What A Supply Chain Subcontract Specialist At Northrop Grumman Wishes They Had Known Before Entering The Supply Chain Industry
Marissa, a Principal Supply Chain Subcontract Specialist at Northrop Grumman, wished for more focused education before entering the industry, specifically "additional time to prepare for this role" with more contract law classes, recognizing the significant "contractual background or legalese" involved in daily tasks. While on-the-job learning has been valuable, additional preparation in this area would have been beneficial, though the specifics vary between companies.
Negotiation, Contract Law, Supply Chain Management, MBA, Private Sector
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Marissa Simone
Principal Supply Chain Subcontract Specialist
Northrop Grumman Corporation
Pepperdine University
Arizona State University (ASU) - W. P. Carey, MBA in Supply Chain
Political Science, American Studies
Aerospace, Aviation & Defense
Operations and Project Management
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient
Video Highlights
1. Marissa's experience highlights the importance of practical, hands-on learning in the subcontracts field, even with an MBA.
2. The day-to-day tasks often involve contractual background and legalese, so additional preparation in contracts would be beneficial.
3. Different companies utilize varying systems and acronyms (e.g., SAP), so focusing on learning those specific to the target company might be more effective than general preparation.
Transcript
What have you learned about this role that you wish someone had told you before you entered the industry?
Specifically in subcontracts, I wish I had spent more of my education preparing for this role. I took a couple of classes in negotiations, which I really enjoyed, and some on procurement. We also touched on terms and conditions.
Otherwise, I do wish I had taken additional time to prepare for this role. A lot of jobs involve learning on the job, which is great. This is my first time in this industry and my first full-time role in the private sector.
However, I think if someone had told me my day-to-day would involve things requiring a strong contractual background or legalese, I wish I would have prepared more.
I do know some folks who dedicate a lot of free time to preparing for their roles in supply chain. Every company is different; the acronyms and systems vary. Some companies use SAP, and others don't.
It doesn't hurt to wait and see what the role requires before spending energy on things you might not need. Otherwise, I have learned a lot on the job. I just wish I had taken more contracts classes in my education.