Supply and Distribution Managers
Overview
Snapshot
Summary
Supply and Distribution Managers manage the supply, storage and distribution of goods produced by organisations.
Specialisations: Logistics Manager, Logistics Officer (Air Force), Ordnance Corps Officer (Army), Supply Chain Manager, Supply Officer (Navy), Transport Corps Officer (Army).
Extensive experience or a formal qualification in a related field (like logistics, freight forwarding, warehousing, distribution or business management) is needed to work as a Supply and Distribution Manager. Vocational Education and Training (VET) and university are both common study pathways.
Tasks
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Determines, implements, and monitors the strategies, policies and plans for purchasing, storage, and distribution.
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Prepares and implements plans to maintain the required stock levels at minimum cost.
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May negotiate contracts with suppliers to meet quality, cost and delivery requirements.
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Monitor and review storage and inventory systems to meet supply requirements and control stock levels.
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Operates recording systems to track all movements of supplies and finished goods, to ensure the re-ordering and re-stocking at optimal times.
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Liaise with other departments and customers concerning requirements for outward goods and associated forwarding transportation.
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Oversees the recording of purchase, storage and distribution transactions.
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Directs staff activities and monitors their performance.
Characteristics
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University
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Vocational Education and Training (VET)
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Informal or on-the-job
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Administrative
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Enterprising
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Sedentary
Outlook
JSA produces employment projections to show where likely future job opportunities may be. Employment projections data are only produced for occupations at the broad four digit Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) level. While data are not available for this occupation, projections data are available for the parent occupation, Supply, Distribution and Procurement Managers, under the outlook section.
Earnings and hours
Working arrangements
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Around 94% of people employed as Supply and Distribution Managers work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 28 percentage points above the all jobs average (66%).
Full-time workers work an average of 48 hours per week in their main job. This is 4 hours more than the all jobs average (44 hours per week).
Sources:Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average.
Industries
Main industries
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Supply and Distribution Managers work in industries like:
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report.
Regions
Employment across Australia
NSW
VIC
QLD
SA
WA
TAS
NT
ACT
Employment by State and Territory (% Share)
State | Supply and Distribution Managers | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
NSW | 34.1 | 31.6 |
VIC | 27.4 | 25.6 |
QLD | 18.2 | 20.0 |
SA | 6.4 | 7.0 |
WA | 10.2 | 10.8 |
TAS | 1.2 | 2.0 |
NT | 1.1 | 1.0 |
ACT | 1.2 | 1.9 |
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Around 70% of Supply and Distribution Managers live in capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 62%.
The regions with the largest share of workers are:
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian states, territories and regions, in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Worker profile
Age and gender
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The median age of Supply and Distribution Managers is 45 years. This is higher than the all jobs average of 40 years.
A large share of workers are aged 45 to 54 years.
Females make up 19% of the workforce. This is 29 percentage points below the all jobs average of 48%.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile and gender share compared to the all jobs average.
Age Profile (% Share)
Age Bracket | Supply and Distribution Managers | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
15-19 | 0.2 | 5.0 |
20-24 | 2.2 | 9.3 |
25-34 | 18.2 | 22.9 |
35-44 | 29.5 | 22.0 |
45-54 | 30.0 | 21.6 |
55-59 | 10.9 | 9.0 |
60-64 | 6.2 | 6.0 |
65 and Over | 2.9 | 4.2 |
Median Age | 45 | 40 |
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Employment Pathways
Education, training and experience
Extensive experience or a formal qualification in a related field (like logistics, freight forwarding, warehousing, distribution or business management) is needed to work as a Supply and Distribution Manager. Vocational Education and Training (VET) and university are both common study pathways.
Visit
- Course Seeker to search and compare higher education courses.
- ComparED to compare undergraduate and postgraduate student experiences and outcomes.
- My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
- AAPathways website to explore Transport and Logistics Training Package VET training pathways.
Highest Level of Education (% Share)
Type of Qualification | Supply and Distribution Managers | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate | 10.6 | 10.1 |
Bachelor degree | 18.9 | 21.8 |
Advanced Diploma/Diploma | 16.5 | 11.6 |
Certificate III/IV | 16.7 | 21.1 |
Year 12 | 20.2 | 18.1 |
Year 11 | 5.2 | 4.8 |
Year 10 and below | 12.0 | 12.5 |
Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Skills and Knowledge
Employers look for Supply, Distribution and Procurement Managers who are reliable, organised and can communicate clearly. Employers also value leadership and planning skills.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
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63%
MonitoringKeeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
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61%
Critical thinkingThinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
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57%
Complex problem solvingNoticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
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57%
Coordination with othersBeing adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
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55%
Judgment and decision makingFiguring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
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55%
Reading comprehensionReading work related information.
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55%
Systems evaluationMeasuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
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54%
Active listeningListening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
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54%
Active learningBeing able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.
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54%
NegotiationBringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.
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54%
Social perceptivenessUnderstanding why people react the way they do.
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54%
WritingWriting things for co-workers or customers.
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52%
SpeakingTalking to others.
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52%
Management of material resourcesProviding the right equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do work.
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52%
Management of personnel resourcesMotivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.
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52%
PersuasionTalking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.
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52%
Time managementManaging your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
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50%
Systems analysisFiguring out how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect it.
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48%
InstructingTeaching people how to do something.
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43%
Serving othersLooking for ways to help people.
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
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73%
Production and processingRaw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.
