Shipping Supervisor Job Description, Duties, and Responsibilities

This post provides detailed information on the shipping supervisor job description, including the key tasks, duties, and responsibilities they commonly perform.

It also highlights the major requirements you may be expected to fulfill to be hired for the shipping supervisor role by most recruiters/employers.

What Does a Shipping Supervisor Do?

A shipping supervisor works for a distribution company and is responsible for both the shipping and receiving departments of the organization.

The shipping supervisor job description basically entails overseeing the shipping and the timely delivery of materials.

The shipping supervisor usually works in a warehouse setting and is also involved in the setting up of delivery routes, loading of trucks (or any other transportation means that is used for shipping), and the unloading of materials that were brought to the warehouse.

His/her work description also involves managing the warehouse staff who work under him/her and also attending to different tasks so as to make sure that goods are shipped and/or delivered in a timely way.

In the process of carrying out his/her duties, the supervisor works hand-in-hand with all relevant personnel like the truck companies or owners, custom officials, and warehouse supervisors to make sure that whatever good he/she is in charge of is shipped and delivered orderly and in time.

In playing his/her supervisory role, the supervisor also contacts various transportation companies in order to obtain shipping quotes (costs) and then decides on which transportation company to work with based on a least-cost and reliability basis.

Shipping Supervisor Job Description Example/Template

Shipping supervisors perform various functions in ensuring timely delivery of materials for their companies.

Their job description commonly involves the duties, tasks, and responsibilities shown in the example below:

• Monitor and oversee both outgoing and incoming shipping activities to make sure that everything that is received or shipped out is in perfect condition
• Responsible for posting weight and shipping charges as applies to each and every item to be shipped out
• In charge of compiling a list of unfulfilled orders for future reference
• Direct the movement of shipments from shipping points to storage and/or work areas
• Inspect loading operations to make sure that they comply with shipping specifications
• Decide the load limit of each truck used in the loading and delivery process
• Read shipping notices, invoices, orders, and other documents so as to determine priorities and shipping methods that are needed to meet schedules
• Notify maintenance unit or contact external service providers in the case of defects on materials for repairs
• Responsible for managing financial transactions related to shipping services
• Carry out regular inventory reconciliation of supplied materials
• Prepare incorrect items report to vendors through the appropriate medium
• Play a mediator’s role between shipping units and vendors in the case of discrepancies in shipments, and reconcile with the appropriate bodies
• Identify opportunities for enhancement and suggest ways of improvement to top management of the organization
• Ensure the availability of stock so as to reduce shortages
• May participate in hiring and training of new personnel for the company’s shipping unit
• Support the simplification and standardization of processes in a bid to enhance effectiveness.

Requirements – Skills, Abilities, and Knowledge – for Shipping Supervisor Role

If you are applying for the shipping supervisor job in a company, here are major requirements and qualifications you may have to possess to be considered by most employers for the position:

• Must have excellent communication skills
• Must possess good interpersonal skills so as to be able to get along with fellow members of staff
• Must possess good leadership and supervisory abilities
• Must be willing and able to work as part of a team
• Possess good organizational and coordinating abilities
• Must be able to multi-task and place priorities in an orderly manner
• Must possess good negotiation skills. This is necessary when it comes to dealing with truck companies and vendors
• Must be an individual that pays keen attention to even the smallest of details
• Must have good judgement and decision-making abilities
• Must possess time management skills
• Possess good conflict resolution skills
• A minimum of high school diploma
• A concrete and verifiable knowledge of shipping and/or logistics procedures
• Proven experience of at least 2 years in a Shipping management or supervisory role
• A higher degree (BS/BA) would be of added advantage.

Conclusion

If you are an employer needing to hire a shipping supervisor, you will be able to attract the best candidates for the job by publishing a detailed description of the role.

You can produce a great description for the position for your company by applying the sample job description provided in this post.

If you are someone interested in the shipping supervisor career, this post will also be helpful to you to learn all you need to know about the duties and responsibilities of the role.