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What do Storage and Distribution Managers do?
Plan, direct, or coordinate the storage or distribution operations within an organization or the activities of organizations that are engaged in storing or distributing materials or products.
What are the Main Tasks of Storage and Distribution Managers?
- Prepare and manage departmental budgets.
- Supervise the activities of workers engaged in receiving, storing, testing, and shipping products or materials.
- Interview, select, and train warehouse and supervisory personnel.
- Plan, develop, or implement warehouse safety and security programs and activities.
- Prepare or direct preparation of correspondence, reports, and operations, maintenance, and safety manuals.
- Issue shipping instructions and provide routing information to ensure that delivery times and locations are coordinated.
- Confer with department heads to coordinate warehouse activities, such as production, sales, records control, or purchasing.
- Review invoices, work orders, consumption reports, or demand forecasts to estimate peak delivery periods and to issue work assignments.
- Inspect physical conditions of warehouses, vehicle fleets, or equipment and order testing, maintenance, repairs, or replacements.
- Schedule or monitor air or surface pickup, delivery, or distribution of products or materials.
- Respond to customers' or shippers' questions and complaints regarding storage and distribution services.
- Develop and document standard and emergency operating procedures for receiving, handling, storing, shipping, or salvaging products or materials.
- Develop or implement plans for facility modification or expansion, such as equipment purchase or changes in space allocation or structural design.
- Track and trace goods while they are en route to their destinations, expediting orders when necessary.
- Negotiate with carriers, warehouse operators, or insurance company representatives for services and preferential rates.
- Arrange for necessary shipping documentation and contact customs officials to effect release of shipments.
- Evaluate freight or inventory costs associated with transit times to ensure that costs are appropriate.
- Advise sales and billing departments of transportation charges for customers' accounts.
- Examine invoices and shipping manifests for conformity to tariff and customs regulations.
- Evaluate locations for new warehouses or distribution networks to determine their potential usefulness.
- Participate in setting transportation and service rates.
- Examine products or materials to estimate quantities or weight and type of container required for storage or transport.
- Arrange for storage facilities when required.
- Develop or implement plans for storage and distribution activities that emphasize technological solutions for sustainability, such as investment in smart or eco-friendly containers, dynamic distribution networks, warehouse renovations, or fuel efficient fleets.
- Develop storage and distribution models that include factors such as warehouse locations, customer locations, or available transportation modes to maximize operational efficiency or sustainability.
- Evaluate contractors or business partners for operational efficiency or safety or environmental performance records.
- Evaluate the environmental implications of new warehouses or distribution networks.
- Identify and implement carbon minimization activities to offset carbon emissions, such as by planting trees, purchasing carbon credits, or purchasing green technologies, such as air filtration or alternative energy vehicles or power.
- Plan or implement environmental training programs and activities.
- Select modes of transportation for the distribution of goods that minimize pollution, such as carbon output or other environmental impacts.
