Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Warehouse Logistics Director

🎯 Role Definition

The Warehouse Logistics Director leads multi-site distribution center operations and end-to-end warehouse logistics strategy to ensure safe, timely, and cost-effective flow of goods. This senior operations leader is accountable for distribution center performance, inventory accuracy, service levels (OTIF/DIFOT), labor productivity, transportation coordination, vendor and 3PL management, WMS/ERP execution, capital planning, and continuous improvement programs. The role requires a blend of strategic planning, hands-on operations leadership, cross-functional collaboration, and strong financial stewardship to drive scalability and customer satisfaction.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Warehouse Manager or Distribution Center Manager with multi-site or high-volume experience
Logistics Manager or Transportation Manager with DC exposure and carrier negotiation history
Operations Manager or Site Operations Lead with responsibility for P&L, safety, and productivity

Advancement To:

Vice President of Supply Chain or Logistics
Head of Global Distribution / Director of Global Logistics
Chief Operations Officer (COO) in mid-market organizations

Lateral Moves:

Director of Transportation & Carrier Management
Director of Inventory Management and Planning

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Own and execute the strategic plan for warehouse and distribution operations across single or multiple distribution centers, aligning capacity, layout, and process design with business forecasts and SKU proliferation to meet service level agreements and seasonal demand.
Lead operational P&L ownership for warehouse logistics including budgeting, cost forecasting, cost-per-order/unit optimization, and capital expenditure planning to drive margin improvements while supporting growth targets.
Design and implement warehouse network strategy (site selection, consolidation, cross-docking, zone skipping) to reduce transit time, lower transportation costs, and improve customer service metrics.
Direct the deployment, configuration, and continuous improvement of WMS and ERP integrations (e.g., SAP, Oracle, Manhattan, JDA), ensure data integrity, and lead migrations or upgrades with minimal operational disruption.
Set and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) such as inventory accuracy, order accuracy, on-time in-full (OTIF/DIFOT), dock-to-stock cycle time, pick/pack rates, labor utilization, and safety incident rates; report performance to executive stakeholders and drive corrective actions.
Lead labor planning and workforce management including hiring strategy, seasonal labor models, union/associates relations, shift scheduling, productivity standards, and workforce safety programs to maintain consistent throughput and morale.
Drive inventory control programs (cycle counts, root-cause analysis of variances, SKU rationalization, shelf-life management) and partner with planning and procurement to reduce stock-outs and excess inventory while improving turns.
Oversee inbound and outbound transportation coordination, carrier selection, rate negotiation, freight audit and payment, and carrier performance management to optimize total landed cost and service reliability.
Implement and sustain continuous improvement, Lean, and Six Sigma methodologies across warehouse operations; lead Kaizen events, process mapping, standard work, and bottleneck elimination projects to increase efficiency and reduce waste.
Develop and execute health, safety, and compliance strategies to ensure adherence to OSHA, DOT, hazmat, and other regulatory requirements; lead incident investigations and corrective action plans.
Manage relationships with 3PL providers and outsourced partners: establish SLAs, review KPIs, conduct site performance reviews, and implement corrective action to meet contractual obligations and operational goals.
Lead change management for new processes, technologies, or reorganizations—create communication plans, training programs, and adoption metrics to ensure successful deployment and sustained improvements.
Partner cross-functionally with Procurement, Sales, Customer Service, Finance, and IT to align warehouse logistics objectives with overall corporate strategy and customer promises.
Drive capacity planning, layout optimization, material handling equipment strategy (conveyors, sortation, automated storage, robotics), and facility maintenance programs to support throughput and reliability goals.
Design and supervise outbound fulfillment strategies including pick methods (batch, wave, zone, voice), packing optimization, damage reduction, and value-added services to improve order lifecycle and reduce returns.
Lead project management for facility expansions, relocations, and automation implementations; manage timelines, vendor selection, budgets, risk, and stakeholder communications to deliver on schedule and within budget.
Establish and enforce quality assurance processes for returned goods (reverse logistics), refurbishment, and disposition to minimize losses and recover value.
Create and maintain crisis response and business continuity plans for warehouse operations, including contingency plans for labor shortages, supply disruptions, or site disasters.
Recruit, coach, and develop a high-performing leadership team (operations managers, supervisors, WMS analysts) and implement succession planning to ensure continuity for critical roles.
Monitor market and industry trends (automation, robotics, omnichannel fulfillment) and recommend strategic investments to modernize the warehouse footprint and maintain competitive advantage.
Ensure customer experience excellence by reducing lead times, improving accuracy, and delivering clear metrics and communications that enhance customer trust and retention.

Secondary Functions

Support cross-functional analytics requests by providing operational data and insight to finance, planning, and commercial teams for improved decision-making.
Collaborate with IT and business intelligence teams to define reporting requirements, dashboards, and data governance for real-time operational visibility.
Participate in supplier onboarding and packaging optimization programs to reduce handling costs and improve inbound efficiency.
Assist in commercial contract reviews related to warehousing and logistics to ensure scope, pricing, and performance terms align with operational realities.
Mentor mid-level managers on operational best practices, career development, and leadership skills to strengthen organizational capability.
Represent the warehouse operations in executive steering committees, supply chain governance forums, and customer-facing operational reviews.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Warehouse Management Systems (WMS): implementation, configuration, and operational governance (e.g., Manhattan, Oracle WMS, SAP EWM).
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) integration experience — SAP, Oracle, or comparable systems.
Transportation Management Systems (TMS) and carrier management, including rate negotiation and freight optimization.
Strong financial acumen: budgeting, P&L ownership, cost-to-serve modeling, and capital planning.
Inventory control methodologies: cycle counting, ABC/XYZ analysis, SKU segmentation, and shrinkage control.
Data analysis and reporting: Excel advanced (pivot tables, Power Query), Power BI/Tableau, or SQL basics for KPI-driven decision making.
Lean Manufacturing / Six Sigma methodologies and continuous improvement project leadership.
Material handling and automation knowledge: conveyors, sortation, AS/RS, robotics integration, and lifecycle maintenance.
Safety and compliance expertise: OSHA, DOT, HACCP (if applicable), and hazardous materials handling rules.
Project management skills: scope definition, vendor selection, timeline management, and change control.

Soft Skills

Strategic leadership with the ability to translate corporate objectives into executable warehouse programs and measurable outcomes.
High-impact communication and stakeholder management skills for executive reporting and cross-functional collaboration.
Talent management and coaching to build high-performance teams and foster a culture of continuous improvement.
Problem-solving and root-cause analysis with disciplined decision-making under operational pressure.
Change management capability to lead technology rollouts and process transformations with strong adoption rates.
Contract negotiation and vendor management to maximize partner performance and minimize risk.
Customer-centric mindset focused on service level delivery, responsiveness, and operational transparency.
Resilience and adaptability in fast-changing, high-volume fulfillment environments.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

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

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree (MS/MBA) in Supply Chain, Operations Management, or Business Administration; certifications such as APICS (CPIM/CSCP), Six Sigma/Lean, or PMP are highly desirable.

Relevant Fields of Study:

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

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

8–15+ years in distribution, warehouse, or logistics roles with progressive responsibility.

Preferred:

10+ years of supply chain/warehouse experience with at least 5 years in a senior operations leadership role (Director level or equivalent). Demonstrated experience managing multi-site DC operations, WMS and ERP projects, 3PL partnerships, capital projects and automation rollouts, with measurable improvements in cost, service, and quality.