About the Logistics Coordinator role
A Logistics Coordinator plans and tracks the movement of goods from suppliers to warehouses to customers. They book carriers, prepare shipping documentation, monitor deliveries, and act fast when a shipment is delayed, lost, or damaged. It is a detail-heavy coordination role where a missed booking or a wrong document can stop a truck at a border or leave a customer waiting.
The scope depends on your supply chain. In a domestic distribution business, the role centers on route planning, carrier scheduling, and proof of delivery. In import and export operations, it adds freight forwarders, customs paperwork, Incoterms, and container tracking. Some coordinators also manage warehouse handoffs, returns, or inventory transfers between sites.
In your posting, name the transport modes you use, the systems the coordinator will work in (TMS, ERP, or carrier portals), and whether the role involves international documentation. Candidates with customs and freight forwarding experience are scarcer and command higher pay, so be clear about whether you truly need it or can train it.
Logistics Coordinator job description template
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Job brief
We are hiring a Logistics Coordinator to keep our goods moving and our paperwork correct. You will book carriers, prepare and check shipping documents, track shipments against their promised dates, and step in quickly when something is delayed, damaged, or lost.
This suits somebody organized enough to hold twenty shipments in view at once and calm enough to be useful when one of them goes wrong at four in the afternoon.
Responsibilities
- Plan and schedule inbound and outbound shipments across road, air, and sea as required
- Request quotes, book carriers and freight forwarders, and confirm pickup and delivery windows
- Prepare and verify shipping documents such as bills of lading, packing lists, and customs paperwork
- Track shipments end to end and proactively flag delays to stakeholders
- Resolve exceptions including delays, damages, shortages, and failed deliveries
- Coordinate with warehouse teams on loading schedules, dock slots, and priorities
- Maintain accurate shipment records in the TMS, ERP, or tracking spreadsheets
- Verify freight invoices against quotes and flag discrepancies for correction
- Monitor carrier performance on cost, transit time, and damage rates
- Support returns, reverse logistics, and inter-site stock transfers
Requirements and skills
- Has coordinated shipments in a logistics, dispatch, or transport role
- Knows the transport modes, carrier types, and the documents each one needs
- Organized enough to keep many shipments moving without losing one
- Confident in Excel and in a transport system, ERP, or carrier portal
- Communicates clearly with carriers, suppliers, and colleagues, in writing and by phone
- Solves the problem first and assigns the blame later, if at all
- Careful with documents, quantities, and invoices, where small errors are expensive
- A logistics or business qualification helps, though experience counts for more
Nice to have
- Experience with customs clearance, Incoterms, and international freight forwarding
- Knowledge of dangerous goods, cold chain, or other regulated shipping categories
- Certification in logistics or transport, such as APICS or a national freight qualification
- Second language relevant to your carrier and supplier base
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