KSC-profile of a logistics manager
Country:
Italy
Partner:
Veneto Productivity Centre (CPV)
Sector:
 Retail
Occupation:
Logistics manager
Version:
 draft
x Wholesale
x definitive
x validated
Description of Occupation:
Logistics Manager
Tasks
The logistics manager (LM) coordinates the work of a team of logistics assistants, with or without the help of shift managers. LM’s regular tasks include
the coordination of logistics assistants’ work, receiving orders and overseeing shipments, managing all relative documentation and resolving problems
that may arise.
In general, the tasks of the logistics manager are the following:
1. Personnel management and coordination, assigning priorities to tasks
2. Receiving incoming orders, relations with clients and passing the documentation to logistics assistants
3. Checking the state of stock and overseeing the reception of material
4. Overseeing the preparation of outgoing orders / shipments
5. Overall check-up of following company procedures and preparing all necessary documentation
6. Problem solving (unexpected issues) and tracing errors
The logistics manager coordinates all the activities of the logistics assistants (mainly dealing with incoming material and outgoing orders), providing
and checking the necessary documentation related to all movements. He will be referred to in case of unexpected problems or errors, in which case it
will be important to trace the error, understand why it happened and whether the same error can be avoided in the future.
It is the logistics manager’s task to check (also visually) the state of stock and order more materials from suppliers according to the orders and
forecasts. He is the logistics department’s link with other areas of the company (production, shipments, administration) and coordinates the movement
of incoming materials and outgoing merchandise (in case there is no separate quality check area). It is his responsibility to ascertain that the incoming
raw material responds to the quality standard (if there is no separate quality control department) and is properly stocked.
The logistics manager will oversee the training of new employees, in some cases train them directly or assign a more experienced logistics assistant
who is able to transfer the necessary skills. The training period varies according to the needs of the company from 2 weeks to several months.
Assessment
The logistics manager’s performance is evaluated regularly according to the following parameters:
- punctuality of the service and deliveries (shipment errors, damaged goods, delays)
- the state of stock (presence of necessary material, where applicable)
- following company procedures (documentation)
- team’s behaviour and client service.
All employees need to follow the security procedures: using the designated paths for moving the fork trucks, other designated paths for pedestrians.
Protection should be worn in the area of hazardous materials.
A computerized database is used to keep track of stock at any given moment. It is thus always possible to know how many items have been registered
by a single person, how many items positioned, delivery notes issued, etc. This helps tracing and avoiding errors.
Competences
The logistics manager should have the following general competences:
- sharing company objectives and mission
- knowledge of company procedures and documentation
- proficiency in using the IT-based database
- flexibility
- creativity
- good problem solving skills
- good team building and motivation building skills
- entrepreneurship.
remarks/adaptations from survey score results:
Part A
Knowledge
Skills
Competence
theoretical and/or factual
knowledge
cognitive and practical skills
responsibility and autonomy
Part A
Personnel management and
coordination
Knowledge
Skills
Competence
theoretical and/or factual
knowledge
cognitive and practical skills
responsibility and autonomy
1. Staff performance, motivation and teamwork check-up (through monitoring performance indicators and
observing the team)
2. Rotating staff and assigning daily tasks (seeking balance between flexibility (for the company) and
stability (for the employee))
3. Managing working hours (overtime, vacations, schedules, shifts)
4. Selection and overseeing training of staff
score
Task / Activity A:
Personnel management
and coordination
score
Company/Cooperative
mission and policy on
Human Resource
management. Knowledge
of internal company
procedures for assessment
and management of
employees.
A very good knowledge of
company procedures and
documentation in order to
be able to coordinate the
activities for best
performance and
efficiency.
(Level 3)
score
score
Good interpersonal and
team building skills and an
ability to approach the
person in the suitable way
in case of performance
problems.
All necessary
documentation should be
compiled precisely and
accurately as the logistics
assistants’ work depends
on that.
Good problem solving
skills.
(Level 4)
Ability to use the company
software for checking staff
performance indicators and
a proficient ability of
analysing staff productivity.
(Level 3)
Subtask 1: Staff
performance, motivation
and teamwork check-up
(through monitoring
performance indicators and
observing the team)
A very good knowledge of
all logistics assistants’
tasks and the products
handled.
Ability to observe and
assess a logistics
assistant’s professional
performance.
A good overview of all
movements in and out of
the warehouse.
Leadership and team work
promotion skills.
Subtask 2: Rotating staff
and assigning daily tasks
(seeking balance between
flexibility (for the company)
and stability (for the
employee))
Leadership and team work
promotion skills.
