Warehouse manager

Warehouse managers assume the responsibility for storage facilities. They manage the operations and the staff within.

The following job titles also refer to warehouse manager:

warehouse superintendent
manager of warehouse
warehouse administration manager
warehouse supervisor
warehouse operations manager
inventory manager
transportation warehouse manager

Bachelor’s degree is generally required to work as warehouse manager. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Warehouse manager is a Skill level 4 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to warehouse manager.

logistics and distribution manager
rail project engineer
rail operations manager
airport director
pricing specialist

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of warehouse manager. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of warehouse manager with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of warehouse manager.

Warehouse operations: Know the basic principles and practices of warehouse operations such as goods storage. Understand and satisfy customer needs and requirements while effectively utilising warehouse equipment, space and labour.
Safety regulations for warehouses: The body of warehouse safety procedures and regulations to prevent incidents and hazards. Follow safety regulations and inspect equipment.
Warehousing regulations: Know and comply with local warehousing laws and regulations; stay up-to-date by studying existing and new legislation.
Project management: Understand project management and the activities which comprise this area. Know the variables implied in project management such as time, resources, requirements, deadlines, and responding to unexpected events.
Goods transported from warehouse facilities: Know the goods transported from warehouse facilities. Understand the legal and safety requirements of goods, the hazards that materials may represent; provide solutions and appropriate direction for the handling of goods.

These skills are necessary for the role of warehouse manager.

