For years, supply chain and procurement teams were measured largely by their ability to control costs, negotiate favorable terms and keep goods moving efficiently.
Those priorities have not gone away. But in 2026, they are only part of the job.
Tariff changes, geopolitical uncertainty, rising transportation costs and continued disruption across global trade routes are forcing companies to think differently about how and where they source, how much risk they are willing to carry and how quickly they can respond when conditions change.
This summer alone, U.S. retailers pulled forward imports ahead of tariff changes that took effect in late July while also preparing for continued disruption related to conflict in the Middle East. At the same time, CIPS reported that supply chain professionals continue to face an unusually elevated risk environment, driven by geopolitical instability, inflation and ongoing trade uncertainty.
Resilience is moving higher on the priority list
The shift is showing up clearly in how companies are approaching their supply chains.
According to KPMG’s 2026 Next-Gen Supply Chain Survey, 73% of supply chain executives plan to transform their operating model within the next one to three years. More than half, 51%, identified managing and mitigating risk as their most important transformation objective.
Procurement teams are making changes at the supplier level, too.
Recent CIPS research found that organizations are prioritizing strategies such as diversifying suppliers, extending contracts and carrying additional inventory to protect continuity. The report describes a broader move away from dependence on a single supplier, region or transportation corridor.
That represents an important change in mindset.
The lowest-cost option is not always the lowest-risk option. The leanest inventory strategy may not provide enough flexibility when a key route closes. A supplier relationship that works well today may become significantly more expensive if trade policy changes tomorrow.
Increasingly, the job is to balance all of those considerations at once.
Procurement decisions are becoming business decisions
The impact of those decisions can reach well beyond the supply chain.
KPMG’s 2026 tariff research found that 78% of surveyed organizations reported higher cost of goods sold, while 51% reported margin declines. Companies have responded by reconsidering sourcing strategies, supplier contracts and even where operations are located.
Among the actions companies reported taking:
- 60% diversified sourcing to include lower-tariff regions
- 59% renegotiated supplier contracts
- 42% shifted toward domestic sourcing
Those decisions affect pricing, working capital, production schedules, customer commitments and long-term growth plans.
As a result, supply chain and procurement professionals increasingly need to understand more than purchasing and logistics. Organizations need people who can evaluate tradeoffs, anticipate risk, negotiate effectively, build strong supplier relationships and make sound decisions when the answer is not obvious.
The talent behind a more resilient supply chain
That is making experienced talent particularly important.
KPMG reports that 31% of organizations have hired specialized talent focused on tariff, trade and compliance complexity, up from 22% in late 2025. The same research points to persistent talent shortages in supply chain and logistics.
Longer-term workforce projections tell a similar story. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of logisticians to grow 17% from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations. Employment of purchasing managers, buyers and purchasing agents is also projected to grow faster than the overall labor market.
The demand makes sense.
Resilience is ultimately not just a supply chain design or a sourcing strategy. It depends on the people making decisions every day across procurement, planning, sourcing, logistics and operations.
Preparing for what comes next
No organization can predict every tariff change, transportation disruption, supplier issue or geopolitical event.
What companies can control is how prepared they are to respond.
That means building teams with the experience and judgment to weigh cost against risk, adapt sourcing strategies, strengthen supplier relationships and keep critical work moving when conditions change.
As supply chain and procurement priorities continue to evolve, the companies best positioned to respond will be those with the right people in place before pressure builds.
That is where the talent strategy becomes part of the resilience strategy.
At Brilliant, we help organizations connect with experienced professionals across supply chain, procurement, logistics and operations who can step into critical roles, support changing priorities and help teams navigate periods of growth, disruption or transformation.
Because in an environment where the next challenge may be difficult to predict, having the right expertise in place can make all the difference in how quickly and effectively a business responds.
_______________________________________________________
Sources: KPMG, 2026 Next-Gen Supply Chain Survey and 2026 Tariff Survey; Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply, Q2 2026 Pulse Survey; National Retail Federation, Global Port Tracker; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.