Logistics Manager job description.
A Logistics Manager oversees the movement of goods from suppliers through warehouses to customers, coordinating transportation, warehousing, and inventory to meet cost and service targets. They manage carrier relationships, optimize routes and schedules, and lead a team responsible for shipping and receiving. The role requires strong planning skills and comfort with logistics software and data.
The Logistics Manager job description · $29
The full editable .docx — role summary, 8 worked responsibilities, qualifications, and skills, formatted for your letterhead. Delivered to your inbox within 24 hours — usually instantly.
Role: Logistics Manager Reports to: Supply Chain Manager or Operations Director
A Logistics Manager oversees the movement of goods from suppliers through warehouses to customers, coordinating transportation, warehousing, and inventory to meet cost and service targets. They manage carrier relationships, optimize routes and schedules, and lead a team responsible for shipping and receiving. The role requires strong planning skills and comfort with logistics software and data.
- Plan and coordinate inbound and outbound shipments
- Negotiate and manage relationships with carriers and freight vendors
- Optimize routing, scheduling, and warehouse space utilization
What's inside the document.
One-paragraph plain-English explanation of the role's outcome and scope.
8 responsibilities phrased the way the work is actually done.
4 qualifications a candidate must have to perform on day 30.
3 qualifications that would make a candidate excellent in year two.
6 skill chips you can copy directly into your ATS.
Supply Chain Manager or Operations Director
A complete document set.
- Word document (.docx) — fully editable
- PDF — signature-ready
- Google Docs — one-click copy to your Drive
- 12 months of updates to this document
- Commercial-use licence for internal and client work
The work, not the title.
- Plan and coordinate inbound and outbound shipments
- Negotiate and manage relationships with carriers and freight vendors
- Optimize routing, scheduling, and warehouse space utilization
- Lead and schedule the logistics or shipping/receiving team
- Monitor delivery performance and resolve service disruptions
- Track logistics costs and identify efficiency opportunities
- Ensure compliance with transportation and safety regulations
- Report logistics KPIs to operations and supply chain leadership
Required — and what would make a candidate excellent.
- Bachelor's degree in supply chain, logistics, or related field or equivalent experience
- 5+ years of logistics or transportation management experience
- Proficiency with logistics, TMS, or ERP software
- Strong negotiation and vendor management skills
- APICS/ASCM or logistics certification
- Experience managing multi-site distribution networks
- International freight and customs experience
Eight steps from download to publish.
- 01Open the Logistics Manager job description in Word or your one-click Google Docs copy.
- 02Replace placeholders for company name, reporting line, and location with your specifics.
- 03Tighten the summary to one paragraph that names the team's outcome, not just the role.
- 04Edit the responsibilities to match the actual scope of the seat — aim for 6 to 8 items, not 12.
- 05Separate required qualifications from preferred. Required is what a candidate must have to do the work on day 30; preferred is what would make them excellent in year two.
- 06Add salary range guidance using BLS, Payscale, or your own band data — do not copy generic figures.
- 07Have the hiring manager and one peer read it. Cut anything that wouldn't survive a candidate question.
- 08Publish to your ATS, intranet, and external careers page.
The right document at the right moment.
Use this Logistics Manager job description any time you are opening or reopening a seat at this level. The senior band sets the calibration — copy the document, tighten it to your specific scope, and circulate to the hiring panel before the first interview.
The reporting line (Supply Chain Manager or Operations Director) and skills list are starting points. Override either if your org structure or stack differs from the norm — the template is a draft, not a contract.
Honest answers before you download.
- What's the difference between a Logistics Manager and a Logistics Coordinator?
- The Logistics Manager sets strategy, manages carrier relationships, and leads a team, while the Coordinator handles day-to-day shipment scheduling and documentation.
- What software experience should candidates have?
- Familiarity with a transportation management system (TMS) or ERP logistics module is typically expected, along with strong spreadsheet skills.
Other documents in this neighbourhood.
Logistics Coordinator
A logistics coordinator manages the movement of goods across the supply chain, coordinating shipments, tracking inventory, and liaising with carriers, vendors, and warehouse staff.
Supply Chain Manager
A supply chain manager oversees the end-to-end flow of goods, from procurement through production to distribution, optimizing cost, efficiency, and reliability.
Inventory Manager
An Inventory Manager oversees stock control across a warehouse, distribution network, or retail chain, balancing service levels against carrying cost.
This Logistics Manager job description is a professionally drafted starting point for your hiring process and is not legal advice. Hiring practice varies by jurisdiction (e.g. pay-transparency laws differ across US states and AU jurisdictions). Adapt this document for your specific location and have employment counsel review any clauses you add before publishing. Salary varies by region, employer type, and experience. Reference BLS or current industry surveys for ranges. Full disclaimer.