Cleo Releases First Annual Supply Chain Jobs Report: What Supply Chain Recruiting Tells Us About Agility & IT Innovation in 2023

Recruiting strategies indicate how companies can overcome risks & disruption through the convergence of people & processes 

ROCKFORD, Illinois – December 15, 2022 – Cleo, the pioneer and global leader of the Ecosystem Integration software category and provider of the Cleo Integration Cloud (CIC) platform, today announced findings from its first annual Supply Chain Jobs Report, including what recruitment strategies tell us about the state of IT innovation and digitalization at supply chain-oriented businesses (manufacturers, logistics providers, warehouses, and wholesalers/retailers) in the U.S.

Key takeaways from the report include:

• Supply chain-oriented roles are still highly manual at a time when companies should be digitalizing roles and processes.
• Only one-third (30%) of all roles require ERP experience and nearly half (42%) of managerial jobs require no software experience at all – demonstrating a lack of technology adoption across supply chain facilities and operations.
• The Midwest and Northeast regions are most lacking in technical supply chain roles – signalling increased competition for talent in those regions.
• Companies are not effectively using technology to optimize operations.

“These findings clearly point to a deep deficit in supply chain automation at a time when companies can least afford it. Software technology, people, and processes have not come together in a transformational way that has truly permeated supply chain organizations,” said Tushar Patel, CMO, Cleo. “The data indicates that companies are failing to approach digitalization through an end-to-end lens that visualizes and analyses supply chain operations across their internal and external ecosystems. The lack of recruiting for people skilled in modern software will result in organizations   struggling to keep up with operational efficiencies – which are desperately needed in an increasingly fierce supply chain market.”

When job responsibilities are analyzed and compared with technology experience requirements, it becomes apparent that companies are not effectively using technology to optimize operations. For example, less than one-third (30%) of roles analyzed cite ERP experience as a requirement, but over three-fourths (77%) list internal collaboration as a role expectation – a responsibility that could be facilitated by an ERP or integration solution.

Job descriptions also indicate that leaders are not looking at their enterprise as a whole when strategizing for digitalization, including their changing workforce. Successful digitalization and optimization start with buy-in from the top of the workplace hierarchy. Surprisingly, nearly half (42%) of manager and senior manager roles required no software experience at all. 

“Supply chain-oriented businesses are not thinking about the end game, which is to become more agile,” said Patel. “Post-pandemic supply chain inefficiencies have impacted every business, leading to the redefining of many supply chain roles and processes. Given the speed of market transitions,  and volatility, effective supply chain management will make or break organizations  in 2023.”

Job roles across four key regions in the U.S. – Northeast, South, Midwest, and West – show that technical supply chain jobs are moving south and west. In the Northeast, only one-in-three managerial positions includes supply chain software in the job description. However, over half of manager jobs located in the South (59%) and Midwest (60%) mention software; and roles in the West required managers to have experience with one software application on average. In fact, just under half (40%) of all roles were for the South region, with one-fifth (20%) of all jobs being located in Florida or Georgia.

Click here to download the Supply Chain Jobs Report and learn more about using recruitment strategies to drive innovation and digitalization.

Methodology

Cleo reviewed and scored requirements and responsibilities listed in 182 open U.S.-based supply chain jobs on Indeed.com prior to September 10, 2022, at logistics companies with reported revenues between $250M and $2B. 

About Cleo Integration Cloud

Cleo Integration Cloud (CIC) is a cloud-based integration platform, purpose-built to design, build, operate and optimize critical ecosystem integration processes.  The CIC platform brings end-to-end integration visibility across API, EDI and non-EDI integrations that gives technical and business users the confidence to rapidly onboard trading partners, enable integration between applications, and accelerate revenue-generating business processes.  On the platform, businesses have the choice of self-service, managed services, or a blended approach – ensuring complete flexibility and control over their B2B integration strategy.

About Cleo

Cleo is an ecosystem integration software company focused on business outcomes, ensuring each customer’s potential is realized by delivering solutions that make it easy to discover and create value through the movement and integration of B2B enterprise data.  Cleo gives customers strategic, “outside-in” visibility into the critical end-to-end business flows happening across their ecosystems of partners and customers, marketplaces, and internal cloud and on-premise applications.  Our solutions empower teams to drive business agility, accelerate onboarding, facilitate modernization of key business processes, and capture new revenue streams by reimagining and remastering their digital ecosystem through robust application, B2B, and data integration technologies. For more information, visit www.cleo.com or call +1.815.282.7695.