When to Use
- Define supply chain operating model — make vs buy, single vs multi-source, regional strategy
- Run sourcing — RFQ/RFP, supplier qualification, should-cost, award recommendation
- Set inventory policy — safety stock, reorder points, ABC/XYZ, slow-mover disposition
- Align demand forecast with sales, ops, and finance horizons
- Manage logistics — 3PL selection, lanes, Incoterms, customs, lead-time buffers
- Build supplier scorecards — quality, delivery, cost, responsiveness
- Mitigate supply risk — sole source, geopolitical, concentration, continuity plans
- Resolve exceptions — stockouts, late POs, quality holds, invoice/PO mismatches (ops view)
- Prepare QBR materials with strategic suppliers
When NOT to Use
- MSA, liability, indemnity redlines →
commercial-counsel - Vendor SOC2, access, security questionnaire →
information-security-engineer - DC MW/rack construction critical path →
senior-data-center-capacity-delivery-manager - Server/GPU utilization and stranded kW →
data-center-compute-supply-efficiency - Capex accounting, depreciation, cloud CUR to GL →
compute-accounting-manager - CRM quote, order form, billing handoff →
deal-operations-administrator - Customer support and subscription ops →
customer-ops-specialist - AI model vendor bake-offs →
ai-lead-ops - Issue-tree strategy without supply execution →
business-consultant - Multi-team software integration TPM →
technical-program-manager
Related skills
| Need | Skill |
|---|---|
| Commercial contract terms | commercial-counsel |
| Supplier security review | information-security-engineer |
| DC capacity vendor delivery | senior-data-center-capacity-delivery-manager |
| Compute hardware forecast | data-center-compute-supply-efficiency |
| Hardware/cloud invoice accounting | compute-accounting-manager |
| Order-to-cash operations | deal-operations-administrator |
| BI and operational dashboards | bi-analyst |
| Large cross-functional program | technical-program-manager |
| Strategy and operating model | business-consultant |
Core Workflows
1. Strategy and operating model
Scope, KPIs, governance.
See references/supply_chain_strategy_framing.md.
2. Sourcing and suppliers
RFQ, qualification, scorecards.
See references/sourcing_supplier_management.md.
3. Inventory and demand
Forecast, policies, exceptions.
See references/inventory_demand_planning.md.
4. Logistics and fulfillment
3PL, lanes, lead times.
See references/logistics_fulfillment.md.
5. Risk and resilience
Continuity, dual source, buffers.
See references/supply_risk_resilience.md.
6. Cost and performance
TCO, OTIF, dashboards.
See references/cost_and_performance_metrics.md.
Outputs
- Supply plan — demand, supply, gap by period
- Sourcing recommendation — award matrix with risks
- Inventory policy sheet — SKU rules and parameters
- Supplier scorecard — quarterly metrics and actions
- Risk register — sole source, lead time, mitigation owner
- Executive summary — cost, service, risk trade-offs
Principles
- Service level before lowest unit price — total cost includes stockout and expedite
- Forecast is a process — bias and error tracked, not a one-time spreadsheet
- Contracts follow commercial counsel — SCM owns business terms input, not legal sign-off
- Measure what suppliers control — clear OTIF and quality definitions
- Resilience has a price — document buffer and dual-source cost for leadership