Staff should be assessed
regularly and any difficulties
(either motivational or
performance-related)
identified at an early stage.
Creating and maintaining a
positive atmosphere among
colleagues in the shop for
ensuring stability and
performance of employees.
(As for subtask 1) Staff
should be assessed
regularly and any difficulties
(either motivational or
performance-related)
identified in an early stage.
Necessary adjustments to
job rotation, working times
or procedures should be
made in case of
productivity issues.
Subtask 3: Managing
working hours (overtime,
vacations, schedules,
shifts)
(only if it isn’t the task of
the HR office, in smaller
companies)
Legislation on employee’s
rights and obligations,
working hours (and the
general company policy
regarding these issues).
The staff should complete
their working hours in
accord with the official
norms, but also in regard
with their particular needs.
LM might need to mediate
between employees in this
matter.
Subtask 4: Selection and
overseeing training of staff
Principles of staff selection
and assessment.
Staff
selection
assessment.
Legislation on staff
selection, evaluation and
working hours.
Leadership.
Detailed knowledge of all
the LA’s tasks and
dynamics in the workplace.
and
Ability to inspire trust.
Ability to analyse
existing skills and
further training.
LA’s
plan
The staff should be suitable
for their jobs and follow
their tasks accurately.
Part B
Receiving incoming orders,
relations with clients and
passing the documentation to
logistics assistants
Knowledge
Skills
Competence
theoretical and/or factual
knowledge
cognitive and practical skills
responsibility and autonomy
1. Receiving and registering orders from clients
2. Feedback to clients, confirmations and delivery dates. If necessary, responding to customers’ particular
needs (custom approach)
3. Forwarding information and documentation to logistics assistants
score
score
Task / Activity B:
Receiving incoming orders,
relations with clients and
passing the documentation
to logistics assistants
A general overview of
company objectives and
mission, knowledge of the
product.
Subtask 1: Receiving and
registering orders from
clients (if not done by the
client service department).
Knows the product very
well.
Subtask 2: Feedback to
clients, confirmations and
delivery dates. If
necessary, responding to
customers’ particular
needs (custom approach)
Knows the product very
well.
(Level 2)
score
Good interpersonal skills.
score
(Level 3)
Good problem solving
skills, speed and precision.
(Level 3)
Inspire trust in his
professional expertise.
If the LM is in constant
contact with customers, it is
his responsibility to
represent the company’s
values and image.
Able to inspire trust in
clients, give clear and
accurate information.
All necessary
documentation should be
compiled with utmost
precision.
A very good knowledge of
company procedures and
documentation in order to
be able to coordinate the
activities for best
performance and
efficiency.
Subtask 3: Forwarding
information and
documentation to logistics
assistants
A very good knowledge of
company procedures.
The logistics manager
should know in detail the
work and procedures of the
logistics assistants.
Leadership skills, clarity in
offering instructions.
Instructions given to LA’s
need to be clear and given
with due consideration for
ensuring quality of work
and employee morale.
Part C
Checking the state of stock
(material for production)
Knowledge
Skills
Competence
theoretical and/or factual
knowledge
cognitive and practical skills
responsibility and autonomy
1. Checking stock
2. (If applicable) Checking the quality of incoming material against company standards
3. Ordering materials from suppliers according to existing orders or according to previsions
4. (If necessary) Providing forecasts to suppliers of the approximate amounts of materials needed
score
Task / Activity C:
Checking the state of
stock (material for
production)
(in some cases forecasts
are necessary, in other
cases the orders are sent
out based on existing
requests from clients; in
some cases quality check
is made internally)
Subtask 1: Checking stock
score
A general overview of
company objectives and
mission, knowledge of the
product.
A very good knowledge of
the product, materials
needed and the quantities
involved according to the
amount of existing orders.
(Level 3)
score
A good ability to evaluate
the amount of stock visually
and check if everything is
present. A good ability of
analytic thinking regarding
material usage in
production.
Good problem solving
skills.
(Level 3)
score
The stock should always be
sufficient relative to the
needs of production.
(Level 4)
Subtask 2: (If applicable)
Checking the quality of
incoming material against
company standards
A very good knowledge of
the quality standards
foreseen for incoming
materials.
The materials must be
identical to the samples
established.
A very good knowledge of
company procedures for
material conformity
confirmation or
nonconformity procedures.
Speed and precision in
checking the materials.
The materials must be
identical to the samples
established.
The materials define the
look and functionality of the
final product. For this
reason it is crucial that the
materials respond to the
company’s requirements.
Imprecisions in this area
will present a loss for the
company both in terms of
time and finances.
