Associate Supply Chain Specialist - SAP Materials Management & Sales and Distribution

IBM
IBM

Sales & Business Development, Operations

Baton Rouge, LA, USA

Posted on Aug 22, 2026
Introduction

In this role, you'll work in one of our IBM Consulting FutureNow Centers, where we deliver deep technical and industry expertise to a wide range of public and private sector clients around the world. Our delivery centers offer our clients locally based skills and technical expertise to drive innovation and adoption of new technology.

As an Associate at IBM, you'll work with clients to help solve real-world business challenges through technology, innovation, and consulting.

From day one, you'll gain hands-on experience on real client projects while receiving professional and technical mentorship, career coaching, and access to certification opportunities.

At IBM, AI is part of how we deliver solutions, accelerate development, analyze data, automate business processes, and help clients solve complex business challenges. You'll also develop the consulting, communication, and collaboration skills needed to work effectively with clients and multidisciplinary teams throughout your career.

In this role, you'll work in one of our IBM Consulting FutureNow Centers, where we deliver deep technical and industry expertise to a wide range of public and private sector clients around the world. Our delivery centers offer our clients locally based skills and technical expertise to drive innovation and adoption of new technology.

Your role and responsibilities

As an Associate Supply Chain Specialist at IBM, you'll apply your knowledge of supply chain and business operations while developing expertise in SAP, one of the world's leading enterprise technology platforms. You'll help organizations improve how they manage procurement, materials, inventory, customer orders, fulfillment, logistics, and distribution through SAP-enabled business solutions.

As part of our SAP practice, you'll work alongside experienced consultants, SAP specialists, supply chain professionals, and technology experts to help clients modernize business processes and solve real-world operational challenges.

Depending on business needs, your skills, academic background, and career interests, you may be aligned to one of the following areas:

SAP Materials Management (MM) – focused on how organizations manage procurement, purchasing, materials, inventory, suppliers, and related supply chain processes.

SAP Sales and Distribution (SD) – focused on how organizations manage customer orders, sales processes, pricing, fulfillment, shipping, billing, and distribution.

You do not need prior SAP experience to get started. Many Associates join IBM with a foundation in supply chain, business, operations, or analytics and develop specialized SAP expertise through mentorship, structured learning, IBM SkillsBuild, certifications, AI-enabled tools, hands-on projects, and real client experiences.

No two projects are exactly alike—you could support clients across industries including manufacturing, consumer products, retail, healthcare, energy, automotive, industrial, public sector, and more.

Throughout your experience, you'll build an understanding of end-to-end supply chain processes while developing expertise in SAP technologies. You'll learn how business requirements are translated into enterprise solutions and how technology, data, automation, and Artificial Intelligence can help organizations improve supply chain performance.

You may have opportunities to:

  • Work with business and technology teams to understand supply chain requirements, processes, challenges, and opportunities for improvement.
  • Support SAP solutions related to procurement, materials management, inventory, sales, order management, fulfillment, logistics, distribution, and other end-to-end supply chain processes.
  • Assist with analyzing business requirements and translating them into SAP-enabled process and technology solutions.
  • Participate in SAP configuration, testing, data validation, documentation, issue resolution, and solution implementation activities under the guidance of experienced team members.
  • Analyze supply chain and operational data to identify trends, evaluate performance, and support business decision-making.
  • Support process improvement and transformation initiatives designed to improve efficiency, service, visibility, and business performance.
  • Collaborate with experienced SAP consultants, supply chain professionals, developers, and client stakeholders while building consulting, communication, analytical, and technology skills.
  • Gain exposure to how Artificial Intelligence, automation, analytics, cloud technologies, and enterprise platforms are transforming modern supply chains.

We're not looking for SAP experts; we hire for potential, curiosity, problem-solving ability, and a passion for learning. Through structured development and hands-on experience, you'll have opportunities to build the SAP knowledge and capabilities needed to grow within the practice.

To give yourself the best opportunity for success, we advise applying only to roles that align with your skills and experience, rather than applying broadly across all entry-level positions. You’ll receive a status update email for each application, so be sure to check your IBM Careers account regularly — it’s the best way to get a centralized view of which roles you have active applications against.

Required education
Bachelor's Degree
Preferred education
Bachelor's Degree
Required technical and professional expertise
  • Currently completing or recently completed a Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration with a concentration in Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Logistics, Management Information Systems, Business Analytics, or a related business field.
  • Foundational understanding of supply chain concepts such as procurement, purchasing, inventory, materials management, logistics, order management, fulfillment, distribution, or business operations.
  • Ability to analyze information, identify problems, evaluate business processes, and develop structured solutions.
  • Exposure to supply chain, operations, data analysis, enterprise technology, process improvement, or business problem-solving through coursework, academic projects, internships, case competitions, student organizations, IBM SkillsBuild, certifications, or other practical learning experiences.
  • Interest in developing expertise in SAP, enterprise applications, supply chain technology, automation, analytics, and digital transformation.
  • Understanding of how technology, data, Artificial Intelligence, and automation can help improve supply chain processes, operational efficiency, and business decision-making.
  • Ability to collaborate effectively and communicate ideas, findings, and recommendations to both business and technical audiences.

