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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Warehouse Officer

💰 $30,000 - $55,000

OperationsLogisticsWarehouse

🎯 Role Definition

The Warehouse Officer is responsible for the accurate, safe and efficient day-to-day operations of a warehouse or distribution center. This role ensures timely receipt, storage, handling and dispatch of goods while maintaining inventory accuracy, compliance with safety and quality standards, and effective use of warehouse management systems (WMS/ERP). The Warehouse Officer acts as the operational link between purchasing, sales, carriers and site teams to deliver exceptional service, minimize losses, and drive continuous improvement in warehouse productivity.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Warehouse Assistant / Warehouse Operative
  • Logistics Administrator
  • Stores Assistant

Advancement To:

  • Senior Warehouse Officer / Lead
  • Warehouse Supervisor / Team Leader
  • Inventory Control Manager
  • Logistics Supervisor

Lateral Moves:

  • Shipping & Receiving Coordinator
  • Inventory Analyst
  • Procurement or Supply Chain Coordinator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Manage daily receiving operations: verify incoming shipments against purchase orders and packing lists, perform quality and quantity checks, record discrepancies, and escalate damaged or missing goods to procurement and suppliers.
  • Execute accurate put-away and location management using the Warehouse Management System (WMS); optimize storage locations to maximize space utilization and reduce picking times.
  • Lead outbound operations including order picking, packing, staging, labeling and loading to ensure on-time dispatch, correct documentation (BOL, commercial invoices, packing slips) and carrier handover.
  • Conduct regular cycle counts and full stocktakes, reconcile inventory discrepancies, prepare variance reports, and implement corrective actions to maintain inventory accuracy above target thresholds.
  • Supervise and coordinate warehouse staff, temporary workers and contractors; allocate daily tasks, monitor performance, coach team members and maintain training records to ensure consistent operational standards.
  • Operate and/or supervise forklifts, pallet jacks, and other material handling equipment safely; ensure operators are certified and equipment is inspected daily according to company procedures.
  • Maintain health, safety and environmental compliance by enforcing PPE use, safe material handling procedures, hazardous materials segregation, spill response and fire safety protocols.
  • Ensure accurate recordkeeping for all inbound and outbound transactions in ERP/WMS and maintain up-to-date physical and electronic documentation for audits and traceability.
  • Manage returns and reverse logistics: inspect returned items, process RMA paperwork, update systems, coordinate refurbishment or disposition, and communicate status to stakeholders.
  • Coordinate carrier bookings and freight by liaising with third-party carriers, negotiating pick-up times, confirming schedules and managing transportation documentation for domestic and international shipments.
  • Monitor and report on key warehouse KPIs (OTIF, inventory accuracy, order cycle time, dock-to-stock time, picking accuracy), analyze root causes, and implement process improvements to meet service level agreements (SLAs).
  • Implement loss prevention and security measures: control access to the warehouse, perform regular security checks, investigate shrinkage incidents and execute corrective actions.
  • Prepare and maintain shipping manifests, customs paperwork, hazardous goods declarations and export/import documentation in coordination with customs brokers and compliance teams.
  • Coordinate with procurement, production and sales teams to prioritize urgent orders, manage stock replenishment, and maintain minimum stock levels to prevent stockouts.
  • Enforce quality control standards during receiving, storage and dispatch: sample inspections, quarantine non-conforming goods, and collaborate with Quality Assurance to resolve issues.
  • Plan and lead warehouse layout improvements, rack reconfiguration, slotting and material flow optimization to increase throughput and reduce handling costs.
  • Schedule and oversee preventive maintenance for warehouse equipment and facilities; log incidents, coordinate repairs and ensure minimal disruption to operations.
  • Administer warehouse-related purchasing of consumables (packaging, labels, PPE) and manage supplier relationships to ensure continuity and cost-effective procurement.
  • Participate in internal and external audits, prepare supporting documentation, implement audit recommendations and maintain compliance with regulatory and customer-specific requirements.
  • Drive continuous improvement initiatives (5S, Kaizen, Lean) within the warehouse to eliminate waste, improve safety and increase operational efficiency.
  • Provide customer-facing communication regarding order status, delays, backorders and shipment confirmations to Sales and Customer Service teams to manage expectations and resolve issues.
  • Train new warehouse hires on site-specific procedures, WMS usage, safety standards, and best practices for order fulfillment and inventory control.
  • Execute ad-hoc operational projects such as system upgrades, go-live preparation for WMS/ERP changes, and seasonal workload planning with minimal disruption to service.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc reporting requests for operations, finance and procurement teams and contribute data for demand forecasting and planning.
  • Assist in the implementation, testing and user-acceptance of WMS/ERP changes, mobile scanning configurations and barcode label templates.
  • Coordinate cross-functional meetings with transport, purchasing and production to resolve backlog, prioritize shipments and manage supply chain exceptions.
  • Maintain and improve standard operating procedures (SOPs), work instructions and training materials; ensure documentation is accessible and current.
  • Participate in site safety committees, facilitate toolbox talks and lead incident investigations to derive corrective and preventive actions.
  • Provide backup support for logistics administration tasks: invoicing support, shipment booking confirmations and carrier invoice reconciliation.
  • Conduct root-cause analysis for recurring issues (e.g., frequent pick errors, damaged inventory) and lead small improvement projects to address underlying causes.
  • Liaise with external contractors for pest control, waste management and equipment servicing to ensure regulatory compliance and site cleanliness.
  • Support seasonal inventory planning including temporary labor coordination, overtime scheduling and capacity planning to meet peak demand.
  • Champion a customer-first culture by ensuring order accuracy, timely communication and resolution of post-shipment claims and returns.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) proficiency — real-world experience with systems such as SAP EWM, Oracle WMS, Manhattan, JDA or Fishbowl.
  • Inventory management and cycle count methodologies; strong track record of improving inventory accuracy and reconciling stock variances.
  • Material handling equipment operation and safety — forklift (counterbalance, reach), pallet jacks, order pickers; valid operator certifications where required.
  • Shipping & receiving documentation expertise — Bills of Lading (BOL), packing lists, commercial invoices, customs documentation and hazardous materials declarations.
  • Barcode/RF scanning, mobile data terminals and label printing systems (Zebra, SATO); familiarity with barcode symbology and data capture workflows.
  • Basic to intermediate Microsoft Excel skills — VLOOKUP, pivot tables, filters and data validation for reporting and reconciliation tasks.
  • ERP transaction processing — goods receipt, goods issue, stock transfers, ASN handling and cycle count entries.
  • Knowledge of health, safety and environmental standards (OSHA, HSE or local equivalents) and experience conducting safety audits and toolbox talks.
  • KPI development and operational reporting — daily/weekly dashboards for OTIF, picking accuracy, dock-to-stock and utilization metrics.
  • Understanding of logistics processes including carrier selection, freight cost control, LTL vs FTL, and basic freight claims procedure.

