CareerGPS

Storage and Distribution Managers
Summary Occupational Forecast Data for Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers
Employment Employment Change Average Annual Job Openings Wage & Training Levels
2020 2025 Numerical Percent New Jobs Replacement Jobs Total Median Hourly Median Annual Training Levels
1,732 1,938 206 11.90% 41 173 214 $43.83 $91,158 High school diploma or equivalent
Description: Plan, direct, and coordinate the storage and distribution operations within an organization or the activities of organizations that are engaged in storing and distributing materials and products.
Forecast Data Source: EMSI (4th Quarter 2023)

Occupation Details

The information in this section represents occupational characteristics included in O*NET which defines key features of an occupation as a standardized, measurable set of variables called "descriptors". These distinguishing characteristics of an occupation are described in greater detail in the O*NET Content Model. All items are listed in descending order of importance.

  • Supervise the activities of workers engaged in receiving, storing, testing, and shipping products or materials.
  • Plan, develop, and implement warehouse safety and security programs and activities.
  • Review invoices, work orders, consumption reports, and demand forecasts to estimate peak delivery periods and to issue work assignments.
  • Schedule and monitor air or surface pickup, delivery, or distribution of products or materials.
  • Interview, select, and train warehouse and supervisory personnel.
  • Confer with department heads to coordinate warehouse activities, such as production, sales, records control, and purchasing.
  • Respond to customers' or shippers' questions and complaints regarding storage and distribution services.
  • Inspect physical conditions of warehouses, vehicle fleets and equipment, and order testing, maintenance, repair, or replacement as necessary.
  • Develop and document standard and emergency operating procedures for receiving, handling, storing, shipping, or salvaging products or materials.
  • Issue shipping instructions and provide routing information to ensure that delivery times and locations are coordinated.
  • Prepare and manage departmental budgets.
  • Prepare or direct preparation of correspondence, reports, and operations, maintenance, and safety manuals.
  • Track and trace goods while they are en route to their destinations, expediting orders when necessary.
  • Develop and implement plans for facility modification or expansion, such as equipment purchase or changes in space allocation or structural design.

Knowledge

70%
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.
69%
Transportation - Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
67%
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.
62%
Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
61%
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.
55%
English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
54%
Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Skills

72%
Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
69%
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.
65%
Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
65%
Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
65%
Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
62%
Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
62%
Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
62%
Management of Personnel Resources - Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
62%
Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
60%
Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
60%
Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
56%
Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
56%
Management of Financial Resources - Determining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures.
56%
Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
53%
Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
53%
Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
50%
Mathematics - Using mathematics to solve problems.

Abilities

72%
Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
72%
Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
69%
Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
65%
Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
62%
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.
62%
Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
62%
Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
60%
Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
56%
Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
56%
Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
53%
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).
50%
Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
50%
Mathematical Reasoning - The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.

Work Activities

82%
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
77%
Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
74%
Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
73%
Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
73%
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
72%
Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
70%
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
69%
Monitoring and Controlling Resources - Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
69%
Interacting With Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
68%
Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
67%
Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
63%
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
63%
Staffing Organizational Units - Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
62%
Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
62%
Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
61%
Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
60%
Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
58%
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.
57%
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
56%
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
56%
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.
55%
Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
55%
Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
53%
Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
53%
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
51%
Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
Title Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Overall Experience A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Job Training Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Job Zone Examples Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include accountants, sales managers, database administrators, teachers, chemists, environmental engineers, criminal investigators, and special agents.
Education Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Interests

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.
Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outsi

Work Styles

Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

Work Values

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.
Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.