Create solutions to problems: Solve problems which arise in planning, prioritising, organising, directing/facilitating action and evaluating performance. Use systematic processes of collecting, analysing, and synthesising information to evaluate current practice and generate new understandings about practice.
Oversee warehouse value-added activities: Oversee warehouse activities such as storage and receipt, and dispatch of various goods such as food, drinks, clothing, and household products.
Monitor security procedures in warehouse operations: Supervise and enforce procedures for security purposes.
Coach employees: Maintain and improve employees’ performance by coaching individuals or groups how to optimise specific methods, skills or abilities, using adapted coaching styles and methods. Tutor newly recruited employees and assist them in the learning of new business systems.
Exert a goal-oriented leadership role towards colleagues: Embrace a leadership role in the organisation and with colleagues as to provide coaching and direction to subordinates aiming at the achievement of specific objectives.
Give instructions to staff: Give instructions to subordinates by employing various communication techniques. Adjust communication style to the target audience in order to convey instructions as intended.
Maintain physical condition of warehouse: Develop and Implement new warehouse layouts in order to maintain facilities in good working order; issue work orders for repair and replacement operations.
Plan future capacity requirements: Develop a solid business plan for future capacity requirements; determine whether or not a company is capable of meeting demands for its products or services.
Manage staff: Manage employees and subordinates, working in a team or individually, to maximise their performance and contribution. Schedule their work and activities, give instructions, motivate and direct the workers to meet the company objectives. Monitor and measure how an employee undertakes their responsibilities and how well these activities are executed. Identify areas for improvement and make suggestions to achieve this. Lead a group of people to help them achieve goals and maintain an effective working relationship among staff.
Use different communication channels: Make use of various types of communication channels such as verbal, handwritten, digital and telephonic communication with the purpose of constructing and sharing ideas or information.
Monitor storage space: Supervise and organise the area in which products are stored.
Ensure efficient utilisation of warehouse space: Pursue an effective use of warehouse space ensuring maximum efficiency while meeting environmental and budgetary goals.
Manage warehouse organisation: Manage organisation and design layout of warehouse and warehouse staff; take actions to ensure maximum safety and risk prevention.
Improve business processes: Optimise the series of operations of an organisation to achieve efficiency. Analyse and adapt existing business operations in order to set new objectives and meet new goals.
Provide staff training in warehouse management: Undertake the necessary training activities and training programmes for company staff in warehouse management.
Manage a warehouse management system: Use software in order to store materials within a warehouse; storing operations include shipping, receiving and picking.
Comprehend financial business terminology: Grasp the meaning of basic financial concepts and terms used in businesses and financial institutions or organisations.
Manage third-party logistics providers: Coordinate service providers related to warehousing and transportation.
Manage dispatch software systems: Manage dispatch software systems to execute tasks such as work order generation, route planning, and other activities.
Apply safety management: Apply and supervise measures and regulations concerning security and safety in order to maintain a safe environment in the workplace.
Create a work atmosphere of continuous improvement: Work with management practices such as continuous improvement, preventive maintenance. Pay attention to problem solving and teamwork principles.
Plan the dispatching of products: Organise a plan for sending goods according to the schedule.
Plan the stocking of products: Decide where and how the goods are to be stocked in the warehouse.
Schedule shifts: Plan staff time and shifts to reflect the demands of the business.
Manage inventory: Control product inventory in balance of availability and storage costs.
Perform cost accounting activities: Execute the cost related activities and operations within the accounting activities such as standard cost development, average pricing analysis, margin and cost ratio analysis, inventory control, and variance analysis. Report the results to management and advise on possible courses of action to control and reduce the costs.
Ensure stock storage safety: Ensure that products are stored appropriately. Keep in line with safety procedures.
Oversee freight-related financial documentation: Oversee freight billing and invoicing accuracy
Meet productivity targets: Devise methods to determine improvement in productivity, adjusting the goals to be reached and the necessary time and resources.
Build business relationships: Establish a positive, long-term relationship between organisations and interested third parties such as suppliers, distributors, shareholders and other stakeholders in order to inform them of the organisation and its objectives.
Maintain stock control systems: Keep stock control systems up to date and ensure inventory accuracy.
Maintain warehouse database: Keep digital warehouse database up-to-date and multi-accessible.
Train employees: Lead and guide employees through a process in which they are taught the necessary skills for the perspective job. Organise activities aimed at introducing the work and systems or improving the performance of individuals and groups in organisational settings.
Manage warehouse operations: Manage warehouse operations such as delivering orders and maintaining stock; control safety and risk prevention in the warehouse; follow plans to maximise efficiency of the supply chain.
Maintain financial records: Keep track of and finalise all formal documents representing the financial transactions of a business or project.
Work in a logistics team: Ability to work confidently within a logistics team, with each member of the team fulfilling a role designed to increase the efficiency of the whole.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of warehouse manager. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Statistics: The study of statistical theory, methods and practices such as collection, organisation, analysis, interpretation and presentation of data. It deals with all aspects of data including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments in order to forecast and plan work-related activities.
Fire-fighting systems: The devices and systems used to extinguish fires; the classes and chemistry of fire.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of warehouse manager. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Manage budgets: Plan, monitor and report on the budget.
Act reliably: Proceed in a way that one can be relied on or depended on.
Supervise the work of staff on different shifts: Oversee the activities of the employees working in shifts in order to ensure continuous operations.
Show confidence: Demonstrate degrees of maturity by fully understanding one’s own qualities and abilities which can serve as sources of confidence in different situations.
Carry out storage risk management: Analyse, prevent and mitigate risks and hazards that may occur while storing items.
Maintain updated professional knowledge: Regularly attend educational workshops, read professional publications, actively participate in professional societies.
Use logical reasoning: Use cognitive abilities to make decisions and to move logically from one idea to another.
Present reports: Display results, statistics and conclusions to an audience in a transparent and straightforward way.
Have computer literacy: Utilise computers, IT equipment and modern day technology in an efficient way.
Perform services in a flexible manner: Adapt service approach when circumstances change.
Ensure special requirements for goods in storage: Handle goods that require special storage measures, e.g. fragile items or items that need to be stored at certain temperatures.
Analyse work-related written reports: Read and comprehend job-related reports, analyse the content of reports and apply findings to daily work operations.

1324 – Supply, distribution and related managers

 

 

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References

1. Warehouse manager – ESCO