What does a Supply Chain Coordinator actually do?

The short version

Supply chain coordinators are the connective tissue of logistics — tracking shipments, booking freight, chasing suppliers and rebuilding the plan when a container is late. It's the standard first rung on the ladder to planning, procurement and supply chain management.

The pitch: a genuine career ladder in an industry that can't be offshored, open to non-graduates who come up through warehouse-office or admin routes, and to graduates alike. The catch: it's a spreadsheet-and-phone job where everyone calls you when something is late, and the routine admin half of the role is exactly what software is automating — the future of the job is the exception-handling half.

Entry routes that actually work

• Internal step from logistics admin — warehouse office and transport office roles feed coordinator vacancies.
• Graduate route — any degree works at larger firms; logistics placements help.
• CILT / CIPS certificates — recognised currency without a degree.