You don't need prior SAP experience to get started. We're looking for individuals with a strong business foundation, curiosity, a growth mindset, and a desire to develop expertise at the intersection of supply chain, technology, and consulting.

Bring your curiosity. Grow your skills. Build what's next — like an IBMer.

Preferred technical and professional experience
  • Exposure to supply chain management, procurement, purchasing, inventory management, logistics, sales operations, order management, or process improvement through coursework, academic projects, internships, IBM SkillsBuild, certifications, or other practical experiences.
  • Familiarity with ERP systems, SAP, business analytics, data visualization, process mapping, or enterprise technologies.
  • Interest in SAP Materials Management (MM), SAP Sales and Distribution (SD), supply chain transformation, Artificial Intelligence, automation, and consulting.
  • Ability to work across business and technology teams while learning how enterprise systems support end-to-end supply chain operations.

ABOUT BUSINESS UNIT

IBM Consulting is IBM’s consulting and global professional services business, with market leading capabilities in business and technology transformation. With deep expertise in many industries, we offer strategy, experience, technology, and operations services to many of the most innovative and valuable companies in the world. Our people are focused on accelerating our clients’ businesses through the power of collaboration. We believe in the power of technology responsibly used to help people, partners and the planet.

YOUR LIFE @ IBM

In a world where technology never stands still, we understand that, dedication to our clients success, innovation that matters, and trust and personal responsibility in all our relationships, lives in what we do as IBMers as we strive to be the catalyst that makes the world work better.

Being an IBMer means you’ll be able to learn and develop yourself and your career, you’ll be encouraged to be courageous and experiment everyday, all whilst having continuous trust and support in an environment where everyone can thrive whatever their personal or professional background.

Our IBMers are growth minded, always staying curious, open to feedback and learning new information and skills to constantly transform themselves and our company. They are trusted to provide on-going feedback to help other IBMers grow, as well as collaborate with colleagues keeping in mind a team focused approach to include different perspectives to drive exceptional outcomes for our customers. The courage our IBMers have to make critical decisions everyday is essential to IBM becoming the catalyst for progress, always embracing challenges with resources they have to hand, a can-do attitude and always striving for an outcome focused approach within everything that they do.

Are you ready to be an IBMer?

ABOUT IBM

IBM’s greatest invention is the IBMer. We believe that through the application of intelligence, reason and science, we can improve business, society and the human condition, bringing the power of an open hybrid cloud and AI strategy to life for our clients and partners around the world.

Restlessly reinventing since 1911, we are not only one of the largest corporate organizations in the world, we’re also one of the biggest technology and consulting employers, with many of the Fortune 500 companies relying on the IBM Cloud to run their business.

At IBM, we pride ourselves on being an early adopter of artificial intelligence, quantum computing and blockchain. Now it’s time for you to join us on our journey to being a responsible technology innovator and a force for good in the world.

IBM is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, pregnancy, disability, neurodivergence, age, or other characteristics protected by the applicable law. IBM is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status.

OTHER RELEVANT JOB DETAILS

IBM offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits program. Eligible employees may have access to:

- Healthcare benefits including medical & prescription drug coverage, dental, vision, and mental health & well being

- Financial programs such as 401(k), cash balance pension plan, the IBM Employee Stock Purchase Plan, financial counseling, life insurance, short & long- term disability coverage, and opportunities for performance based salary incentive programs

- Generous paid time off including 12 holidays, minimum 56 hours sick time, 120 hours vacation, 12 weeks parental bonding leave in accordance with IBM Policy, and other Paid Care Leave programs. IBM also offers paid family leave benefits to eligible employees where required by applicable law

- Training and educational resources on our personalized, AI-driven learning platform where IBMers can grow skills and obtain industry-recognized certifications to achieve their career goals

- Diverse and inclusive employee resource groups, giving & volunteer opportunities, and discounts on retail products, services & experiences

We consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable law.

This position was posted on the date cited in the key job details section and is anticipated to remain posted for 21 days from this date or less if not needed to fill the role.

IBM will not be providing visa sponsorship for this position now or in the future. Therefore, in order to be considered for this position, you must have the ability to work without a need for current or future visa sponsorship.

The compensation range and benefits for this position are based on a full-time schedule for a full calendar year. The salary will vary depending on your job-related skills, experience and location. Pay increment and frequency of pay will be in accordance with employment classification and applicable laws. For part time roles, your compensation and benefits will be adjusted to reflect your hours. Benefits may be pro-rated for those who start working during the calendar year.

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