Job Profiles: Warehouse Managers

Warehouse managers are individuals who oversee all aspects of the day to day running of a warehouse. If you are interested in becoming a warehouse manager then you can work on developing some skills which will be useful in the warehouse environment. This article takes a look at the basic job description for a warehouse manager, and it also explains their average working hours, salary and common entry requirements.

Job Description

Warehouse managers will typically work closely with everyone involved in the operation of the warehouse, including clients, suppliers, employees and transportation companies. They will often be responsible for planning and choosing the distribution schemes and methods for dispatching of goods. Warehouse managers will be in charge of monitoring the storage space, and making sure that the warehouse has been carefully designed to maximize the amount of available space. Another aspect of their job is that they will often ensure that all inventory is organized, labelled and stored correctly. A well organized inventory system will make it easier for staff  to find items, which will then increase staff productivity rates. Warehouse managers may also schedule the work rota for warehouse staff, as well as organise recruitment and staff training programs.

These are just a few of the main things that a warehouse manager may be in charge of. The exact duties will vary depending on the exact company that you work for.

Almost all warehouse managers will use some form of warehouse management systems to help them to keep track of the operations of the warehouse. The information entered into these systems is stored, and can be used at a later date for reports or to predict accurate forecasts.

Hours

Warehouse managers will typically work between 36 and 45 hours per week. In this industry shift work is also common place, or you may be expected to work evenings, nights or weekends. Of course the exact schedule will again depend on the job that you take.

Income

The salaries of a warehouse manager will range greatly depending on what country they work in and what their experience levels are.

Entry Requirements

A person will often become a warehouse manager after gaining experience as a supervisor in a warehouse environment. Some companies will require that you hold a forklift license in order to legally operate the warehouse machinery.

In order to be a great warehouse manager you should be have a number of skills, including:


- Good math skills

- Be organized and able to create work schedules, spreadsheets and databases

- Work under pressure to meet deadlines

- Be able to make decisions quickly

- Be able to work as part of a team

- The ability to motivate and lead others

- Good communication skills


There are many different educational courses that focus on teaching these skills and many more which would be useful in a warehouse environment. They will often include information on subjects such as logistics, supply chain management and transport management. You can check with you local colleges and universities to see if they run any courses on these subjects, alternatively some educational facilities will offer distance learning courses where you can study from the comfort of your own home.

Through a combination of strategic acquisitions, carefully-crafted partnerships and industry-leading investments in research, development and customer care, Accellos aims to become the clear choice for supply chain management software worldwide.