How to hire a logistics planner

How to hire a logistics planner, step by step

Here's a step-by-step logistics planner hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a logistics planner job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new logistics planner
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a logistics planner do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The logistics planner hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a logistics planner to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a logistics planner that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of logistics planners.

   Type of Logistics Planner	Description	Hourly rate
   Logistics Planner	Logisticians analyze and coordinate an organization’s supply chain—the system that moves a product from supplier to consumer. They manage the entire life cycle of a product, which includes how a product is acquired, distributed, allocated, and delivered.	$23-39
   Supply Chain Analyst	A supply chain analyst is responsible for handling the supply chain operations of an organization, aligning processes, and identifying areas of improvement to initiate procedures and create smooth supply delivery transactions. Supply chain analysts monitor the adequacy of stock inventory, including the trends in the market industry, to meet the public demands and ensuring that the business provides those interests... Show more	$24-43
   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... Show more	$15-43

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Supply Chain
   • Continuous Improvement
   • DOD
   • On-Time Delivery
   • Provide Technical Assistance
   • Provisioning
   • TMS
   • Lean Manufacturing
   • Data Entry
   • MRP
   • Inventory Management
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Inventory Control

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage communication among freight forwarders, trucking companies, and warehouse representatives.
   • Navigate ERP system, while planning, to determine shipment needs shown in the EDI.
   • Develop spreadsheet macros to extract critical data from ERP reports that reduce processing time from hours to minutes.
   • Assist military personnel in scheduling line haul, tanker, flatb, HAZMAT and triple / double missions.
   • Ensure safety regulations are follow included HAZMAT regulations.
   • Facilitate pilot requirements of MRP application for fuel tank business.

   More logistics planner duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your logistics planner job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A logistics planner salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, logistics planners' average salary in tennessee is 44% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level logistics planners earn 42% less than senior-level logistics planners.
   • Certifications. A logistics planner with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a logistics planner's salary.

   Average logistics planner salary

   $63,554yearly

   $30.55 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level logistics planner salary

   $48,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 18, 2026

   Average logistics planner salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Maryland	$77,832	$37
   2	California	$74,968	$36
   3	Washington	$72,530	$35
   4	Rhode Island	$70,208	$34
   5	Massachusetts	$68,384	$33
   6	New Jersey	$64,330	$31
   7	Arkansas	$62,773	$30
   8	Colorado	$62,286	$30
   9	Indiana	$61,942	$30
   10	South Carolina	$61,391	$30
   11	Arizona	$59,754	$29
   12	Illinois	$59,724	$29
   13	North Carolina	$59,708	$29
   14	Oregon	$59,528	$29
   15	Mississippi	$58,756	$28
   16	Texas	$56,931	$27
   17	Wisconsin	$56,859	$27
   18	Georgia	$54,415	$26
   19	Florida	$51,683	$25
   20	Tennessee	$48,862	$23

   Average logistics planner salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Intuitive Surgical	$99,145	$47.67	2
   2	Eastman	$85,575	$41.14	1
   3	OMNOVA Solutions	$81,693	$39.28
   4	Cymer	$81,401	$39.14
   5	Praxair	$81,339	$39.11
   6	Vertex Pharmaceuticals	$80,452	$38.68	2
   7	H.B. Fuller	$79,208	$38.08
   8	Walmart	$79,119	$38.04	8
   9	Applied Materials	$78,419	$37.70	15
   10	Coherent	$76,733	$36.89	5
   11	HP	$75,543	$36.32	9
   12	HTC Global Services - Official Page	$74,760	$35.94
   13	Jabil	$72,082	$34.65	10
   14	Philips	$68,653	$33.01	1
   15	University of California	$66,830	$32.13	1
   16	PPG	$66,292	$31.87	3
   17	Ingredion	$65,848	$31.66
   18	Berry Global	$65,096	$31.30
   19	Brose North America, Inc.	$64,843	$31.17	3
   20	Carrier	$64,563	$31.04	3

4. Writing a logistics planner job description

   A job description for a logistics planner role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a logistics planner job description:

   Logistics planner job description example

   This is a Logistics Planner is an FTE position that starts on the bench for the first 6-12months, before moving to a permanent account. This position requires 20-30% Travel.
   Logistics Planner
   
   Transportation is a pillar for any supply chain, and at DHL Supply Chain you are a part of everyday life; because a storm or the breakdown of a truck shouldn't stop our customer's products from getting to the consumer when they need them the most. Working in transportation, you will be a part of our business. All members of our transportation teams ensure that the supply chain doesn't break. They work tirelessly with internal and external parties to guarantee the best solution for the customer. If you thrive in a fast-paced environment, and you are looking for a good challenge to grow your career in transportation; DHL has the opportunity for you.
   
   Job Description
   
   Ensure effective coordination (including maximizing service and cost performance) of inbound and outbound freight movements, including shuttle service activities for all customer orders and manufactured inventory between the carrier and consignment locations.
   
   * Build and validate (cost, service) daily load plan through EFMS, Topex, or TMS system or Red PrairieRoute interactive, expedite requests and ensure all principal request carrier selections are honored
   * Ensure carrier receipt of daily load tenders via 204, fax, or TMS equip
   * Coordinate appointment acquisition to ensure adherence to customer delivery requirements
   * Communicate frequently with internal (DHL Supply Chain transportation, customer support, operations) and external customers (carriers, client transportation, client Customer Service Organizations) to ensure consistency in direction and expectations
   * Coordinate carrier pickup times, and provide daily shipment plan to distribution center
   * Identify and execute continuous improvement opportunities that improves financial performance and service levels, enhancing value proposition for internal and external customers
   * Identify compliance issues and participate in metric feedback process.Propose possible remedies / action plans to Operations supervisor
   * Yard and shuttle service supervision.
   
   Required Education and Experience
   
   * Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience, required
   * 0-3 years of logistics industry experience
   
   Our Organization has a business casual environment and focuses on teamwork, associate development, training, and continuous improvement. We offer competitive wages, excellent affordable insurance benefits (including health, dental, vision and life), 401K plan, paid vacation and holidays.
   
   Our Organization is an equal opportunity employer.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right logistics planner for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with logistics planners they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit logistics planners who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your logistics planner job on Zippia to find and recruit logistics planner candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit logistics planners, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new logistics planner

   Once you've selected the best logistics planner candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new logistics planner first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a logistics planner?