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What does a logistician do?

Updated January 8, 2025
6 min read

A logistician is an expert in the analysis and coordination of the supply chain within an organization. Logisticians supervise activities like purchasing, inventory, warehousing, and transportation. They may direct the movement of people, supplies, or goods from consumer goods to military personnel and supplies. It is their job to plan and track product movement using software systems. They manage the demand and supply of corporate products and/or services. Also, they arrange the transportation and storage of the materials.

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Logistician responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real logistician resumes:

  • Manage the flow of electronic message events via inventory tracking system and EDI gateway for INL's automotive customer base.
  • Review and interpret planning documents, systems and equipment modifications and ILS management procedures in accordance to DOD directives and policies.
  • Provide support and guidance to plan for sustaining engineering including funding of limit and full technical data rights to support provisioning.
  • Organize data and recommendations for inclusion into provisioning technical data packages for delivery to the customer.
  • Assist with the movement of material shipments from CONUS into theater.
  • Provide suggestion and feedback to core ERP team to implement changes.
  • Negotiate and maintain current relationships and agreement with freight forwarders and all carriers.
  • Initiate shipping documents and track shipments for project material, vendor returns and material movement, CONUS and OCONUS.
  • Assure optimum utilization of current assets, specialize storage activities, and rapid reaction time in support of DOD programs.
  • Collaborate to define and refine user requirements in support of the depot business process areas and depot aircraft maintenance mission requirements.
  • Communicate with procurement, vendors, forwarders and expeditors to ensure project personnel are aware of current status of all shipments.
  • Incorporate ILS into developmental and operational testing procedures.
  • Coordinate supply chain integration and distribution for complex grind combat systems.
  • Execute logistics impact assessments and prepare ILS input for logistics planning documents.
  • Work details for logistics and maintainability programs and logistics and maintenance control organizations.

Logistician skills and personality traits

We calculated that 12% of Logisticians are proficient in Life Cycle, DOD, and Supply Chain. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Customer service skills, and Organizational skills.

We break down the percentage of Logisticians that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Life Cycle, 12%

    Advised the Project Manager on all matters relating to life cycle logistics support for TCPT and the BCS3-NM.

  • DOD, 9%

    Reviewed and interpreted planning documents, systems and equipment modifications and ILS management procedures in accordance to DOD directives and policies.

  • Supply Chain, 9%

    Provided oversight of logistics and transportation operations and standard installation supply chain systems.

  • PowerPoint, 8%

    Prepare tables for TACOM for updates and status report in Excel, word, or PowerPoint.

  • ILS, 5%

    Developed and implemented logistics program activities including ILS, technical documentation, RAM provisioning.

  • Cycle Management, 5%

    Used prescribed methods and processes to quality check Tinker Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) data cleansing production output.

Common skills that a logistician uses to do their job include "life cycle," "dod," and "supply chain." You can find details on the most important logistician responsibilities below.

Communication skills. One of the key soft skills for a logistician to have is communication skills. You can see how this relates to what logisticians do because "logisticians need strong communication skills to collaborate with colleagues and do business with suppliers and customers." Additionally, a logistician resume shows how logisticians use communication skills: "last job held was working in provisioning at disa conus scott afb, writing telecommunication service request(tsr). "

Customer service skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling logistician duties is customer service skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "logisticians must know the needs of their customers in order to coordinate the movement of materials between suppliers and customers." According to a logistician resume, here's how logisticians can utilize customer service skills in their job responsibilities: "initiated and processed purchase orders, contracted service and product vendors. "

Organizational skills. This is an important skill for logisticians to perform their duties. For an example of how logistician responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "logisticians must be able to keep detailed records and simultaneously manage several projects in a fast-paced environment." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a logistician: "served as the asset visibility nco and posted transactions to organizational hand receipts ensuring accurate accountability of equipment. ".

