Logisticians manage the distribution of products, supplies or materials. Good results in their job depend on building strong business relationships with vendors, as well as understanding their clients’ unique needs and how best to meet them. They design strategies, implement them and constantly look for ways to streamline processes.
Critical thinking skills are important for handling the challenges of supply chain management and would be appropriate to include in your logistician job description. Strong communication is also vital to be able to coordinate complex sequences without usually being physically present to direct activities. Good problem-solving skills are also vital for handling issues when they arise.
Supply chain managers have to be well-organized and creative to be able to successfully deliver goods on time and, in some cases, properly store them. For more information about what goes into an effective logistician job description, consult the example below.
Logistician Job Summary
Doctors and first responders make great sacrifices to serve their patients, and when their test equipment is too expensive, hard to acquire or out of date, people suffer. Since our company’s inception, our technology has been changing lives for the better by improving portable medical diagnostics. If you’re a strong planner and are results-driven, we may have an opportunity for you to join our team as a logistician. Reporting to our program manager, you’ll work on both ends of the supply chain to help bring one of our new product lines to a worldwide market. You’ll see the outcome of your analytical creativity when our revolutionary tools reach communities and disaster relief sites near and far.
Job Responsibilities
- Analyze all factors related to the supply chain and present various models that clearly show the differences in cost and delivery time between alternatives
- Coordinate the procurement of materials needed for production, develop product-specific storage solutions and execute the distribution of goods ready to ship
- Maintain ongoing data collection, continuously monitor key metrics, produce monthly progress reports and present findings at regularly scheduled meetings
- Fulfill rush orders and develop a system to speed up deliveries to remote, international or otherwise challenging destinations
- Standardize supply chain processes and contribute newly established procedures to technical documentation library
- Consult with distributors and clients to understand their expectations and evaluate their feedback, potentially creating separate programs for resellers and direct buyers
- Serve as a backup logistician for other groups during absences and participate in training and onboarding of new logistics staff as additional product lines are added
- Participate in special projects with the R&D, legal, marketing and business departments
Job Skills & Qualifications
Reqiured:
- Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management or equivalent experience
- Able to take responsibility for product lifecycle, meeting all agreement clauses
- Insightful in dealing with obstacles and resolving conflicts
Preferred:
- Experience in Pacific Rim area exportation
- Knowledge of RedPrairie E2e software
Logistician Job Responsibilities
As you prepare to hire someone for your open position, you must write a stellar logistician job description. An important part of the description is the logistician job responsibilities section. This section outlines the expectations you have for the person filling this position. It explains the most important job duties in an easy-to-read bullet list.
It is important, though, not to overwhelm candidates with too many duties and tasks. Stick to about 6-8 bullets, and start each one with an action verb to allow the jobseeker to picture himself or herself in the role. This section of the logistician job description must be well written and clear. You want applicants to understand each duty, so they can easily decide if this is the right job for them. Remember to stick to the key responsibilities. You do not want to list those duties that are a given, such as using email or answering the phone, unless they are very significant in the role.
Here’s a look at the way you could write this section:
- Review current operations for areas of improvement
- Make proposals for changes and present them to management
- Manage the logistics of a product from start to finish
- Develop strong relationships between the company and suppliers
- Create strategies to improve operations and better meet clients’ needs
- Learn about clients to determine their priorities
Logistician Job Specifications
When an analyst looks for a new job, he or she often refers to the job qualficiations and skills section of a logistician job description. This section explains the requirements to qualify for the job and outlines the skills, education and other attributes you expect in the person you hire. These logistician job specifications need to be detailed and clear so applicants get a solid idea of whether they meet your expectations and can do the job.
Provide the information in a list for easy reading. Each item needs to begin with an action verb to allow candidates to imagine working in the role. You may want to consult with the hiring manager to ensure you include every important requirement and leave out anything that is not essential. Also, make sure to separate preferred abilities from required ones. You can create two different lists if you would like, but include all the important points covering education, experience and other important skills or traits.
See below for examples of what this section of a logistician job description might entail:
- Bachelor’s degree in business or supply chain management
- At least five years of experience in logistics
- Ability to communicate clearly
- Excellent computer skills and knowledge of various software programs
- Superior organizational skills
- Certification preferred through APICS or the International Society of Logistics