner. For example, those working in California, Washington, and Maryland tend to make the largest salaries, while supply chain planners in Tennessee and Iowa earn some of the lowest salaries [2].

You may also note a strong demand in this field. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the need for logisticians will grow at a rate of 17 percent between 2024 and 2034 [3]. That rate is much faster than the average for all careers. 

Supply chain planner jobs and career path

Supply chain planners often start by gaining logistics or business experience or working in a supply chain support position, like a materials recording clerk. Internships and military service are two additional ways to gain experience. However, you may be able to get an entry-level job right after earning an associate or bachelor's degree.

Over time, you may decide to advance your career. After working as a supply chain planner, many people choose to become a supply chain manager. Some other potential jobs you may want to explore after working as a supply chain planner include:

• Distribution manager

• Commodity specialist

• Sourcing specialist

• Warehouse manager

• Operations supervisor

Read more: What Is Resource Management? Roles and Career Opportunities

Education and training

The education and training required to become a supply chain planner will vary from organization to organization. Many companies want you to have a bachelor's degree in business, logistics, engineering, supply chain management, or a similar field. However, some companies will accept an associate degree in these areas for entry-level positions. Employers may require a master's degree in business administration or supply chain management for senior-level positions.

Certificates may also help you get a job, though the industry doesn’t necessarily require them. Keep in mind that getting certified may enhance your resume and show hiring managers that you're committed to this career. The Association for Supply Chain Management offers numerous certificates for supply chain professionals. The International Society of Logistics (SOLE) also offers several certifications and programs for logisticians.

Discover more supply chain management with our free resources

To stay current about trends and job opportunities in supply chain management or data analytics, join Career Chat on LinkedIn. You can also learn more with these free resources:

• Watch this video: 7 Essential Supply Chain Skills to Launch Your Career

• Bookmark for later: Switching Your Career to Become a Data Analyst

• Learn some terminology: Data Analysis Terms & Definitions

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