Top 21 Supply Chain Manager Interview Questions in 2024 [with Answers]

Supply Chain Management is a very crucial system for any product-based company. It is a system that works integrated with different aspects from production to delivery of a product. It has a great hand in improving customer service.

Today, supply chain management is more than a $15 billion dollar market and it will grow even rapidly in coming years. May it be IT company or any mechanical or software-based industry, everyone is searching for a supply chain manager. If you gain right skills and work hard in proper direction you can surely crack an interview.

What is Supply Chain Management?

Supply chain management (SCM) is about supervising every aspect of meeting demands from customers as well as the company (quality assurance, raw materials, finances, client co-ordination, etc). It needs you to look after production scale and cycle keeping the wastage minimal. Applying six sigma and lean principles for decreasing waste and increase production.

Top 21 Supply Chain Management Questions

1.How can you explain supply chain management?

This question is asked to know your idea about the supply chain market because even though it is required everywhere now. Its still a new concept for many. You can include importance of SCM for an industry in your answer. Responding this question clearly could represent your clarity of thoughts.

2. What do you know about our company and our specific supply chain?

The preparation for this question begins before going to the interview. To answer this question, you should know about the company’s products and supply chain system. You could look for news related to any of their new product launch. You also refer testimonials of some ex- employees or connect with other ex-supply chain mangers to make them see that you did you research.

3. What motivates you to work in product supply?

Before answering this directly talk about how important a product supply chain is for a company. How SCM plays an important role in increasing the rate customer satisfaction and improving customer service. Also talk about your management skills to make you look worthy about the job. You also mention the contentment that you feel after meeting people’s demands.

4. Can you state some safety points to be remembered while warehouse transportation?

Safety points to be remembered while warehouse transportation are:

• Sharp objects should be kept in check.
• Taking care of any loose flooring or those that can cause tripping.
• Spills should be cleaned immediately.
• Checking that fire exits are always functional.
• Encouraging proper use of garbage cans.
• keeping the items in their alloted spots.
• cords and wires must be kept away from walking space.

5. What are the current challenges faced by companies in supply chain management?

Current challenges faced in supply chain management are:

• controlling the rising cost of the supply chain process.
• meeting the customer demands of fast delivery.
• Dealing with volatile issues in supply chain like trade disputes, market fluctuation, etc.
• dealing with complexities in risk management.

6. What is LTT?

LTT stand for ‘less than truckload’. It is a contract between the transport owner and the shipper. Here the price of the shipment is calculated on the basis of the weight of the goods and the distance it is going to travel.

7. What is Anti- Dumping duty?

It is an import duty that is charged when the prices of the imported goods are lower than the decided price in the market of the exporter’s country.

8. Do you know the difference between logistics and Supply chain management?

• Logistics is a smaller picture while the supply chain management is larger picture.
• Logistics deals with production, storage and delivery of the product
• Supply chain management, on the other hand, is responsible for the coordination between all the supply chains of different products and services with in an organization or group of organization.

9. What are compliance labels?

Compliance labels have bar codes that help in identification of goods and are used as shipment labels, carton labels when it comes to importing or exporting of products.

10. What do you mean by Affreightment?

It is the amount of money paid to the shipper for carrying goods.

11. What are some important aspects of transportation and fleet management?

Important aspects of transportation and fleet management are:

• Transport Acquisition
• Transport Planning
• Routing maintenance planning
• Fleet maintenance and Scheduling
• Risk management
• Human resource management

12. State some major transportation issues of warehousing.

The major transport issues in warehousing are

• Costs
• Delays
• Tracking and communications
• Warehouse Safety

13. What is export declaration?

This question is mostly asked in SCM interviews. This is to know about your knowledge from some legal point of views. Every company is trying expand and exporting goods need a lot legal procedures which a supply chain manger must be familiar with. Export declaration is a legal document which has details about the goods that needs to be submitted at port when goods are exported to other countries.

14. What is the role of logistics in SCM?

The process of monitoring the transport of goods from one place to its intended place is called logistics. Today logistics also comprises of warehousing and inbound transportation and analysing strategies to meet demands. This makes a big part of SCM.

15. How do you think of being up to date about developments in supply chain management and operations?

Supply chain management is a vast field and only the fittest will survive. I order to be the fittest you must always be open to change and innovation. So, assuring them that you are changing as per the developments in the field you should read articles and books related to the field. This will help you clear your concepts and be up to date.

16. What does a bill of lading include?

A bill of laden includes:

• Name and complete address of shippers and receivers
• Order number or order ID used by businesses to track order
• Instruction for the carrier for secure delivery
• shipment date
• shipment units
• Types of packaging
• Description of the shipped item
• Declared value of the goods being shipped
• warning for any hazardous substance.
• Weight of the shipment
• freight classification or categorization as per NMFC

17. What is freight class based on?

Freight class is based on four factors

• Density
• Freight Storability
• Ease of handling
• Liability

18. What does APS, ASN & ASRS stand for?

APS: Advance Planning and Scheduling

ASN: Advance Shipment Notification

ASRS: Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems

Try to read some more concepts related to these three so that you could avoid getting blindsided.

19. What is a cycle time?

Cycle time is time required for entire process from getting an order to making it ready for shipment.

20. As a supply chain manager, what has been the most challenging project you have worked on?

This is to judge your problem-solving ability. As a supply chain manager, you could face many challenges while working on a project or a task. If you have any experience in SCM try to share problems you faced during your projects and assignments and also share the solutions you suggested.

21. How do you think of building relationship with suppliers and vendors here and abroad?

Your networking skills could come in handy for a company when you are a supply chain manager. This helps in easy flow of raw materials and building a good supplier base. You could mention some of the professional platforms like LinkedIn that help you connect with people.

Download the list of questions in .PDF format, to practice with them later, or to use them on your interview template (for Supply Chain Manager interviews):