Shipping and Logistics Manager

Job Description

Job Description

JOB DESCRIPTION

Shipping and Logistics Manager

Reports To:

Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Direct Reports:

None currently. Anticipated to grow as the company expands (potential to oversee training, scheduling, and management of future shipping staff).

Employment Type:

Full-Time

Department:

Shipping & Logistics

Position Summary

The Shipping and Logistics Manager owns the end-to-end shipping operation, ensuring that orders ship accurately, on time, and at the lowest reasonable cost. This role manages sales representative sample orders, wholesale customer orders, large-volume distributor orders, and white-label client orders — both domestically and internationally — in accordance with corporate criteria and client-specific requirements. The role maintains inventory counts and control, anticipates supply needs, monitors shipping and fulfillment KPIs, and works cross-functionally with the Customer Service Manager, Distribution Customer Service Manager, Executive Assistant, COO, and other members of the shipping and logistics team. Working hours are Monday through Friday 9am-5pm.

Key Responsibilities

Order Fulfillment & Shipping Operations

• Manage incoming orders from multiple sources and client types:

– Wholesale orders — received through Velocity; clients sign up via the company website with a minimum order of one case (5 boxes, each a one-month supply of strips).

– Distributor orders — received by email; clients operate under signed contracts and order a minimum of 250, 500, or 1,000+ cases, at least 3 times per year.

– White-label orders — received by email under signed contracts (not placed through Velocity); typically 3,000+ cases, set aside for fulfillment either by direct shipment or coordination with 3PL partners.

– Sales representative sample orders and tradeshow sample orders — fulfilled according to approval criteria reviewed with the Executive Assistant.

• Before releasing any shipment, verify: stock availability, shipping address accuracy, customer/client type, payment method and approval, and any client-specific requirements.

• Pick, pack, and prepare orders: select the correctly sized box (not oversized or undersized), tape and assemble boxes, insert packing slip, apply shipping label, weigh the package, confirm dimensions fit system requirements, and select the appropriate courier and delivery method.

• Prepare customs documentation for international shipments and coordinate freight/pallet-based shipping for larger distributor or white-label orders as needed.

• Print shipping documents, packing slips, and labels from Velocity or ShipStation.

• Mark orders as shipped in the system; automated tracking and customer/sales rep notifications (order placed, approved, fulfilled, shipped, delivered) are then triggered by the system.

• Pre-build and stage boxes daily in anticipation of expected order volume to streamline the packing process; process orders individually or in batch print runs as appropriate.

Inventory & Materials Management

• Maintain accurate inventory counts and controls; conduct weekly inventory counts.

• Anticipate inventory needs and proactively inform the manufacturer when stock is running low.

• Coordinate with the Executive Assistant to ensure shipping materials (boxes, tape, labels, etc.) remain in stock and to place replenishment orders.

Vendor, Carrier & Partner Relationships

• Maintain positive working relationships with shipping carriers and points of contact (e.g., UPS, USPS, Unishippers).

• Track and periodically review shipping rates and contracts; renegotiate where possible and benchmark against alternative carriers.

• Maintain relationships with the three approved local 3PL partners available to white-label clients.

• Coordinate with the product manufacturer(s) on stock levels and replenishment timing.

Quality Control & Issue Resolution

• Investigate and resolve shipping errors, damaged shipments, or returns (infrequent) by verifying client and order information, identifying root cause, and correcting the issue.

• Coordinate with the Customer Service Manager on client communication and conflict resolution related to shipping issues.

• Manage exceptions including backorders, address discrepancies, carrier delays, and customs holds.

Reporting, Planning & Continuous Improvement

• Attend and participate in daily team meetings.

• Monitor and report on shipping and fulfillment KPIs monthly to the COO; meet weekly with the COO for a shipping/logistics sync.

• Recommend and help implement improvements to shipping systems, tools, and processes.

• Track upcoming tradeshows and anticipate related sample order volume.

• Oversee training, scheduling, and management of additional shipping staff as the team grows.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

The following KPIs are being newly formalized for this role and will be tracked and refined over time:

• On-Time Fulfillment Rate — percentage of orders shipped within the target timeframe.

• Order Accuracy Rate — percentage of orders shipped correctly (right product, quantity, and destination).

• Return/Reshipment Rate — percentage of orders returned or requiring reshipment due to a fulfillment error.

• Cost Per Shipment — average shipping cost, tracked by carrier and by order/client type.

• Inventory Accuracy Rate — percentage match between recorded and physical inventory counts.

• Stockout / Low-Inventory Incidents — frequency of unanticipated low-stock situations.

• Average Order Processing Time — time elapsed from order received to order shipped.

• Shipping-Related Customer Satisfaction — informed by feedback shared through the Customer Service Manager.

Systems & Tools Used

• Velocity (order management)

• BigCommerce

• ShipStation

• Unishippers

• UPS / USPS carrier systems

• Standard order tracking and fulfillment reporting tools

• Microsoft Outlook Suite

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Customer Service Manager — client communication, issue resolution, order coordination.

• Distribution Customer Service Manager — distributor order coordination.

• Executive Assistant — shipping materials procurement, sample order approvals, tradeshow planning.

• Chief Operating Officer (COO) — KPI reporting, weekly sync, strategic planning.

• Product Manufacturer(s) — inventory replenishment and stock-level communication.

• Local 3PL Partners — fulfillment support for white-label clients.

Qualifications & Attributes

• Task-oriented, highly organized, and proactive; comfortable taking action within scope of the role without close oversight.

• Effective communicator, both written and verbal, across internal teams and external partners.

• Familiarity with shipping, fulfillment, and order-tracking systems (e.g., BigCommerce, Velocity, Unishippers, ShipStation, UPS, USPS).

• Comfortable working with both hands-on physical tasks and technology throughout the day.

• Ability to lift boxes up to 50 lbs and organize physical inventory.

• Good physical stamina; role requires being on one's feet for most of the day.

• Experience with or willingness to learn international shipping and customs documentation.

• Prior supervisory or training experience a plus, given future team growth.

Product & Industry Notes

The company's core product is a dietary supplement oral dissolving strip. Products have a two-year shelf life, require no refrigeration, are travel-friendly, and are shipped in protective packaging. No hazardous materials or temperature-controlled handling is required. Larger distributor and white-label orders may occasionally require freight shipping.