With the development of the economy, the number of enterprises in its various sectors is growing. Therefore, it is required to store and transport more and more different kinds of products. This activity should be organized by a certain specialist - the logistics manager, whose job duties we will consider in this article.
What does a logistics manager do?
Logistics specialists are in demand today at many enterprises. This position includes activities related to the control of resources, their production and sale. At the same time, tasks related to the optimal transportation and storage of resource data come to the fore. There are so many tasks of these, and they are so diverse that the responsibilities of a logistician in different industries will also vary.
Warehouse Manager
The specialist, whose responsibilities include mainly the control of warehouse storage, must perform the following functions:
- Organization of storage at the warehouse complex of products, based on its features.
- Determining the order of placement of goods.
- Selection of optimal storage equipment.
- The formation of the scheme of movement of goods, their preparation for transportation or subsequent processing.
- Optimization of warehouse space and others.
Transport Logistics Manager
The responsibilities of the transport logistics manager will be slightly different. They include:
- Planning of transportation routes and the procedure for the transportation of certain goods.
- The choice of a carrier.
- Preparation of relevant documents.
- Continuous monitoring and tracking of the transportation process.
General responsibilities
In addition to highly specialized, there are also general responsibilities of a specialist in the field of logistics, which lie on each of them:
- Forecasting and financial control of logistics processes.
- Procurement planning, preparatory work to track the optimal direction, search for suppliers.
- Provision and control of storage processes.
- A competent scheme of cargo transportation, taking into account its specifics.
- Product insurance.
- Optimization of cargo distribution inside the warehouse and its shipment.
- Preparation of necessary customs documents.
In small enterprises, all responsibilities lie on the shoulders of one person. But large organizations involved in diverse areas open entire logistics centers in which each specialist plays a clearly defined role.
Rights and responsibilities of a logistics specialist
Of course, the logistician has not only duties, but also rights. For example, he can carry out a request for any materials and documents regarding his activities. A logistics specialist has the right to cooperate with third-party institutions to resolve issues within his competence. And also represent the interests of his organization related to professional activities in the face of third-party enterprises.
The duties of the logistics manager provide for serious responsibility, not only administrative, but also material, for the property entrusted to him, and in some cases, criminal. For improper performance of his work or the appointment of a leader, he may face serious troubles. In addition, the logistics manager has specific official powers, which he is not authorized to use in an unlawful manner or for personal purposes.
The logistician is responsible for safety. If violations are observed in its observance, he is obliged to take measures and prevent threats to the activities of the enterprise or the health of its employees. With the same rigor it is necessary to observe labor discipline.
Who evaluates the activities of the logistician?
There are several higher authorities here at once. How well the specialist copes with his functions is controlled by various organs. In addition to the direct superiors, who are always on the alert, control is carried out by a special certification commission. She, of course, does not track the results of the logistics activity every day, but periodically. As a rule, based on reports submitted for a certain period.
In addition, the key criterion for evaluating the work of a specialist is its quality. The success of the work and the prospect of further career growth depend on how clearly and timely it performs the tasks assigned to it, how strictly it adheres to the instructions.
Job responsibilities
To fully understand who the logistics manager is and what he does, it’s enough to compare this position with other similar ones in the same industry:
- The duties of the director or head of the logistics department include setting goals and general management, budget allocation, finding ways to develop and increase the company's growth.
- The business analyst chooses the optimal storage or transportation scheme, coordinates related services and manages the logistics processes in the warehouse. He is also looking for ways to improve the efficiency of the enterprise.
- The leading logistics manager plans purchases and draws up schedules for the arrival of goods, analyzes the sales market, manages warehouse logistics, develops a pricing policy, prepares statistics and submits relevant reports to management.
- The job description of the logistics manager of a particular department is to plan the turnover between warehouses, determine its volume and content, optimize inventory.
- The dispatcher of the logistics department is engaged in the formation of transportation routes, monitoring deliveries, preparing transport documents, taking into account fuels and lubricants and other nuances.
As you can see, each logistics manager has his own duties, and their circle depends on the position held and the specifics of the enterprise itself.
What skills will be important when writing a resume?
If you are looking for work as a logistics manager, you should know the key requirements for candidates:
- Professional education. It is not necessary to have an education in the field of logistics, it is also not bad if you are an economist or a specialist in the field of customs. Having an international certificate or diploma of continuing education in your industry will be a serious advantage.
- Good communication skills. This is especially important for a logistics manager whose job responsibilities involve communicating with many people. The ability to establish contact with customers, partners, including foreign ones, will definitely come in handy. Of course, an excellent knowledge of a foreign language will also be a plus.
- Analytic skills. The logistician should be able to calculate the situation in all the nuances, as well as organize its implementation according to the most optimal scheme.
- Stress resistance. The job description of the logistics manager provides, alas, being in a state of stress. Here, there is constant pressure from management, and dependence on suppliers, and deadlines by transport companies ... in these conditions, it is important to remain calm and restrained.
- The ability to take responsibility. It is important to understand this first of all: the logistic officer has a huge burden of responsibility. In fact, it is he who is obliged to guarantee the successful operation of the company, without downtime and force majeure. It is important not to be afraid of great responsibility, but to be proud of it. Mentioning this in the resume of the logistics manager will give the candidate a solid weight in the eyes of the employer.
Where to go to work and where to start?
Many experts begin their professional activities with a small. If you manage to get a job only as an assistant in a small unit, this is already good. Initially, your duties will include mainly documentary work, including processing information on logistics processes.
In a relatively short period, you will be able not only to gain practical experience, but also to understand the tasks and functions of general logistics, which will help you choose your own, highly specialized industry. After choosing a specific direction, it will be easier to start a full career.
If everything goes well, as well as with the efforts and leadership inclinations, in just a few years you can “grow” to the head of the department.
Today, the demand for logistics is very high. Any logistics center will be happy to hire an intelligent specialist, in some regions the number of vacancies is even many times greater than the number of candidates. You can “try your hand” by sending a resume to a large trading or manufacturing holding, transport company or organization for warehouse storage. Highly specialized professionals are most in demand: for example, in the customs industry or in the sphere of procurement and sales.