How to hire a shipping coordinator

How to hire a shipping coordinator, step by step

Here's a step-by-step shipping coordinator hiring guide:

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

What does a shipping coordinator do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the shipping coordinator you need to hire. Certain shipping coordinator roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect shipping coordinator also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   Here's a comparison of shipping coordinator salaries for various roles:

   Type of Shipping Coordinator	Description	Hourly rate
   Shipping Coordinator	Material recording clerks track product information in order to keep businesses and supply chains on schedule. They ensure proper scheduling, recordkeeping, and inventory control.	$12-22
   Logistics Clerk	Logistics clerks are professionals who are responsible for regulating the supply chain of an organization by performing administrative tasks such as monitoring inventory levels, arranging transportation methods, and managing shipping schedules. These clerks are required to ensure that electronic or paper files are kept accurately and up-to-date so that they can track orders and answer billing questions... Show more	$12-19
   Shipper Receiver	A shipper receiver is responsible for processing and packaging items for shipment and receiving incoming merchandise for warehouse storage. Shipper receivers assist in loading and unloading items from the distribution trucks, checking inventory receipts, inspecting the quality and quantity of the items, preparing shipping documents, and ensuring the cleanliness and orderliness of storage areas... Show more	$12-19

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Inventory Control
   • Shipping Receiving
   • Data Entry
   • On-Time Delivery
   • Pallet Jack
   • International Shipments
   • Purchase Orders
   • LTL
   • Outbound Shipments
   • Necessary Paperwork
   • Forwarders
   • BOL
   • Freight Forwarders

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Utilize ERP system to track, manage, and maintain raw bulk inventory, WIP inventory, and finish goods inventory.
   • Develop and implement lean processes to manage the economical and efficient coordination of interdepartmental logistics.
   • Manage all aspects of customer shipments including generation of shipping output documents, coordination of logistics or scheduling domestic/international freight forwarders.
   • Improve all KPI reporting for the bottling operation and implement visual aids such as report cards and production floor daily displays5.
   • Ensure freight forwarders are select based on company objectives for cost and delivery
   • Used computers for fed-ex and ups deliveries.

   More shipping coordinator duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your shipping coordinator job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A shipping coordinator salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a shipping coordinator in West Virginia may be lower than in Massachusetts, and an entry-level shipping coordinator usually earns less than a senior-level shipping coordinator. Additionally, a shipping coordinator with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average shipping coordinator salary

   $35,677yearly

   $17.15 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level shipping coordinator salary

   $26,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

   Average shipping coordinator salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$41,061	$20
   2	Massachusetts	$40,689	$20
   3	Washington	$38,095	$18
   4	New York	$36,896	$18
   5	Maryland	$33,621	$16
   6	Colorado	$33,438	$16
   7	Nevada	$33,325	$16
   8	Illinois	$32,177	$15
   9	Texas	$32,150	$15
   10	Ohio	$31,421	$15
   11	Tennessee	$31,383	$15
   12	Iowa	$30,709	$15
   13	Indiana	$30,673	$15
   14	Kansas	$29,500	$14
   15	Florida	$29,318	$14
   16	North Carolina	$28,919	$14

   Average shipping coordinator salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Aramco Services Company	$58,535	$28.14
   2	Schneider Electric Industrial Services	$56,354	$27.09	6
   3	Meggitt PLC	$53,597	$25.77
   4	Oceaneering	$52,325	$25.16
   5	Vertex Pharmaceuticals	$50,975	$24.51
   6	CDC Foundation	$48,939	$23.53
   7	Sanmina	$48,573	$23.35	1
   8	Axalta	$48,413	$23.28
   9	Dairy Farmers of America	$48,086	$23.12	42
   10	Aditi Consulting	$47,770	$22.97
   11	rms	$47,699	$22.93
   12	EMD Millipore	$46,713	$22.46
   13	Danaher	$46,248	$22.23	6
   14	Twin Disc	$45,669	$21.96
   15	KLA	$45,281	$21.77
   16	Danfoss	$45,122	$21.69	2
   17	VIVA USA	$44,891	$21.58
   18	Beckman Coulter	$44,737	$21.51
   19	Bloom Energy	$44,730	$21.50
   20	Supermicro	$43,943	$21.13	2

4. Writing a shipping coordinator job description

   A shipping coordinator job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a shipping coordinator job description:

   Shipping coordinator job description example

   Shipping Coordinator Post Date: 10/4/2022

   Employee Type: Non-exempt Full-Time with benefits

   Compensation: $18.50-$21.00

   Description

   Oliver Rubber Company, a Michelin owned company, is seeking motivated shipping coordinator to help us keep treading forward to meet local and national goals, produce quality product, and work toward protecting our environment by producing tire retread. We have changed our business focus, work environment, and need your help in being the number one retread plant in the nation. If you are seeking a position full of growth and opportunities, we need YOU!

   Please see below the description of this role:

   P 12-hour night shifts/day shift flexibility

   P Monitor the efficiency of the shipping and receiving

   P Operate a forklike in small, defined spaces

   P Use a handheld scan device for inventory related purposes

   P Maintain proper storage for material and product inventory in warehouse

   P Organize inventory in an easy-to-access process

   P Utilize machinery such as forklifts to load orders

   P Maintain the quality and upkeep of warehouse equipment including machinery

   P Move storage containers/tractor trailers to and from the shipping dock – CDL Required

   P Be able to follow instructions from primary supervisor

   P Follow all safety rules and precautions to ensure you and all co-workers are safe

   P Microsoft knowledgeable

   Qualifications

   P Must be able to lift, bend, stoop, and stand for long period of time

   P Obtain High School Diploma/GED.

   P Pass a health physical and drug screen

   P Have a valid CDL license

   P Authorized to work in the United States (E-Verify)

   Benefits

   P Health Benefits, Vision, Dental

   P 401K Matching, LTD, Health Savings Account

   P Paid time off

   P Employee Benefit Discount

   Equal Opportunity Employer

   Oliver Rubber Company is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and

   inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race

   color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or

   any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all

   employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination,

   layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and apprenticeship. Oliver Rubber

   Company makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the

   time. For more information, read through our EEO Policy at www.oliverrubberocompany.com.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right shipping coordinator 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 shipping coordinators they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit shipping coordinators 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 shipping coordinator job on Zippia to find and recruit shipping coordinator candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit shipping coordinators, 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.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 shipping coordinator

   Once you've found the shipping coordinator candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   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 employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

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 shipping coordinator?