Subtask 3: Ordering
materials from suppliers
according to existing
orders
Company procedures for
rapport with suppliers.
Able to maintain good
professional rapport with
suppliers.
Subtask 4: (If necessary)
Providing forecasts to
suppliers of the
approximate amounts of
materials needed
A very good knowledge of
the product, materials
needed and the quantities
involved according to the
amount of existing orders.
Able to maintain good
professional rapport with
suppliers.
All procedures should be
followed scrupulously.
Part D
Overseeing the reception of
incoming material or stock and
outgoing orders
score
Task / Activity D:
Overseeing the reception
of incoming material or
stock and outgoing
orders
Knowledge
Skills
Competence
theoretical and/or factual
knowledge
cognitive and practical skills
responsibility and autonomy
1. Passing relative indications to the logistics assistants
2. Overseeing the registering of incoming material or stock
3. Overseeing the assembly and packing of outgoing orders
score
A very good command of
the internal quality
certification procedures to
be followed for registering
and preparing the orders –
checking that everything is
in order, and passing the
order to shipment.
(Level 2)
Precision and speed. Ability
to evaluate and check the
logistics assistants’ work
and their results visually.
(Level 2)
score
score
The logistics manager is
responsible for the
incoming orders being
registered properly and all
outgoing orders being
complete (all the necessary
components present),
being packed and
documented properly.
(Level 3)
Subtask 1: Passing
relative documentation to
the logistics assistants
Subtask 2: Overseeing the
registering of incoming
material or stock
Subtask 3: Overseeing the
assembly and packing of
outgoing orders
Part E
Overseeing following company
procedures and documentation
Knowledge
Skills
Competence
theoretical and/or factual
knowledge
cognitive and practical skills
responsibility and autonomy
1. preparing documentation for incoming material or products (either incoming from suppliers or off the
production line)
2. preparing documentation for incoming and outgoing orders (arrival confirmations, delivery notes (DDTs))
3. forwarding documentation to LA’s and checking the complete compilation of all documentation
score
Task / Activity E:
Overall check-up of
following company
procedures and preparing
all necessary
documentation
score
A general overview of
company objectives and
mission, knowledge of the
product.
The logistics manager
should know in detail the
work and procedures of the
logistics assistants.
A very good knowledge of
company procedures and
documentation is
necessary.
(Level 3)
Subtask 1: preparing
documentation for
incoming material or
products (either incoming
from suppliers or off the
production line)
score
Good problem solving
skills, speed and precision.
(Level 3)
score
All necessary
documentation should be
compiled precisely and
accurately as the logistics
assistants’ work depends
on that.
(Level 3)
Subtask 2: preparing
documentation for
incoming and outgoing
orders (arrival
confirmations, delivery
notes (DDTs))
Subtask 3: forwarding
documentation to LA’s and
checking the complete
compilation of all
documentation
Part F
Problem solving (unexpected
issues) and tracing errors
Knowledge
Skills
Competence
theoretical and/or factual
knowledge
cognitive and practical skills
responsibility and autonomy
1. Identifying the most efficient solution to the problem
2. Identifying the source of the problem
3. If possible, taking action to avoid further issues
score
Task / Activity F:
Problem solving
(unexpected issues) and
tracing errors
(with personnel, clients,
deliveries, internal
procedures)
score
A general overview of
company objectives and
mission, knowledge of the
product.
The logistics manager
should know in detail the
work and procedures of the
logistics assistants.
A very good knowledge of
company procedures and
documentation in order to
be able to coordinate the
activities for best
performance and
efficiency.
(Level 4)
Subtask 1: Identifying the
most efficient solution to
the problem
score
Good analytic and problem
solving skills, speed and
precision.
Good interpersonal skills.
Good conflict management
skills.
(Level 4)
score
The company has an
internal system of
continuous improvement in
place that should avoid any
recurring problems.
(Level 4)
Subtask 2: Identifying the
source of the problem
Subtask 3: If possible,
taking action to avoid
further issues
GENERAL / ADDITIONAL
COMMENTS
If applicable, please refer to core fields of activity and/or possible subtasks, or KSC-items.
score
score
The profiles collected in Italy are mainly focused on warehouse managers, rather than shipment
operators.
There are significant differences between purely wholesale companies and production companies. In
smaller companies the tasks of managers and assistants differ little as everyone is involved in most of
the tasks. In bigger more structured companies leadership and team coordination is an important task of
the logistics manager.
All the interviewed companies have an advanced software platform for stock monitoring and clearly
defined company procedures to be followed in case of errors.
In some cases the logistics department checks the quality of incoming material for production, in other
cases quality control is separate from logistics.