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70%
Administration and managementBusiness principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
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68%
Customer and personal serviceUnderstanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.
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67%
MathematicsArithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
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61%
Education and trainingCurriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
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59%
Computers and electronicsCircuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
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58%
TransportationMoving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.
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57%
Personnel and human resourcesRecruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
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56%
English languageEnglish language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
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54%
Sales and marketingShowing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
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53%
Economics and accountingEconomics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.
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49%
GeographyDescribing land, sea, and air, including their physical characteristics, locations, how they work together, and the location of plant, animal, and human life.
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47%
Engineering and technologyUse engineering, science and technology to design and produce goods and services.
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46%
Law and governmentHow our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.
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46%
ClericalWord processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.
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45%
Technical designDesign techniques, tools, and principles used to make detailed technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
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36%
PsychologyHuman behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.
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35%
Public safety and securityUse of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.
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33%
Communications and mediaMedia production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.
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29%
Foreign languageForeign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities..
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61%
Oral comprehensionListen to and understand what people say.
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61%
Oral expressionCommunicate by speaking.
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61%
Written comprehensionRead and understand written information.
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57%
Deductive reasoningUse general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.
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57%
Problem spottingNotice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.
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57%
Written expressionWrite in a way that people can understand.
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54%
Inductive reasoningUse lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.
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52%
Near visionSee details that are up-close (within a few feet).
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52%
CategorisingCome up with different ways of grouping things.
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52%
Sorting or orderingOrder or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
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50%
MathematicsChoose the right maths method or formula to solve a problem.
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48%
Speech claritySpeak clearly so others can understand you.
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48%
BrainstormingCome up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.
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46%
OriginalityCome up with unusual or clever ideas, or creative ways to solve a problem.
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46%
Speech recognitionIdentify and understand the speech of another person.
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45%
Flexibility of closureSee a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.
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45%
Working with numbersAdd, subtract, multiply, or divide.
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41%
MultitaskingDo two or more things at the same time.
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41%
Perceptual speedUse your eyes to quickly compare groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
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39%
Selective attentionPay attention to something without being distracted.
Activities
These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.
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83%
Planning and prioritising workDeciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.
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77%
Communicating within a teamGiving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
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76%
Negotiating and resolving conflictsHandling complaints and disagreements, and negotiating with people.
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76%
Making sense of information and ideasLooking at, working with, and understanding data or information.
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75%
Guiding and directing staffGuiding and directing staff, including setting and monitoring performance standards.
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74%
Coaching and developing othersWorking out the needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or helping them to improve.
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73%
Giving expert adviceProviding guidance and expert advice to management or other groups.
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72%
Making decisions and solving problemsUsing information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
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72%
Building good relationshipsBuilding good working relationships and keeping them over time.
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71%
Researching and investigatingLooking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
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71%
Coordinating the work of a teamGetting members of a group to work together to finish a task.
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71%
Keeping your knowledge up-to-dateKeeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.
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70%
Hiring and organising staffRecruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees.
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69%
Collecting and organising informationCompiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.
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68%
Managing payments and ordersMonitoring and controlling resources and the spending of money.
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67%
Leading and encouraging a teamEncouraging and building trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
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67%
Communicating with the publicGiving information to the public, business or government by telephone, in writing, or in person.
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62%
Working with computersUsing computers to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
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61%
Coming up with systems and processesDeciding on goals and figuring out what you need to do to achieve them.
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59%
Looking for changes over timeComparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.
Interests and demands
Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.
Interests
Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.
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100%
EnterprisingStarting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.
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67%
AdministrativeFollowing set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.
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38%
PracticalPractical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
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33%
HelpingWorking with people. Helping or providing service to others.
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29%
AnalyticalIdeas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.
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24%
CreativeWorking with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.
Values
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81%
IndependenceWork alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.
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74%
Working conditionsJob security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.
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71%
SupportSupportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.
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67%
AchievementResults oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
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62%
RecognitionAdvancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.
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62%
RelationshipsServe and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.
Demands
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100%
Electronic mailUse electronic mail.
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100%
TelephoneTalk on the telephone.
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98%
Face-to-face discussionsTalk with people face-to-face.
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97%
Indoors, heat controlledWork indoors with access to heating or cooling.
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90%
TeamworkWork with people in a group or team.
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90%
Freedom to make decisionsHave freedom to make decision on your own.
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88%
Contact with peopleHave contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
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85%
Unstructured workHave freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.
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84%
Frequent decision makingFrequently make decisions that impact other people.
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84%
Spend time sittingSpend time sitting at work.
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81%
Impact of decisionsMake decisions that have a large impact on other people.
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81%
Time pressureWork to strict deadlines.
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80%
Lead or coordinate a teamLead others to do work activities.
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79%
Responsible for outcomesTake responsibility for the results of other people's work.
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78%
Being exact or accurateBe very exact or highly accurate.
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76%
Letters and memosWrite letters and memos.
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74%
CompetitionCompete with others, or be aware of competitive pressures.
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71%
Conflict situationsDeal with conflict or disagreements.
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67%
Contact with the publicWork with customers or the public.
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61%
Consequence of errorWork where mistakes have serious consequences.
O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 11-9199.04 - Supply Chain Managers.
Links and downloads
Research and reports
The Skills Priority List provides a current labour market rating and a future demand rating for nearly 800 occupations nationally. Current labour market ratings are available for occupations at a state and territory level.
Downloads
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Occupation profiles data are available for download.
The Employment Projections are available for download.