A logistics coordinator job description defines a role that sits at the centre of a distribution operation, balancing delivery deadlines against transport cost and available capacity. Written badly it reads as a list of everything transport-related; written well it tells a candidate exactly what they will own and what they will be measured on. This page provides a complete, adaptable logistics coordinator job description with guidance on tailoring it to your operation.
Logistics Coordinator Job Description Overview
The logistics coordinator plans and controls the movement of goods between suppliers, warehouses and customers. The role schedules collections and deliveries, selects and books carriers, allocates loads to vehicles, monitors shipments in transit and resolves delivery problems as they arise.
Before adapting this description, settle one question: does the coordinator manage an in-house fleet, third-party carriers, or both? Fleet coordination is about driver scheduling, vehicle availability and maintenance windows. Third-party coordination is about rate negotiation, carrier selection and service level management. The two attract different candidates, and an advert that blurs them produces a poor shortlist.
A workable overview paragraph reads: the logistics coordinator is responsible for planning and coordinating the timely, cost-effective movement of goods, managing relationships with transport providers, monitoring shipments in transit, and resolving delivery exceptions to maintain agreed service levels. For the underlying duty detail see logistics coordinator duties.
Logistics Coordinator Job Description Duties and Responsibilities
Group the duties under themes rather than presenting a flat list, so candidates can see where the emphasis lies.
Planning and Scheduling
- Planning daily and weekly delivery and collection schedules.
- Allocating loads to vehicles and planning efficient routes and drop sequences.
- Coordinating with the warehouse to confirm picking and dispatch readiness.
- Balancing delivery deadlines against available transport capacity.
Carrier and Cost Management
- Selecting and booking carriers, couriers and transport providers.
- Negotiating and maintaining transport rates and service terms.
- Tracking freight spend against budget and reporting variances.
- Monitoring carrier performance against agreed service levels.
Execution and Exception Handling
- Monitoring shipments in transit and managing delays proactively.
- Resolving failed deliveries, shortages and damages.
- Communicating delivery schedules and exceptions to customers and sales teams.
- Ensuring transport documentation is complete and compliant.
- Coordinating imports, exports and customs clearance where applicable.
Logistics Coordinator Job Description Skills and Requirements
- Matric, with a logistics, supply chain or transport qualification usually required.
- Demonstrable experience in transport planning, distribution or freight coordination.
- Working knowledge of transport management and ERP systems.
- Route planning and load consolidation capability.
- Negotiation skills for carrier rates and service terms.
- Strong numeracy for rate comparison and cost analysis.
- Ability to prioritise and decide quickly when plans fail.
- Clear communication with drivers, carriers, customers and internal teams.
- Understanding of transport compliance and documentation.
- Knowledge of import, export and customs processes where the role requires it.
- Spreadsheet and reporting competence for cost and performance tracking.
How to Use This Job Description Template
Begin by fixing the scope. State the daily or weekly delivery volume, the geographic area covered, and whether the operation is domestic, cross-border or both. These three details tell a candidate more about the job than any description of responsibilities.
Next, define the authority attached to the role. Say whether the coordinator can approve premium freight to protect a delivery, what value of transport spend they can authorise, and whether they hold budget responsibility. Coordination roles vary enormously in seniority, and authority is what distinguishes them.
Then remove what does not apply. Adverts commonly carry over customs coordination, warehouse supervision or customer service duties that belong to other positions. Each irrelevant duty widens the applicant pool in the wrong direction.
Finally, state how performance will be measured. On-time delivery percentage, cost per delivery and carrier service level compliance are the usual measures, and naming them signals a well-run operation. Ensure the employment terms comply with the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, and use Job Description Template South Africa for a general structure you can reuse across roles.
Editable Job Description Structure
Build your version around the following headings.
- Job title, department and location
- Reporting line and any direct reports
- Purpose of the role, in two or three sentences
- Key duties grouped by theme, such as planning, carrier management and exception handling
- Scope: delivery volume, geographic area and fleet or third-party model
- Authority limits for transport spend and premium freight
- Qualifications and experience required
- Systems knowledge required
- Skills and competencies
- Performance measures
- Working hours, including any after-hours or weekend expectation
Related Duties Pages
For the detailed duty breakdown behind this description, read logistics coordinator duties. Candidates preparing applications will find logistics coordinator duties for CV useful. For related warehouse and transport roles, browse general worker logistics duties.
FAQs
What should a logistics coordinator job description include?
It should include the purpose of the role, duties grouped by theme, the delivery volume and geographic scope, whether the role covers an in-house fleet or third-party carriers, the authority limits for transport spend, the systems used, the qualifications required and the performance measures that apply.
What are the main duties in a logistics coordinator job description?
The main duties are planning delivery and collection schedules, selecting and booking carriers, allocating loads and planning routes, monitoring shipments in transit, resolving delivery exceptions, tracking freight spend against budget and monitoring carrier performance.
What qualifications does a logistics coordinator need?
Most employers require matric plus a logistics, supply chain or transport qualification, along with practical experience in transport planning or freight coordination. System experience is frequently a screening criterion, so name the transport management or ERP system your operation uses.
How is a coordinator different from a logistics administrator?
A coordinator plans and books the movement of goods and owns the carrier relationship. An administrator records, documents and reconciles what has been arranged. In smaller businesses one person often does both, so the advert should state clearly which side the role emphasises.
Which related page should I read next?
For the duty detail, read logistics coordinator duties. For a reusable structure across other roles, use the Job Description Template South Africa.