Erin O’Leary On Working Your Way Up in Supply Chain
Working your way up in supply chain is still more challenging for women. According to Gartner, women comprised less than 40% of the supply chain workforce and 21% of executive-level supply chain roles last year–a slight dip from 2021. However, while Women In Supply Chain™ may have a lower chance of reaching an executive level, women (some founders) make up 19% of the supply chain c-suite.
“Chief supply chain officers (CSOs) remain committed to gender diversity, but they will need to double-down on goal setting, leadership inclusion, and career pathing for women,” explains Caroline Chumakov, senior principal supply chain analyst at Gartner.
At Let’s Talk Supply Chain, we’re passionate about helping more women make career breakthroughs across the global industry. And research shows that Women In Supply Chain™ drive up levels of innovation—elevating business performance across the globe—these are the women whose stories we share monthly. Meanwhile, inflation, geopolitical tensions, and an ongoing talent shortage continue to drive supply chain disruptions–making diversity in thought more of a mandate than a competitive advantage.
At Let’s Talk Supply Chain, we’re dedicated to closing the supply-chain gender gap by recognizing women supply chain and logistics leaders smashing glass ceilings and gender stereotypes with big, bold career moves. Our blog series explores how these trailblazers contribute to their organizations and communities in a meaningful way. Let’s Talk Supply Chain explores the obstacles women leaders continually learn to navigate, how they support each other, and how they transform how we do business.
This month, we’re honored to feature Erin O’Leary, Chief Information Officer at Janel Group, Inc. Erin has a Master’s of Nonprofit Administration, Fundraising, Volunteer Management, and Administration from North Park University. She earned her nonprofit management certification through Harper College and her Bachelor’s in Environmental Studies from Northern Illinois University. For nearly two decades, Erin has spent her career making an impact in the nonprofit and supply chain sectors. She has held executive board positions with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dundee Township.
About the Author
Naomi Sylvian is a content marketing leader with more than 17 years of experience, and the editor of Let’s Talk Supply Chain™’s Women In Supply Chain™ series. Her works have appeared on Forbes, Mashable, Business Insider, The Muse, and Yahoo, and have been mentioned by The New York Times Online. Naomi mentors at-risk teens to fight recidivism and contribute on a local level, working with the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections. Subscribe to her LinkedIn newsletter, The Chain Explained, for all things Supply Chain broken down with as many pop-culture references as possible, or view her marketing portfolio online.
