A logistics manager holds a critical position in any organisation, are well paid and qualified logistics managers have excellent career prospects which often lead to operations management with directorship opportunities.
Salaries of a qualified logistics manager are in the R250 000 to R450 000 range dependent on qualification and experience with the most important skills of a logistics manager being strategic planning, operations management and negotiation skills.
Logistics manager job descriptions will vary slightly from industry to industry. In a business which sells products to the public either online or through physical stores, the logistics manager job description would be:
Logistics manager job description
To organise the storage and distribution of goods at the lowest possible cost in the quickest possible time to the correct location when needed.
Logistics manager salary
A qualified logistics manager starting salary would be around the R220 000 mark topping out at R350 000 after 5-6 years. Once you reach the 15 to 20 year mark in your experience and assuming that you have stayed in the logistics management field, your salary should be in the R450 000 to R500 000 mark.
Due to the nature of the logistics managers position, the overall knowledge that you obtain of the organisations supply chain and the management and negotiating skills that go hand in hand with the job, a logistics manager more often than not is pulled into director positions, not only due to the skills and knowledge they have, but to prevent them from being poached by other organisations.
Logistics and supply chain management qualifications are among the most needed qualifications in South Africa.
You can use a logistics and supply chain management course as a stepping stone to greater things in your career even if you are already qualified, in fact a financial degree or diploma, complimented with a diploma in logistics and supply chain management will likely fast track you to senior management.
There are few careers like a logistics manager that offer the scope and diversity in an organisation. Your career path could take any direction and due to the diversity of the responsibilities of a logistics manager, you will soon find out what area of the business you find most appealing and enjoyable.
Industries that employ a lot of logistics graduates
The largest employers of logistics graduates are large companies that manufacture, be they industrial manufacturers of vehicles or steel sheeting etc, or online business to consumer businesses where logistics and transport management are arguably among the fastest growing industry sectors for logistics and supply chain management graduates.
Job titles of Logistics and supply chain management graduates
As a logistics and supply chain management graduate, you could hold any of the following job titles.
- Logistics Analyst
- Supply chain analyst
- Customer service manager
- Logistics manager
- Materials manager
- purchasing manager
- production manager
- Supply chain manager
- Transport manager
These are just a few examples of the types of job titles you can expect to aspire to as a logistics and supply chain management graduate.