This piece was originally featured in Inbound Logistics
Heidi Hoffman, Partner, ON Partners
My first job out of college was in commercial banking. I was a trainee, charged with making sure that our borrowers had the appropriate inventory to secure their loans. Once, I was in a warehouse and literally kicking tires that were security for a loan. I didn’t love the finance part of banking, but I loved working with inventory.
That started my path down the supply chain. After earning my M.B.A., I went into operations consulting. I put my love of supply chain to the test, doing large supply chain projects for industrial and consumer companies. I think like an engineer, although I’m not educated as one. I should be.
I love consulting and solving big hairy problems, but the lifestyle was not great. I was in a plane, on my way to see a client, when I started chatting with my seatmate; I didn’t know him or what he did. When he asked what I liked to do, I said, ‘I love to build teams and develop people.’ One month later, I had an offer to join the recruiting firm, Russell Reynolds
At the time, I was the only female on a large industrial recruiting team. Nobody wanted to touch roles like purchasing and traffic. I said, ‘I love inventory. Send me to the warehouse.’ I created a supply chain recruiting practice and have been doing it ever since.
One great thing about the supply chain is it never goes away. People love their stuff, and to have stuff, you need a supply chain. So, the opportunities keep
getting bigger.
I came to ON Partners about eight years ago. I’m blessed to have moved when I did, because there’s so much investment in supply chain technologies and businesses right now.
Supply chain management is not like it was even five years ago. It used to be a sort of necessary evil operating behind the scenes, and nobody wanted to work
on it. Now, it’s more strategic. Supply chain executives have a seat at the table and sit on boards.
Chief supply chain officers look more like CEOs now because they constantly think about what’s changing and how they can make money. They’re more technical, as well as more commercially oriented, as they figure out how to use
their supply chain to drive revenues.
One of the biggest challenges is the digital transformation of supply chains. Automation is essential to meet customer expectations and manage labor constraints. You need it to keep moving forward or you’ll get left behind. Yet a lot of companies grapple with outdated technology stacks that limit their ability to put automation in place. There’s also a shortage of skilled professionals in data analytics, automation, and artificial intelligence. The challenges of the digital transformation in supply chain have a huge impact on talent.
Global trade disruptions, tariffs, and geopolitical instability also have a tremendous impact. Nobody knows where to source from, and companies can look only about six months out. So, they’re shifting to nearshoring or regionalizing and creating new sourcing strategies. This also has a huge impact on talent and technology, as they need to come up with new ways of doing things.
When you bring in the talent that can address these challenges and drive change forward, it’s fascinating. You can have an impact on a companies’ success
Heidi Hoffman Answers the Big Questions
Any advice for supply chain professionals who want to move up?
Stay curious and explore other functions. A procurement executive who also had a stint in sales has seen two sides of the same coin. It shows their curiosity. They know how to be adaptable and how to tie functions together. I love that. Also, embrace technology.
What career advice has had an impact on your career?
Early on, someone told me, ‘Just because you don’t see someone who looks like you doesn’t mean you don’t belong.’ I took that to heart. When I got into this field, I often was the only woman in any room. I wore brightly colored suits because I wasn’t going to shrink into the background. I tried to make a place for other women. Also, own your space. Figure out where you belong and be the you possible.
What song lyric describes your role?
“You can’t always get what you want. But if you try sometimes, well you just might find, you get what you need,” from You Can’t Always Get What You Want by the Rolling Stones. Our clients often have a picture of what they think they need, but when we put it out to the world, that’s not what they need. We educate them on what they really need.
Do you have any hidden talents?
Growing up, I trained as a classical violinist. I didn’t become one but it gives me peace to listen to and play music. It’s a different way to release stress or use creativity.
HEIDI HOFFMAN leads the supply chain practice at ON Partners Executive Search.
RESPONSIBILITIES: Recruiting senior supply chain and operations executives for privately held, investor-backed, and publicly traded companies.
EXPERIENCE: Senior client partner, supply chain practice, Korn/Ferry International; managing director, Russell Reynolds Associates; associate, Booz Allen & Hamilton; credit analyst, Core States Bank (now Wachovia).
EDUCATION: M.B.A., The University of Chicago Booth School of Business; B.A., economics, Franklin & Marshall College.
