Shipping services in Utah employ logistics managers to act as the person in charge of overseeing the purchasing and distribution of products in the supply chain. (According to the U.S. Department of Labor definition of a logistics manager.) Logistics managers are much more than this, however.
Shipping companies in Utah need a logistics manager to plan how to get the products they inventory shipped in the best and most efficient manner. They must also have a plan to warehouse and store the products they manage. Being a logistics manager sounds like a big job with a lot of responsibility for shipping companies in Utah.
What Exactly Does a Logistics Manager Do?
It might seem like a logistic manager is busy purchasing products and shipping out these products. However, their work consists of much more than making sure a product gets out for delivery. Logistics managers are often asked to resolve transportation problems that regularly occur. Problems a logistics manager is called on to solve could be weather delays, geopolitical situations like Union negotiations, damage to equipment, theft, and drivers who get into accidents.
The primary duties for logistics managers working for shipping services in Utah include:
- Addressing customer issues and complaints
- Maintaining safety in the workplace
- Supervising employees
- Developing operating strategies, plans and procedures.
The work of a logistics manager includes documentation and accounting for products as well as equipment. All operations in a plant must be documented and accounted for, and this requires being precise. Logistics managers spend quite a bit of time maintaining reports and keeping organized records of shipping and inventory. They also collaborate with different departments like accounting or customer sales to ensure that all processes are in order and fulfilled.
To ensure that supply chain processes are operating smoothly, questions that logistics managers need to ask daily could be:
- Are goods being delivered on time? Why or why not?
- Are shipments going on the most optimized routes and at the lowest rates available?
- Are the drivers prepared to handle the shipments?
- What drivers should be scheduled or who has driven the least number of hours?
A logistics manager is skilled in a plethora of duties. On-the-job training is good, but a degree in supply chain and logistics management is better. This degree is designed to equip a logistics manager with the skills to help get their job done efficiently.
Some requirements for this career path are listed below (researched through real-time job analysis software examining more than 2,500 logistics manager postings):
- Contract management
- Supply chain management
- Business planning
- Process improvement
- Procurement
- SAP
- Accounting
- Purchasing
- Enterprise resource planning or ERP
- Scheduling
A successful logistics manager for shipping services in Utah is an individual who must be able to work under pressure and have optimal organizational skills.
Where do you find logistics managers working?
If you would like to be a logistics manager and make upwards of $200,000 a year (figures obtained from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) where could you work?
You may think that logistics managers work solely in warehouses for huge retailers or other businesses, but in reality, logistics managers work in many different environments. Some of these work areas may be surprising for you.
Logistics managers work in general merchandise warehouses, which is one of the top areas for this career, but other industries include professional, technical services, and scientific enterprises. Besides, they work in chemical manufacturing industries, the oil industry, and transportation hubs.
Some of the best shipping companies in Utah employ logistics managers to keep them on schedule, in line with their customers, and to promote a successful trucking business.
There is plenty to think about when it comes to working as a logistics manager.
A considerable variation in what the job entails makes it a gratifying profession for someone energetic and enthused. A logistics manager is a job that should not be taken lightly. One experienced logistics manager says, “In the logistics field, every day is different. An individual who enjoys daily challenges and doesn’t mind making a living as a problem solver would be a perfect fit.”
Want to see a logistics manager in action? Contract your next freight delivery with the best shipping company in Utah, Corlett Express, and you will get your freight delivered on time and intact.
