Logistics Coordinator Job Description Template

In plain language: States the official role title, the department it sits in, the employment type (full-time, part-time, contract), and whether the role is exempt or non-exempt from overtime.

Common mistake: Misclassifying a logistics coordinator as exempt when their duties and salary do not meet the FLSA executive, administrative, or professional exemption tests — this creates back-pay and penalty exposure.

In plain language: A 3–5 sentence overview of the role's primary purpose and how it fits within the organization's supply chain and operations functions.

Common mistake: Writing a position summary that duplicates the responsibilities section. The summary should answer why the role exists and what it achieves — not list what the person does day to day.

In plain language: A detailed list of the day-to-day duties the employee is expected to perform, written in specific, action-oriented language and designated as essential under applicable disability accommodation statutes.

Common mistake: Using vague verbs like 'assist with' or 'support' without specifying the actual tasks — this creates performance management gaps and makes the ADA essential-function defense harder to sustain.

In plain language: Minimum education, experience, certifications, and technical skills a candidate must have to be considered for the role.

Common mistake: Setting education requirements that screen out qualified candidates unnecessarily — courts and the EEOC scrutinize degree requirements for roles where demonstrated experience is an equal substitute.

In plain language: Additional skills or credentials that distinguish strong candidates but are not mandatory for the role.

Common mistake: Blending preferred qualifications into the required qualifications list — this confuses candidates and recruiters, and can create legal exposure if a hire is later rejected for lacking a 'requirement' that was never truly mandatory.

In plain language: Defines the direct supervisor, any dotted-line reporting, and the key internal teams and external partners the coordinator interacts with regularly.

Common mistake: Omitting external stakeholder relationships entirely. A logistics coordinator spends significant time with carriers and 3PLs — leaving these out understates the role's scope and surprises new hires.

In plain language: Measurable outcomes the employee is accountable for, used as the basis for performance reviews and goal-setting.

Common mistake: Setting no KPIs or setting qualitative KPIs with no measurement method — this makes performance improvement plans and termination-for-cause decisions much harder to defend.

In plain language: States the salary range or hourly rate, pay frequency, benefits eligibility, and standard working hours including any shift, on-call, or overtime expectations.

Common mistake: Publishing a compensation range so wide it is meaningless (e.g., $35,000–$90,000) — this triggers candidate skepticism and, in salary-range-disclosure states like Colorado and New York, may not meet statutory specificity requirements.

In plain language: Documents the physical and environmental demands of the role — office or warehouse setting, lifting requirements, travel expectations — as required for ADA compliance and job posting accuracy.

Common mistake: Overstating physical requirements to deter applicants — courts and the EEOC treat inflated physical requirements as potential ADA violations if they cannot be linked to actual essential functions.

In plain language: Confirms that the employee has read, understood, and agreed to the job description as a condition of employment, and that the document may be revised by the employer with notice.

Common mistake: Omitting the acknowledgment block and attaching the job description to the employment contract without separate sign-off — if duties are later disputed, there is no standalone evidence the employee agreed to the defined scope.

A logistics coordinator plans, schedules, and monitors the movement of goods through a supply chain — booking freight with carriers, tracking shipments, preparing customs and shipping documentation, and resolving delivery delays. They serve as the operational link between suppliers, warehouses, carriers, and internal teams such as procurement and customer service. In most organizations, they report to a logistics manager or operations director and handle the day-to-day execution that keeps inventory moving on schedule.

A complete job description includes the official job title and FLSA classification, a position summary, a list of core responsibilities designated as essential functions, required and preferred qualifications, reporting structure, measurable KPIs, compensation range, working hours, physical requirements, and a signed acknowledgment block. Missing any of these creates gaps in performance management, ADA compliance, and wage- and-hour classification defense.

In most cases, a logistics coordinator is non-exempt and entitled to overtime pay under the FLSA. The administrative exemption requires that the employee's primary duty involve genuine exercise of discretion and independent judgment on significant matters — most coordinators execute established procedures and escalate exceptions rather than make independent policy decisions. Employers should apply the full two-part DOL exemption test before classifying the role as exempt.

Typical required qualifications include a bachelor's degree in supply chain, business, or a related field (or equivalent experience), 2–3 years of logistics or freight coordination experience, proficiency in a TMS or ERP system, and familiarity with domestic carrier compliance requirements and shipping documentation. Preferred qualifications often include APICS CSCP or CLTD certification, ERP system experience (SAP, Oracle), and bilingual proficiency for roles with international freight exposure.

The most defensible KPIs are tied to operational data the employee can directly influence: on-time delivery rate (typically targeting 95%+), shipment documentation accuracy rate, inventory discrepancy resolution time, and carrier claims rate. Each KPI should include a numeric target and a reference to the data source — TMS dashboard, WMS report, or carrier scorecard — so expectations are unambiguous from day one.

A job description is not legally required to be signed in most jurisdictions, but obtaining a signature is strongly recommended. A signed acknowledgment block creates documented evidence that the employee received, reviewed, and agreed to the defined scope of their role — which is critical for performance management, termination-for-cause defense, and non-compete scope disputes. Always obtain the signature before or on the employee's first day.

Review the job description at least annually and whenever the role's duties change materially — for example, when a new TMS is implemented, when the team structure changes, or when international freight responsibilities are added. Issue a revised document with a new revision date, obtain a fresh signature, and file the updated version in the employee's HR record. Outdated job descriptions undermine performance reviews and create ambiguity in disciplinary proceedings.

A logistics coordinator is an execution-focused role that books shipments, tracks freight, and processes documentation — typically non-exempt and operating within defined procedures. A logistics manager oversees the full logistics function: setting carrier strategy, managing budgets, supervising coordinators, and making independent operational decisions. The manager role typically meets the FLSA administrative or executive exemption threshold; the coordinator role typically does not.

Yes — in most jurisdictions, a job description can be incorporated into an employment contract by reference as a schedule or exhibit defining the employee's duties. When doing so, use a separate signature block on the job description itself, not just on the main contract. This ensures the employee has specifically acknowledged the duty scope rather than simply signing a contract that references a document they may not have reviewed in detail.