Director of LogisticsJob Description

A Director of Logistics focuses specifically on transportation, warehousing, and distribution operations. A Supply Chain Director has broader scope including procurement, production planning, and supplier relationships. Logistics directors are more operationally focused on moving goods efficiently.

While warehouse experience is valuable, strong candidates with transportation and distribution expertise can succeed. Look for strategic thinking, team leadership, and proven ability to optimize logistics networks. They can partner with warehouse operations managers for facility-specific expertise.

The best directors balance both. Prioritize candidates who demonstrate optimizing costs while maintaining or improving delivery performance. Ask for specific examples where they reduced expenses without compromising customer satisfaction or service quality.

Present a case study involving a logistics disruption (carrier failure, capacity shortage, or cost spike). Evaluate their approach to analyzing root causes, developing contingency plans, and communicating with stakeholders. Strong candidates show structured thinking and practical solutions.

Watch for candidates who focus only on cost-cutting without discussing service metrics, lack experience with logistics technology, or can't articulate specific process improvements they've led. Inability to discuss vendor negotiations or team development strategies also signals potential gaps.