Problem-solving skills. logistician responsibilities often require "problem-solving skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "logisticians must handle unforeseen issues, such as delivery problems, and adjust plans as needed to resolve the issues." This resume example shows what logisticians do with problem-solving skills on a typical day: "provided logistical support in the design, development and implementation of sustainment solutions for dod customers. "

Most common logistician skills

The three companies that hire the most logisticians are:

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Compare different logisticians

Logistician vs. Demand planner

A demand planner specializes in conducting research and analysis to develop forecast models that will help determine a supply chain's demands. They are also responsible for monitoring the inventory of products, maintaining knowledge and awareness on the latest trends, producing progress reports and presentations, establishing demand plans, and detecting any changes in the forecast, reporting them to management right away. Furthermore, as a demand planner, it is essential to coordinate with everyone in the team, all while adhering to the company's policies and standards.

The annual salary of demand planners is $8,329 higher than the average salary of logisticians.Even though logisticians and demand planners are distinct careers, a few of the skills required for both jobs are similar. For example, both careers require supply chain, cycle management, and inventory control in the day-to-day roles and responsibilities.

While similarities exist, there are also some differences between logisticians and demand planner. For instance, logistician responsibilities require skills such as "life cycle," "dod," "powerpoint," and "shipping receiving." Whereas a demand planner is skilled in "customer service," "logistics," "strong analytical," and "continuous improvement." This is part of what separates the two careers.

Demand planners tend to reach higher levels of education than logisticians. In fact, demand planners are 5.7% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.3% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.

Logistician vs. Supply planner

A supply planner is primarily in charge of maintaining a company's inventory of supplies, ensuring all are sufficient and efficient. Their responsibilities revolve around monitoring and counting the inventory, maintaining accurate records, reviewing receipts and other documentation, anticipating product demands, and liaising with vendors and suppliers. Should there be any supply emergencies or issues, one must visit manufacturers or suppliers. There may also be instances where one has to lift products and propose changes in the inventory processes.

Supply planner positions earn lower pay than logistician roles. They earn a $3,356 lower salary than logisticians per year.While the salary may differ for these jobs, they share a few skills needed to perform their duties. Based on resume data, both logisticians and supply planners have skills such as "supply chain," "cycle management," and "inventory control. "

While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that logistician responsibilities requires skills like "life cycle," "dod," "powerpoint," and "shipping receiving." But a supply planner might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "logistics," "demand planning," "continuous improvement," and "supply plan."

Average education levels between the two professions vary. Supply planners tend to reach similar levels of education than logisticians. In fact, they're 4.3% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Logistician vs. Supply chain planner

The job of supply chain planners, or logisticians, is to plan, develop, and schedule project management tools in support of an organization's operations. They are responsible for managing and monitoring inventories, forecasting production and sales levels, and tracking response time and delivery performance. Other duties include analyzing the levels of finished products, developing and monitoring production plans, and generating reports. Supply chain planners are also responsible for supervising other team members and ensuring that customer service best practices are followed.

On average scale, supply chain planners bring in higher salaries than logisticians. In fact, they earn a $6,710 higher salary per year.Using the responsibilities included on logisticians and supply chain planners resumes, we found that both professions have similar skill requirements, such as "supply chain," "shipping receiving," and "cycle management.rdquo;

There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a logistician is likely to be skilled in "life cycle," "dod," "powerpoint," and "ils," while a typical supply chain planner is skilled in "customer service," "supply chain planning," "logistics," and "continuous improvement."

Supply chain planners typically earn higher educational levels compared to logisticians. Specifically, they're 5.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Logistician vs. Supply coordinator

A supply coordinator is primarily in charge of overseeing a company's supply chain operations, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. Their responsibilities include gathering and analyzing data to identify and understand the company's needs, coordinating with procurement managers, liaising and negotiating contracts with vendors and suppliers, and monitoring the procedures and arrival of supplies. Furthermore, as a supply coordinator, it is essential to maintain an active communication line with internal and external parties, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.

Supply coordinators tend to earn a lower pay than logisticians by an average of $19,626 per year.While both logisticians and supply coordinators complete day-to-day tasks using similar skills like powerpoint, inventory control, and inventory management, the two careers vary in some skills.

Even though a few skill sets overlap between logisticians and supply coordinators, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a logistician might have more use for skills like "life cycle," "dod," "supply chain," and "shipping receiving." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of supply coordinators require skills like "patients," "customer service," "patient care," and "rehabilitation. "

In general, supply coordinators hold similar degree levels compared to logisticians. Supply coordinators are 2.4% less likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.2% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of logistician

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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