Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers

What the job really is

Plan, direct, or coordinate transportation, storage, or distribution activities in accordance with organizational policies and applicable government laws or regulations. Includes logistics managers.

At a glance

• Sector: Management
• O*NET-SOC code: 11-3071
• O*NET job zone: 4 — considerable preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Supervise the activities of workers engaged in receiving, storing, testing, and shipping products or materials.
• Plan, develop, or implement warehouse safety and security programs and activities.
• Inspect physical conditions of warehouses, vehicle fleets, or equipment and order testing, maintenance, repairs, or replacements.
• Plan, organize, or manage the work of subordinate staff to ensure that the work is accomplished in a manner consistent with organizational requirements.
• Collaborate with other departments to integrate logistics with business systems or processes, such as customer sales, order management, accounting, or shipping.
• Analyze all aspects of corporate logistics to determine the most cost-effective or efficient means of transporting products or supplies.
• Resolve problems concerning transportation, logistics systems, imports or exports, or customer issues.
• Develop and document standard and emergency operating procedures for receiving, handling, storing, shipping, or salvaging products or materials.
• Monitor operations to ensure that staff members comply with administrative policies and procedures, safety rules, union contracts, environmental policies, or government regulations.
• Analyze the financial impact of proposed logistics changes, such as routing, shipping modes, product volumes or mixes, or carriers.
• Monitor inventory levels of products or materials in warehouses.
• Establish or monitor specific supply chain-based performance measurement systems.

Tools and technology

Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D, Bentley MicroStation, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Project, Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Visio, Microsoft Word, Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Logisticians
• Logistics Analysts
• Logistics Engineers
• Supply Chain Managers
• General and Operations Managers
• Industrial Production Managers
• Facilities Managers
• Transportation Planners

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 4 (considerable preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.