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Load planner vs shipping supervisor

The differences between load planners and shipping supervisors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a load planner and a shipping supervisor. Additionally, a shipping supervisor has an average salary of $48,598, which is higher than the $40,526 average annual salary of a load planner.

The top three skills for a load planner include logistics, hub and DOT. The most important skills for a shipping supervisor are customer service, safety procedures, and logistics.

Load planner vs shipping supervisor overview

Load PlannerShipping Supervisor
Yearly salary$40,526$48,598
Hourly rate$19.48$23.36
Growth rate28%-3%
Number of jobs16,05026,138
Job satisfaction1-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 52%Bachelor's Degree, 37%
Average age4444
Years of experience44

What does a load planner do?

Load Planners are responsible for optimizing and streamlining the process of freight transportation. Their duties include creating profitable network transport strategies involving routing, optimization, and load planning, implementing system parameters, attending to client's emails and calls, and executing corrective action. They are responsible for tracking pick-up and delivery time, participate in carrier negotiation, and carrying out shipment expeditions. Load Planners also produce service reports, chair meetings, and facilitate automation initiatives. They conduct carrier escalation, reports approval, and lead cross-training sessions to improve operational competency.

What does a shipping supervisor do?

A shipping supervisor is responsible for monitoring the goods and services, ensuring its quality and quantity before packaging and shipment processing to avoid delays and possible client complaints. Shipping supervisors manage the shipment schedule, including verification of the location and determining correct charges. They also keep track of the incoming and outgoing deliveries by maintaining an organized record in the company's database. A shipping supervisor must have excellent communication and leadership skills, especially on handling customers' concerns, conducting item replacements, and overseeing the warehouse staff to meet maximum productivity goals.

Load planner vs shipping supervisor salary

Load planners and shipping supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.

Load PlannerShipping Supervisor
Average salary$40,526$48,598
Salary rangeBetween $27,000 And $60,000Between $35,000 And $66,000
Highest paying City-New Brunswick, NJ
Highest paying state-Connecticut
Best paying company-Schneider Electric Industrial Services
Best paying industry-Professional

Differences between load planner and shipping supervisor education

There are a few differences between a load planner and a shipping supervisor in terms of educational background:

Load PlannerShipping Supervisor
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 52%Bachelor's Degree, 37%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Load planner vs shipping supervisor demographics

Here are the differences between load planners' and shipping supervisors' demographics:

Load PlannerShipping Supervisor
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 63.9% Female, 36.1%Male, 82.2% Female, 17.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 6.5% White, 57.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 6.8% White, 56.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage8%8%

Differences between load planner and shipping supervisor duties and responsibilities

Load planner example responsibilities.

  • Partner with planner to manage inventory levels to meet turnover and open-to-buy objectives.
  • Charge with managing contracts for non-emergency and emergency transportation of Medicaid and Medicare members.
  • Create new part numbers, BOM's and routings for all new hinges.
  • Enter load information into TMW system.
  • Follow procedures according to FAA and OSHA standards.
  • Upgrade as foreman and run 5 man crews.
  • Show more

Shipping supervisor example responsibilities.

  • Manage the reconciliation process of RMA's, product inspection and freight claims.
  • Manage product movement across multiple WMS platforms and commodity lines within distribution center, conveyor lines and induction system.
  • Manage international shipping - coordinate documentation, commercial invoices, letters of credit, NAFTA, certificates of origin.
  • Manage and organize LTL shipments and warehouse responsibilities.
  • Work with a USPS representative to deliver a manifest with all orders account for.
  • Integrate new information to create and present an ISO training seminar for plant managers and coordinators.
  • Show more

Load planner vs shipping supervisor skills

Common load planner skills
  • Logistics, 13%
  • Hub, 11%
  • DOT, 8%
  • Safety Regulations, 5%
  • Freight Loads, 5%
  • Strong Analytical, 5%
Common shipping supervisor skills
  • Customer Service, 11%
  • Safety Procedures, 8%
  • Logistics, 7%
  • Shipping Receiving, 6%
  • Continuous Improvement, 6%
  • ISO, 5%

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