What does a Shipping Coordinator do?

Shipping Coordinators generally lead a company’s shipping operations. This may include setting pricing, choosing suitable carriers or finding solutions for shipping-related customer complaints. Workersknowledgeable about shipping costs, transit times and conflict resolution can positively impact a company’s customer satisfaction rates and profitability.

Shipping Coordinator skills and qualifications

Your job description for a Shipping Coordinator may include these skills and qualifications:

• Strong leadership skills to help ensure on-time deliveries and encourage staff engagement
• Ability to identify and act on shipping and pricing trends by researching market conditions or carrier capacity
• Knowledge of general shipping practices and major carriers, including whether they support sustainability and offer reliability
• Effective communication with employees, customers and vendors
• Proficiency with inventory management systems and shipping interfaces, such as UPS WorldShip
• Knowledge of customs requirements and shipping industry regulations, including those regarding hazardous materials (HAZMAT)

Shipping Coordinator experience requirements

Since Shipping Coordinators are often part of leadership teams, you may prioritize applicants with several years of experience in shipping or logistics. This may involve prior roles as a Shipping Clerk, Warehouse Assistant or worker for a carrier.

Transferable skills, such as strong communication with collaborators, can help your new hire manage carrier relationships or implement process improvements. These may be refined through prior work experience or learned through on-the-job training.

Shipping Coordinator education and training requirements

Since formal education isn’t required for Shipping Coordinator candidates, consider approaching recruitment from a skills-based perspective. For example, you might look for candidates who excel at communication, organization, time management, problem-solving, attention to detail, customer service and using tech-driven tools.

Some employers may prefer a Shipping Coordinator with an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in supply chain management or logistics. The Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM) also offers a program for participants to get Certified in Logistics, Transportation and Distribution (CLTD).

Job description samples for similar positions

If this Shipping Coordinator job description doesn’t match your needs, consider browsing related positions:

• Shipping Clerk
• Logistics Coordinator
• Logistics Manager

Shipping Coordinator job description FAQS

Where do Shipping Coordinators work?

Shipping Coordinators may work in office settings for companies that frequently mail packages or in warehouses, logistical centers, manufacturing plants or retail outlets. The Shipping Coordinator role may also support distribution centers, ensuring packages are properly shipped to retail locations or end consumers.

Is a Shipping Coordinator the same as a Logistics Coordinator?

Logistics Coordinators and Shipping Coordinators may handle similar duties, but the roles aren’t the same. Shipping Coordinators generally zero in on shipment execution; Logistics Coordinators oversee the full supply chain, including shipping, route planning, procurement and inventory management.

Is Shipping Coordinator an active job?

Many Shipping Coordinators need to move packages as part of their daily routine. Depending on the work environment and commonly shipped items, packages could be oversized or heavy. If your future Shipping Coordinator is required to be physically active for long periods or move bulky packages, you might include those qualifications in your customized Shipping Coordinator job description.

Do Shipping Coordinators need any soft skills?

While Shipping Coordinators often focus on more tech- and logistics-driven tasks, they can also benefit from well-developed soft skills. For example, strong leadership, time management, communication and problem-solving skills may help Shipping Coordinators manage their staff and keep their department running optimally. Emotional intelligence and adaptability might help them understand customer issues and adjust to frequent supply chain changes.