Soft Skills

  • Strong attention to detail and accuracy under pressure to minimize errors in inventory and shipping.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills for coordination with internal teams, carriers and external customers.
  • Leadership and people management — ability to supervise, develop and motivate small to medium warehouse teams.
  • Problem solving and analytical mindset — root-cause determination and data-driven decision making.
  • Time management and prioritization — handle multiple competing priorities during peak periods and crises.
  • Customer service orientation — proactive communication and effective resolution of order issues.
  • Adaptability and resilience — thrive in fast-paced, changing warehouse environments and shift patterns.
  • Teamwork and collaboration — work cross-functionally to remove bottlenecks and improve end-to-end fulfillment.
  • Continuous improvement mindset — experience participating in 5S, Lean or Kaizen initiatives.
  • Ethical judgment and integrity — accountability for loss prevention and accurate recordkeeping.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma, secondary school certificate, or equivalent.

Preferred Education:

  • Associate degree or diploma in Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Business Administration or related field.
  • Professional certification (e.g., Certified Logistics Technician, CILT, or WAREHOUSE MANAGEMENT certifications) considered an advantage.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Logistics and Supply Chain Management
  • Business Administration
  • Operations Management
  • Industrial Engineering

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 2–5 years of hands-on warehouse or logistics experience (entry-level to mid-level officer). Experience ranges may vary by industry and complexity.

Preferred:

  • 3+ years in a warehouse role with demonstrated experience in WMS-driven environments, inventory reconciliation, team supervision and shipping processes.
  • Experience in regulated or temperature-controlled environments (pharmaceutical, food, hazardous goods) is a plus.
  • Proven track record of meeting KPIs, reducing inventory variance and implementing process improvements.
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