Logistics coordinator duties centre on planning and controlling the movement of goods so that deliveries happen on time and at sensible cost. Where a logistics administrator records what happened, a coordinator decides what will happen: which carrier, which route, which vehicle, in what order and at what price. This page sets out what the role involves day to day, the skills employers expect, and how to phrase these duties on a CV or in a job description.
What Does a Logistics Coordinator Do?
A logistics coordinator plans and arranges the transport of goods between suppliers, warehouses and customers. They schedule collections and deliveries, select and book carriers, allocate loads to vehicles, monitor shipments in transit, and intervene when something goes wrong. They also manage the relationships and rates with transport providers.
The role is a balancing act between three competing pressures: delivery deadlines, transport cost and available capacity. Coordinators are constantly trading one against another, and good ones are judged on how well they protect service levels without letting freight spend drift.
The position sits between the warehouse, the sales or customer service team and external carriers. For the documentation-focused counterpart see logistics coordinator job description when hiring, and browse General Worker Logistics Duties for related roles.
Key Logistics Coordinator Duties and Responsibilities
- Planning daily and weekly delivery and collection schedules.
- Selecting and booking carriers, couriers and transport providers.
- Allocating loads to vehicles and planning efficient routes and drop sequences.
- Negotiating and maintaining transport rates with providers.
- Monitoring shipments in transit and proactively managing delays.
- Coordinating with the warehouse on picking and dispatch readiness.
- Communicating delivery schedules and exceptions to customers and sales teams.
- Managing the resolution of delivery failures, damages and shortages.
- Tracking transport costs against budget and reporting on variances.
- Monitoring carrier performance against agreed service levels.
- Ensuring transport documentation is complete and compliant.
- Coordinating imports, exports and customs clearance where applicable.
- Managing fleet scheduling, driver allocation and vehicle availability where the fleet is in-house.
- Identifying and implementing improvements to routing, consolidation and cost.
The accountability that defines the role is service level against cost. A coordinator who hits every delivery deadline by using premium freight has not done the job well, and neither has one who saves money by missing customer commitments. Employers look for evidence of judgment between the two.
Daily Logistics Coordinator Duties
- Reviewing the day’s outbound orders and confirming dispatch readiness with the warehouse.
- Planning routes and allocating loads to vehicles or carriers.
- Booking collections with third-party transport providers.
- Tracking shipments in transit and following up on exceptions.
- Communicating delays or changes to customers and internal stakeholders.
- Resolving delivery problems as they arise during the day.
- Confirming completed deliveries and closing off the schedule.
- Reviewing transport costs and approving or querying carrier charges.
- Updating the delivery performance and cost tracking reports.
Logistics Coordinator Skills and Requirements
- Matric, with a logistics, supply chain or transport qualification commonly required.
- Experience in transport planning, distribution or freight coordination.
- Working knowledge of transport management and ERP systems.
- Route planning and load optimisation capability.
- Negotiation skills for rates and service terms with carriers.
- Strong numeracy for cost analysis and rate comparison.
- Ability to prioritise and make decisions quickly under pressure.
- Clear communication with drivers, carriers, customers and internal teams.
- Problem-solving skills when a delivery fails or capacity disappears.
- Understanding of transport compliance and documentation requirements.
- Knowledge of import, export and customs processes where relevant.
- Spreadsheet and reporting skills for cost and performance tracking.
Logistics Coordinator Duties for a CV
Coordinator CV bullets should show scale, decision-making and commercial outcome. Employers want to see that you managed real volume and improved either service or cost, ideally both.
- Coordinated daily distribution of approximately sixty outbound deliveries across three provinces.
- Planned routes and consolidated loads, reducing transport cost per delivery.
- Negotiated rates with four third-party carriers and reviewed performance quarterly.
- Improved on-time delivery performance through earlier dispatch planning with the warehouse.
- Managed delivery exceptions and customer escalations to resolution.
- Tracked freight spend against budget and reported monthly variances to management.
- Coordinated import shipments and liaised with clearing agents on customs documentation.
If you have moved a specific metric, such as on-time delivery percentage or cost per drop, lead with it. For CV-specific wording see logistics coordinator duties for CV.
Logistics Coordinator Job Description Template
When writing the advert, state whether the coordinator manages an in-house fleet, third-party carriers, or both, because the skill sets differ. Fleet coordination involves driver scheduling and vehicle availability; third-party coordination involves rate negotiation and carrier management.
Give the daily or weekly delivery volume and the geographic scope, and say whether the role includes imports, exports or customs coordination. Specify whether the coordinator holds budget responsibility for freight spend and what authority they have to approve premium transport, since that defines the seniority of the role.
FAQs
What are the main logistics coordinator duties?
The main duties are planning delivery and collection schedules, selecting and booking carriers, allocating loads and planning routes, monitoring shipments in transit, managing delivery exceptions, tracking transport costs against budget and monitoring carrier performance.
What are examples of logistics coordinator duties?
Examples include planning a multi-drop route and allocating it to a vehicle, booking a third-party collection at a negotiated rate, intervening when a shipment is delayed and rebooking it, resolving a failed delivery with the customer, and reporting monthly freight spend against budget.
How do logistics coordinator duties differ by workplace or seniority?
In smaller companies the coordinator also handles administration, invoicing and customer service. In larger operations the role is more specialised and may focus on a single mode or region. Senior coordinators take on carrier negotiation, budget ownership and network improvement rather than daily scheduling.
How should logistics coordinator duties be written in a job description or CV?
On a CV, show delivery volume, geographic scope, the systems used and any measurable improvement in service level or cost. In a job description, state whether the role covers an in-house fleet or third-party carriers, the volume and scope, and the budget authority attached.
Which related duties page should I read next?
If you are hiring, use the logistics coordinator job description. If you are applying, see logistics coordinator duties for CV, or browse General Worker Logistics Duties.