Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Director of Logistics

🎯 Role Definition

The Director of Logistics leads the strategic and operational direction for an organization's logistics and distribution functions. This role owns end-to-end logistics performance — including inbound/outbound transportation, warehousing, inventory control, carrier and 3PL partnerships, customs & trade compliance, and logistics technology — and partners with supply chain, procurement, sales and operations to deliver service, cost and growth objectives. The Director develops scalable logistics strategies, drives operational excellence (Lean/Six Sigma), manages budgets and P&L responsibilities, and builds high-performing teams to support rapid growth and customer satisfaction.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Logistics Manager / Distribution Manager
Supply Chain Manager / Transportation Manager
Operations Manager / Plant Manager

Advancement To:

VP of Supply Chain / VP of Logistics
Chief Operations Officer (COO)
Senior Director, Global Supply Chain

Lateral Moves:

Director of Procurement
Director of Warehousing & Fulfillment
Head of Customer Fulfillment / Distribution Network Strategy

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop and execute a comprehensive logistics strategy that optimizes transportation, distribution, warehousing, and last-mile delivery to meet service level agreements while reducing total delivered cost and inventory carrying costs.
Own P&L and budgeting for logistics operations, forecasting transportation and warehousing spend, identifying cost-to-serve opportunities, and delivering recurring cost-savings targets through carrier negotiations and network redesign.
Design and manage the distribution network strategy (multi-site, cross-dock, DC consolidation, e-fulfillment) including site selection, footprint optimization, throughput planning and capacity modeling to support seasonal demand and long-term growth.
Lead carrier sourcing and relationship management, including negotiating contracts, service level agreements, performance metrics (OTIF, lead times), and creating preferred carrier programs to ensure reliability and competitiveness.
Oversee inbound freight and vendor logistics programs, coordinating with procurement and suppliers to optimize lead times, reduce expedite costs, and implement vendor compliance and routing guide enforcement.
Implement and continuously improve warehouse operations and processes (receiving, put-away, picking, packing, shipping, returns) to increase throughput, accuracy, and safety while lowering unit operational costs.
Direct inventory management strategies, including inventory policy optimization (safety stock, reorder points, cycle counts), demand-driven replenishment, and collaboration with planning and merchandising to minimize stockouts and excess inventory.
Champion logistics systems and digital transformation (WMS, TMS, ERP integrations, automation, robotics, telematics) to improve visibility, enable real-time decisioning, and support scalable operations.
Develop and maintain KPIs and operational dashboards (OTIF, fill rate, transportation cost per unit, dock-to-stock, inventory days) and use data-driven insights to drive continuous improvement and executive reporting.
Lead logistics compliance programs related to customs, trade regulations (import/export), hazardous materials (HAZMAT), DOT regulations, and international shipping requirements to mitigate risk and ensure regulatory adherence.
Build and lead a high-performing logistics organization, including recruiting, mentoring, performance management, succession planning and creating a culture of safety, accountability and continuous improvement.
Partner closely with Sales, Customer Success and Operations to define service level targets, manage exceptions, implement contingency plans, and communicate proactively on critical delivery issues and supply disruptions.
Drive network resiliency and contingency planning, including scenario planning for capacity disruptions, natural disasters, supplier outages, and spike events (promotions, product launches).
Manage reverse logistics and returns strategies to recover value, minimize return costs, and integrate refurbish/recapture programs when applicable.
Lead cross-functional projects such as new product introductions, site openings/closures, ERP or WMS implementations and M&A logistics integrations to ensure on-time, on-budget delivery and minimal operational disruption.
Deploy Lean and Six Sigma methodologies to lead kaizen events, reduce waste, and standardize best practices across sites to raise productivity and lower variability.
Oversee freight audit & payment, billing reconciliation, and freight claims management to control spend, recover costs from carriers where applicable, and ensure accurate financial close.
Develop and implement sustainability initiatives within logistics (route optimization, mode shift, packaging optimization, carbon reporting) to reduce environmental footprint and meet corporate ESG goals.
Establish and enforce safety and security standards across transportation and warehousing operations, including incident reporting, training programs, and continuous safety performance improvement.
Evaluate and manage relationships with 3PLs, managed services and contract logistics partners by establishing performance KPIs, SLAs, governance cadence, and continuous improvement plans.
Optimize last-mile delivery and customer experience by evaluating delivery models, carrier capabilities, pickup/returns options, customer communications, and technology enablers to improve NPS and reduce failed deliveries.
Manage international logistics for global operations including cross-border transportation strategies, duty optimization, bonded warehousing and free trade zone utilization to lower landed costs.

Secondary Functions

Lead strategic supply chain initiatives and cross-functional analytics projects to identify end-to-end cost-to-serve improvements and capture margin expansion opportunities.
Support vendor selection and RFP processes for logistics technologies, automation systems and third-party service providers, collaborating with IT and procurement to deliver scalable solutions.
Act as the logistics subject matter expert in enterprise-level risk assessments, scenario planning and executive crisis response (e.g., supply shocks, carrier insolvency).
Drive continuous data hygiene and master data management for logistics systems to ensure accurate SKUs, locations and routing guides that support reliable operational execution.
Mentor and develop emerging leaders within logistics through formal training programs, cross-training, and rotational assignments to build bench strength.
Coordinate with legal and compliance teams on contract clauses, tariffs, trade agreements, and international shipping requirements to minimize legal and financial exposure.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Supply chain strategy and network design
Transportation management (TMS) and carrier procurement
Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) configuration and operations
Inventory optimization methodologies (ABC, EOQ, safety stock, cycle counting)
ERP experience (SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics or similar) and system integrations
Data analysis: advanced Excel, SQL, Tableau/Power BI reporting and KPI dashboards
Contract negotiation, freight rate benchmarking and freight audit & payment processes
Regulatory compliance (customs, import/export, DOT, HAZMAT) and trade compliance strategies
Lean, Six Sigma, process improvement tools and project management (PMP/Prince2 beneficial)
Budgeting, P&L ownership and financial acumen for cost-to-serve modeling
Experience with automation & fulfillment technologies (conveyor systems, AS/RS, robotics)
Last-mile delivery strategy and e-commerce fulfillment optimization
Reverse logistics and returns management

Soft Skills

Strategic leadership with the ability to build and communicate a long-term logistics vision
Strong stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration skills
Excellent verbal and written communication; able to present complex topics to executives
Problem-solving mindset and operational bias for action under ambiguity
Change management and ability to lead teams through transformation
Negotiation and influencing skills with carriers, suppliers and internal partners
People development and team-building; coaching and performance management
Analytical mindset with attention to detail and data-driven decision making
Resilience, adaptability and strong prioritization skills in a fast-paced environment
Customer-focused orientation with commitment to service excellence

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business Administration, Industrial Engineering, or a closely related field.

Preferred Education:

Master's degree (MBA, MS in Supply Chain or Logistics) or relevant advanced certification (CSCP, CLTD, CPSM).

Relevant Fields of Study:

Supply Chain Management
Logistics & Transportation
Industrial / Systems Engineering
Business Administration / Management
Operations Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

8–15+ years of progressive experience in logistics, distribution or supply chain roles with at least 5 years in a senior management or director-level position.

Preferred:

10+ years of leadership experience managing multi-site logistics operations, national/international transportation programs and sizable logistics P&Ls.
Demonstrated success implementing WMS/TMS or major logistics system upgrades, leading network optimization projects, and managing 3PL relationships across regions.
Experience in e-commerce fulfillment, omni-channel distribution, or retail/gross-to-consumer logistics is highly desirable.