Storage or Distribution Manager
Other Titles
Distribution Center Manager, Distribution Manager, Shipping Manager, Shipping Supervisor, Terminal Manager, Warehouse Manager, Warehouse Operations Manager, Warehouse Supervisor
Plan, direct, or coordinate the storage or distribution operations within an organisation or the activities of organisations that are engaged in storing or distributing materials or products.
Storage and Distribution Managers are responsible for overseeing and coordinating various activities related to the storage and distribution of a company's products. In doing so, they supervise a number of other workers. In this role, they develop and implement the policies and procedures related to warehousing and inventory storage. They routinely inspect warehouses and other storage facilities to make sure that the products are securely stored. A part of their job is to define the standard operating procedures related to product acquisition, inventory and distribution. They also define the operating procedures to be followed in emergency situations.
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.
Respond to customers' or shippers' questions and complaints regarding storage and distribution services.
Develop and document standard and emergency operating procedures for receiving, handling, storing, shipping, or salvaging products or materials.
Review invoices, work orders, consumption reports, or demand forecasts to estimate peak delivery periods and to issue work assignments.
Monitor inventory levels of products or materials in warehouses.
Develop storage and distribution models that include factors such as warehouse locations, customer locations, or available transportation modes to maximize operational efficiency or sustainability.
Track and trace goods while they are en route to their destinations, expediting orders when necessary.
Participate in setting transportation and service rates.
Prepare and manage departmental budgets.
Issue shipping instructions and provide routing information to ensure that delivery times and locations are coordinated.
Evaluate locations for new warehouses or distribution networks to determine their potential usefulness.
Examine products or materials to estimate quantities or weight and type of container required for storage or transport.
Interview, select, and train warehouse and supervisory personnel.
Advise sales and billing departments of transportation charges for customers' accounts.
Prepare or direct preparation of correspondence, reports, and operations, maintenance, and safety manuals.
Arrange for necessary shipping documentation and contact customs officials to effect release of shipments.
Confer with department heads to coordinate warehouse activities, such as production, sales, records control, or purchasing.
Arrange for storage facilities when required.
Examine invoices and shipping manifests for conformity to tariff and customs regulations.
Evaluate contractors or business partners for operational efficiency or safety or environmental performance records.
Negotiate with carriers, warehouse operators, or insurance company representatives for services and preferential rates.
Evaluate freight or inventory costs associated with transit times to ensure that costs are appropriate.
Develop or implement plans for facility modification or expansion, such as equipment purchase or changes in space allocation or structural design.
Develop or implement plans for storage and distribution activities that emphasize technological solutions for sustainability, such as investment in smart or eco-friendly containers, dynamic distribution networks, warehouse renovations, or fuel efficient fleets.
Schedule or monitor air or surface pickup, delivery, or distribution of products or materials.
Plan or implement environmental training programs and activities.
Evaluate the environmental implications of new warehouses or distribution networks.
Critical Thinking→ Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Monitoring→ Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Coordination→ Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Speaking→ Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Listening→ Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Complex Problem Solving→ Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Management of Personnel Resources→ Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
Reading Comprehension→ Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Writing→ Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Systems Analysis→ Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Judgment and Decision Making→ Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Management of Financial Resources→ Determining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures.
Persuasion→ Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Systems Evaluation→ Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
Time Management→ Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Instructing→ Teaching others how to do something.
Management of Material Resources→ Obtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain work.
Negotiation→ Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Service Orientation→ Actively looking for ways to help people.
Social Perceptiveness→ Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Active Learning→ Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Learning Strategies→ Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Mathematics→ Using mathematics to solve problems.
Operation Monitoring→ Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates→ Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems→ Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Getting Information→ Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others→ Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
Developing and Building Teams→ Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work→ Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Communicating with Persons Outside Organization→ Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships→ Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates→ Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
Scheduling Work and Activities→ Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material→ Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
Interacting With Computers→ Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Processing Information→ Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings→ Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events→ Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Training and Teaching Others→ Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards→ Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
Thinking Creatively→ Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge→ Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others→ Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
Analyzing Data or Information→ Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
Coaching and Developing Others→ Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
Developing Objectives and Strategies→ Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
Documenting/Recording Information→ Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People→ Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others→ Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
Monitoring and Controlling Resources→ Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
Selling or Influencing Others→ Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information→ Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
Performing Administrative Activities→ Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
Provide Consultation and Advice to Others→ Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment→ Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
Staffing Organizational Units→ Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
Supervise employees.
Implement organizational process or policy changes.
Develop safety standards, policies, or procedures.
Inspect condition or functioning of facilities or equipment.
Purchase materials, equipment, or other resources.
Resolve customer complaints or problems.
Develop emergency response plans or procedures.
Document organizational or operational procedures.
Analyze data to inform operational decisions or activities.
Analyze forecasting data to improve business decisions.
Monitor inventories of products or materials.
Schedule product or material transportation.
Model operational processes.
Monitor resources.
Determine pricing or monetary policies.
Prepare operational budgets.
Evaluate potential of products, technologies, or resources.
Estimate cost or material requirements.
Confer with organizational members to accomplish work activities.
Conduct employee training programs.
Hire personnel.
Interview employees, customers, or others to collect information.
Prepare operational progress or status reports.
Coordinate operational activities with external stakeholders.
Schedule activities or facility use.
Examine financial records to ensure compliance with policies or regulations.
