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38 SMT007 MAGAZINE I APRIL 2021 to reduce waste and cost, and increase cus- tomer value. e management of large amounts of data and extracting useful information from that data is an ever more important aspect of sup- ply chain management. Your supply chain manager does not need to be your Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system "super user," but they really do need a deep understand- ing of how the technology used in your supply chain works. ey need to be up to date with trends in supply chain technology, particularly around the use of "big data" and automation. is skill will enable them to ensure that your business makes the right investments in tech- nology and gets value from that investment. It is very easy to be over-awed by technology and seduced by slick sales pitches and futuris- tic visions. A good supply chain manager will have the understanding to see past all this and select the right level of technology with the right technology partners to serve your busi- ness now and in the future. It's a Leadership Role So You Need a Leader e career path of many supply chain man- agers oen has them developing as technical specialists before they reach the more gen- eral supply chain role. Oen, they have little experience at managing a team and are most comfortable working on their own when solv- ing some technical challenge, implementing the latest soware, or negotiating deals with suppliers. However, supply chain manage- ment is a critical leadership role in your busi- ness. Unless your business is very small and you intend it to stay that way, your supply chain manager will need to develop and lead a team of specialists. erefore, the individual needs to have strong interpersonal skills, clear values, professional standards, and excellent communication skills. Beyond managing their team, the supply chain manager will need to interact with many exter- nal organisations including suppliers, carriers, responsiveness to market change is considered. Likewise, they may need to see why smaller, more agile manufacturing units located close to customers might be preferrable to one big capital-intensive plant designed to "maximise efficiency." ey will understand how your company interacting with its suppliers can have a profound impact on your cost of sourc- ing. A skilled supply chain manager can really add value by applying their understanding of the connections and interactions between dif- ferent elements of the supply chain from your suppliers' suppliers through to your custom- ers' distribution network. To help see these interactions, a good sup- ply chain manager needs to understand Lean thinking. While it is not new, Lean is the most widely accepted and proven methodology to understand and improve the supply chain. A good supply chain manager will understand the extended value stream of their business. is means mapping the flow of value from suppliers through to the final customer and highlighting the areas or greatest opportunity Timothy McLean, Managing Director, TXM Lean Solutions.