What a supply chain analyst does
A supply chain analyst studies how goods and information move through your business and finds ways to improve it. They extract data from your ERP, warehouse and transportation systems, build reports and dashboards, and analyze lead times, fill rates, freight costs and supplier performance. They often support sales and operations planning meetings with the figures leaders use to decide what to make, buy and stock.
Unlike a general data analyst, a supply chain analyst understands the operation behind the data: why a supplier runs late, why a warehouse transfer distorts inventory or how a minimum order quantity affects cost. That context is what turns a report into a decision. Finch screens for both halves, technical skill with tools such as Excel, SQL and Power BI, and real exposure to planning, purchasing or logistics operations.
Typical responsibilities
- Build and maintain reports and dashboards on inventory, service levels, freight and supplier performance
- Analyze lead times, demand patterns and cost drivers to identify problems and savings
- Support sales and operations planning with data, scenarios and clear summaries
- Model the impact of changes such as new suppliers, warehouse moves or carrier switches
- Clean and reconcile master data in the ERP, including item, supplier and lead time records
- Present findings to managers who do not work with data every day
Qualifications and credentials
- A degree in supply chain management, business analytics, engineering, economics or a related field
- Advanced Excel skills; SQL and Power BI or Tableau are often required
- Experience with an ERP such as SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics or NetSuite
- ASCM's CSCP or CPIM, or Supply Chain Canada's SCMP, is an asset for many employers
- Clear written and verbal communication for presenting analysis to non-specialists
Who hires a supply chain analyst
- Manufacturers and consumer goods companies
- Retailers and e-commerce businesses
- Third-party logistics providers and distributors
- Food, beverage and pharmaceutical companies
- Consulting firms with operations or supply chain practices
Where we recruit supply chain analyst candidates
We fill supply chain analyst roles for employers across Toronto and the GTA, including North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke, Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill, Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville, Burlington, Oshawa and Pickering, and for employers across Canada. GTA employers can meet us at our North York office by appointment.
What Finch checks before you meet a candidate
- Examples of analysis that led to an actual operational change, and what happened afterward
- Technical depth in Excel, SQL and your reporting tool, discussed through real examples
- Understanding of supply chain concepts such as safety stock, lead time variability and landed cost
- How they explain findings to people who distrust the numbers
- Eligibility to work in Canada and acceptance of your hybrid or on-site expectations
Interview questions to ask
- Tell me about a report you built that changed a decision. What did the business do differently afterward?
- Our fill rate dropped last quarter. How would you work out why?
- What do you do when the ERP shows stock that the warehouse says is not on the shelf?