Monitor performance of organizational members or partners.
Analyze financial records or reports to determine state of operations.
Negotiate contracts for transportation, distribution, or logistics services.
Plan facility layouts or designs.
Develop operating strategies, plans, or procedures for green or sustainable operations.
Monitor facilities or operational systems.
Train employees on environmental awareness, conservation, or safety topics.
Evaluate environmental impact of operational or development activities.
Develop sustainable organizational policies or practices.
Implement transportation changes to reduce environmental impact.
Written Comprehension→ The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Oral Comprehension→ The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression→ The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Problem Sensitivity→ The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Speech Recognition→ The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Written Expression→ The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Speech Clarity→ The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Information Ordering→ The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g. , patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Near Vision→ The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Deductive Reasoning→ The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Fluency of Ideas→ The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
Inductive Reasoning→ The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Originality→ The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
Category Flexibility→ The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
Mathematical Reasoning→ The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
Selective Attention→ The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
Transportation→ Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
Administration and Management→ Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Customer and Personal Service→ Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Language→ Knowledge of the structure and content of a language - English, French, Swahili et cetera - including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Mathematics→ Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Personnel and Human Resources→ Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Computers and Electronics→ Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Clerical→ Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Public Safety and Security→ Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Economics and Accounting→ Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
Production and Processing→ Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Education and Training→ Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Sales and Marketing→ Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
Law and Government→ Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Analytical or scientific software -- Fleet information; Integrated Decision Support Netwise Enterprise; Integrated Decision Support Netwise Frontline; QUALCOMM QTRACS; QUALCOMM ViaWeb
Backup or archival software -- System and data disaster recovery software; Veritas NetBackup
Business intelligence and data analysis software -- e.g., Zoho Analytics; MicroStrategy; Tableau; Qlik Tech QlikView; IBM Cognos Impromptu
Compliance software
Database user interface and query software -- Data entry software; Microsoft Access; Structured query language SQL; Microsoft SQL Server; MySQL Amazon Redshift; Microsoft Access; Oracle JDBC; Amazon Web Services AWS software; Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud EC; Blackboard; Transact-SQL
Electronic mail software -- e.g., IBM IBM Notes; IBM Notes; Microsoft Outlook
Enterprise resource planning ERP software -- e.g., Odoo; Sage; Xero; Sapama; ebizframe; Macro 2000; SYSPRO ERP; QuickEasy BOS; TrueERP; Microsoft Dynamics; NetSuite ERP; Oracle Hyperion; SAP; Infor ERP Baan; Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne
Enterprise system management software -- e.g., IBM Power Systems software
Financial analysis software -- SWOT Analysis software; Forecasting software; Profitability analysis software; ClicData; Float; Oracle Essbase; FreshBooks; Infor F; BankSense; Sisense; Delphi Technology; Oracle E-Business Suite Financials
Graphics or photo imaging software -- Graphics software; Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop; GNU Image Manipulation Program GIMP; Microsoft Visio; Trimble SketchUp Pro; SmugMug Flickr
Inventory management software -- Warehouse management software; Supply chain management software; HighJump WMS software; Oracle Warehouse Management Cloud; Megaventory; Zoho Inventory
Label making software
Materials requirements planning logistics and supply chain software -- Supply chain event management software; Warehouse management software; SSA Global Warehouse Management System WMS; IBM i Transportation Manager; Cetec ERP; Seradex ERP; SAP
Metadata management software -- e.g., CA Erwin Data Modeler
Office suite software -- e.g., Corel WordPerfect Office; Microsoft Office; Google Workspace
Operating system software -- e.g., Apple macOS; Bash; Hewlett Packard HP-UX; Job control language JCL; KornShell; Linux; Microsoft Windows; Oracle Solaris; Red Hat Enterprise Linux; Shell script; Ubuntu; UNIX
Presentation software -- e.g., Google Slides; Corel Presentations; Microsoft PowerPoint
Spreadsheet software -- e.g., Corel Quattro Pro; Microsoft Excel; Google Sheets
Time accounting software -- Time and attendance software
Word processing software -- e.g., Corel Wordperfect; Microsoft Word; Google Docs
Bar code labels→ Barcoding labels
Bar code reader equipment→ Barcode scanners
Desktop computers
Digital cameras
Forklifts
Location based messaging service platforms→ Wireless communication and satellite positioning tools
Mobile phones→ Cell phones
Notebook computers→ Laptop computers
Pallet trucks→ Pallet jacks
Personal computers
Personal digital assistant PDAs or organizers→ Personal digital assistants PDA
Radio frequency data communication equipment→ Radio frequency handheld terminals; Radio frequency truck-mounted terminals
Radio frequency identification devices→ Radio frequency identification RFID devices
Vehicular global positioning system GPS→ Global positioning systems GPS
Enterprising→ Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Conventional→ Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Dependability→ Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Integrity→ Job requires being honest and ethical.
Attention to Detail→ Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Leadership→ Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Stress Tolerance→ Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Adaptability/Flexibility→ Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Cooperation→ Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Initiative→ Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Self Control→ Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Analytical Thinking→ Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Independence→ Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Persistence→ Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Achievement/Effort→ Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Innovation→ Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
Concern for Others→ Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Social Orientation→ Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
Independence→ Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Relationships→ Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Working Conditions→ Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.