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Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers Occupation Detailed Description

Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers career

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers

The main tasks and work activities of Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers are to direct organizational operations, projects, or services, supervise employees, liaise between departments or other groups to improve function or communication, develop operating strategies, plans, or procedures. In general, for the Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers, speaking, reading Comprehension, monitoring, critical Thinking and other 17 skills are required.
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers Job Description
EducationMost of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Related ExperienceA 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 TrainingEmployees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
ExampleMany of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include real estate brokers, sales managers, database administrators, graphic designers, chemists, art directors, and cost estimators.
The following chart shows the education/training levels for Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers jobs. 3.33% of Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers have High School Diploma (or the equivalent) and 86.67% of Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers have Bachelor's Degree and Above.
Less than a High School Diploma
0.00%
High School Diploma (or the equivalent)
3.33%
Post-Secondary Certificate
0.00%
Some College Courses
3.33%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
6.67%
Bachelor's Degree and Above
86.67%

Tasks and Work Activities of Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers

  • Direct activities related to dispatching, routing, or tracking transportation vehicles, such as aircraft or railroad cars.
  • Plan, organize, or manage the work of subordinate staff to ensure that the work is accomplished in a manner consistent with organizational requirements.
  • Direct investigations to verify and resolve customer or shipper complaints.
  • Serve as contact persons for all workers within assigned territories.
  • Collaborate with other managers or staff members to formulate and implement policies, procedures, goals, or objectives.
  • Promote safe work activities by conducting safety audits, attending company safety meetings, or meeting with individual staff members.
  • Develop criteria, application instructions, procedural manuals, or contracts for federal or state public transportation programs.
  • Monitor spending to ensure that expenses are consistent with approved budgets.
  • Analyze expenditures and other financial information to develop plans, policies, or budgets for increasing profits or improving services.
  • Set operations policies and standards, including determining safety procedures for the handling of dangerous goods.
  • Recommend or authorize capital expenditures for acquisition of new equipment or property to increase efficiency and services of operations department.
  • Prepare management recommendations, such as proposed fee and tariff increases or schedule changes.
  • Conduct employee training sessions on subjects such as hazardous material handling, employee orientation, quality improvement, or computer use.
  • Provide administrative or technical assistance to those receiving transportation-related grants.
  • Direct procurement processes including equipment research and testing, vendor contracts, or requisitions approval.
  • Develop or implement plans to improve transportation services control from regional to national or global load control center operations.
  • Direct central load control centers to maximize efficiency and effectiveness of transportation services.
  • Evaluate transportation vehicles or auxiliary equipment for purchase by considering factors, such as fuel economy or aerodynamics.
  • Identify or select transportation and communications system technologies to reduce costs or environmental impacts.
  • Plan or implement energy saving changes to transportation services, such as reducing routes, optimizing capacities, employing alternate modes of transportation, or minimizing idling.
  • Making Decisions and Solving ProblemsAnalyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProviding information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Interacting With ComputersUsing computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Communicating with Persons Outside OrganizationCommunicating 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.
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsUsing relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and EventsIdentifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkDeveloping specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of OthersGetting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
  • Monitor Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsMonitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
  • Direct organizational operations, projects, or services.
  • Supervise employees.
  • Liaise between departments or other groups to improve function or communication.
  • Develop operating strategies, plans, or procedures.
  • Develop organizational policies or programs.
  • Communicate organizational policies and procedures.
  • Prepare forms or applications.
  • Manage organizational or project budgets.
  • Analyze financial records to improve efficiency.
  • Analyze financial records to improve budgeting or planning.
  • Develop safety standards, policies, or procedures.
  • Approve expenditures.
  • Advise others on business or operational matters.
  • Conduct employee training programs.
  • Train employees on environmental awareness, conservation, or safety topics.
  • Advise others on legal or regulatory compliance matters.
  • Manage control system activities in organizations.
  • Analyze data to inform operational decisions or activities.
  • Analyze forecasting data to improve business decisions.
  • Monitor facilities or operational systems.

Skills and Abilities for Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers

  • SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Reading ComprehensionUnderstanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Active ListeningGiving 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.
  • WritingCommunicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Judgment and Decision MakingConsidering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Complex Problem SolvingIdentifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • Time ManagementManaging one's own time and the time of others.
  • NegotiationBringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
  • PersuasionPersuading others to change their minds or behavior.
  • Management of Personnel ResourcesMotivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
  • Social PerceptivenessBeing aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Systems EvaluationIdentifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
  • Active LearningUnderstanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • InstructingTeaching others how to do something.
  • Management of Financial ResourcesDetermining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures.
  • Systems AnalysisDetermining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
  • MathematicsUsing mathematics to solve problems.
  • Deductive ReasoningThe ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Problem SensitivityThe 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.
  • Written ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Written ComprehensionThe ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Inductive ReasoningThe ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Information OrderingThe 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).
  • Fluency of IdeasThe ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
  • OriginalityThe ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
  • Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Number FacilityThe ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
  • Selective AttentionThe ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • Flexibility of ClosureThe ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
  • Mathematical ReasoningThe ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
  • Bar code reader equipmente.g. Barcode scanners
  • Bar code labelse.g. Barcoding labels
  • Desktop computerse.g. Desktop computers
  • Forkliftse.g. Forklifts
  • Notebook computerse.g. Laptop computers
  • Personal computerse.g. Personal computers
  • Personal digital assistant PDAs or organizerse.g. Personal digital assistants PDA
  • Radio frequency data communication equipmente.g. Radio frequency handheld terminals
  • Radio frequency identification devicese.g. Radio frequency identification RFID devices
  • Radio frequency data communication equipmente.g. Radio frequency truck-mounted terminals
  • Location based messaging service platformse.g. Wireless communication and satellite positioning tools
  • Bar code reader equipmente.g. Barcode scanners
  • Bar code labelse.g. Barcoding labels
  • Mobile phonese.g. Cell phones
  • Desktop computerse.g. Desktop computers
  • Digital camerase.g. Digital cameras
  • Forkliftse.g. Forklifts
  • Vehicular global positioning system GPSe.g. Global positioning systems GPS
  • Notebook computerse.g. Laptop computers
  • Pallet truckse.g. Pallet jacks
  • TransportationKnowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
  • Administration and ManagementKnowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  • Customer and Personal ServiceKnowledge 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.
  • Public Safety and SecurityKnowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
  • Personnel and Human ResourcesKnowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
  • MathematicsKnowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • ClericalKnowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
  • Computers and ElectronicsKnowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • Production and ProcessingKnowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
  • Sales and MarketingKnowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
  • Education and TrainingKnowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
  • GeographyKnowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
  • Economics and AccountingKnowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
  • Law and GovernmentKnowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.