Careers Service Occupations

Logistics & Supply Chain Management

Logistics and Supply Chain Management

About

Logistics and supply management employs about two million people in the UK (one in 12 of the working population). Without it most business activities wouldn't function.

Careers advice

Industry news

Sources of sector news include Logistics Manager and Supply Management.

Professional bodies

These represent people working in the sector, providing training and networking opportunities. They often provide careers support for students and graduates. 

They also provide development for people already working in the sector. Follow them on LinkedIn, or visit their websites for news, contacts, work experience and vacancies.

The main professional associations for this sector include:

Find professional bodies outside the UK on GoinGlobal by selecting ‘Professional and Personal Networking’ on each of the individual country guides.

Making contacts

Making contacts can be helpful for success in this sector. Some jobs in this field come through networking and speculative applications. You could start with:

  • social media, particularly LinkedIn and Twitter, which is useful for making contacts, finding employers and opportunities 
  • Newcastle alumni on LinkedIn – find out what they did after graduation and contact them for advice

Events

Recruitment fairs, open days, talks and events give insights and opportunities to make contacts. Regular events organised by the Careers Service include Employer & Sector Insights and Recruitment Events.

Related sectors

See also Retail, Buying and Selling, Armed Forces and Public Protection, Manufacturing and Processing, and Transport.

Or see our other Explore Occupations pages for more options.

Roles & Skills

The following job profiles include descriptions of typical duties, entry requirements and case studies.

Logistics/distribution manager

Supply chain manager

Warehouse manager

Skills employers look for

Employers look for skills including:

  • numeracy, analytical abilities and strong problem-solving skills
  • leadership and people management capacity
  • interpersonal and communication skills, including motivation, influence and persuasion
  • time management, planning and organising
  • decision-making and using initiative
  • the ability to work under pressure

Gaining Experience

Internships and work placements can give you vital experience in this sector.

Internships and placements

Most large graduate employers will offer summer or year placements in their operations departments. This is especially true of the retail, engineering and fast moving consumer goods sectors. 

Search for vacancies on MyCareer and see Internships, placements and shadowing for more websites advertising placements.

TARGETjobs also lists relevant internships and placements.

Work experience

For experience in smaller companies or specific areas of work contact individuals who work in the sector. Be specific about why you are writing and what you are looking for. It helps if you can explain your motivation and suitability to work for that organisation.

Informational interviews or work shadowing can give you insight. This is true in roles where it is difficult to get hands-on or paid experience as an undergraduate, such as operations management. 

Find organisations on MyCareer - click on ‘search organisations’ under the Vacancies tab

More resources for speculative approaches are in Making Contacts and Finding Jobs.  

See Researching Employers for more ways to source and research companies.

Part-time work

Part-time work within the sector is possible and could help you to gain contacts and develop your knowledge of the industry. 

Examples of relevant opportunities include: warehousing, storage, retail and administration.

Search for vacancies on MyCareer or see Part-time jobs to search for opportunities.

If you are having difficulty finding related experience, consider:

  • volunteering – charities often have supply chain opportunities or roles to develop relevant skills
  • developing entrepreneurial skills – see Work for Yourself
  • linking your thesis or dissertation with a company project. Speak to your module leader or project supervisor to check if this is allowed

Finding Jobs

Vacancy sources for the logistics and supply chain sector are listed below.

Vacancy sites

See Graduate jobs for more vacancy sources.

Find jobs and additional vacancy source websites outside the UK on GoinGlobal.

Graduate schemes and entry level jobs

Specialist recruitment agencies

Finding companies

Not all jobs are advertised. You can approach companies or find work through networking in the industry.

Find companies that interest you and get in touch, always with a named contact. Be specific about why you are writing to them and what you’re looking for. 

Show your enthusiasm for the sector and highlight any relevant skills. Don’t give up if you don’t get a reply – follow up with a phone call or email to show that you’re keen.

  • Find organisations on MyCareer - click on ‘search organisations’ under the Vacancies tab
  • LinkedIn Find Alumni Tool - see where Newcastle University graduates are working for inspiration
  • UKWA allows you to search for logistics organisations by service or location.
  • Researching Employers - more ways to source and research companies.