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Warehouse manager

  • Hours

    36-45 per week

  • Starting salary

    £17,000 + per year

If you have leadership skills, and you want to work in warehousing, this job could be for you.

Warehouse managers plan and coordinate warehouse operations at distribution depots, retail superstores and manufacturing plants.

In this job you would need to have good maths and IT skills. You would need to be a good planner and organiser. You would also need to be able to work under pressure to meet deadlines.

To get into this job, you would usually have supervisory experience and qualifications in warehouse and distribution operations, but a background in retail may also be accepted.



The work

As a warehouse manager, your duties would typically include:

  • working closely with clients, suppliers and transport companies
  • planning the delivery and dispatch of goods
  • monitoring and setting aside storage space
  • tracking stock levels using computer programs
  • making sure stock is stored correctly and safely, for example chemicals or food
  • planning work rotas for warehouse staff
  • organising recruitment and staff training.

You would also be responsible for security arrangements at the warehouse, and scheduling the maintenance, repair and replacement of equipment.


Hours

You would normally work between 36 and 45 hours a week, although shiftwork is common, including evenings and weekends.

Your work would be mainly office-based, with some time spent visiting the factory floor or warehouse.


Income

Starting salaries can be from £17,000 to £20,000 a year. Experienced warehouse managers can earn between £22,000 and £35,000. Managers at higher levels can earn over £40,000 a year.

Figures are intended as a guideline only.


Entry requirements

You would normally move into this type of job with supervisory experience and qualifications in warehouse and distribution operations. Relevant experience in other areas like retail could also be acceptable. You may also have an advantage if you have a forklift licence.

With a foundation degree, BTEC HNC/HND or a degree, you could find a place on a management trainee scheme. Relevant subjects include:

  • logistics
  • supply chain management
  • transport management.

To search for foundation degrees, HNDs and degrees, see the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) website. Please check with colleges and universities for entry requirements.


Training and development

Once you are working, you could take various on-the-job qualifications covering warehouse management duties, such as:

  • Logistics Operations Management at Level 3
  • Integrated Logistics Support Management at Level 4
  • postgraduate degrees – for example, transport planning, supply chain management and logistics.

You could also take qualifications through the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport UK (CILT UK), including courses at certificate, diploma and advanced diploma level. CILT UK also offers a Professional Development Scheme and a distance learning postgraduate MSc in Logistics. See the CILT UK website for more details.


Skills and knowledge

To be a warehouse manager you should have:

  • good maths skills
  • IT skills, particularly spreadsheets and databases
  • the ability to plan and organise work schedules
  • the ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines
  • strong decision-making skills
  • leadership, motivational and teamworking skills
  • good spoken and written communication skills.

More information

Skills for Logistics (Opens new window)
12 Warren Yard
Warren Farm Office Village
Milton Keynes
MK12 5NW
Tel: 01908 313360
www.skillsforlogistics.org

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport UK (CILT UK) (Opens new window)
Logistics and Transport Centre
Earlstrees Court
Earlstrees Road
Corby
Northants
NN17 4AX
Tel: 01536 740104
www.ciltuk.org.uk


Opportunities

You can find opportunities in all areas of the UK, however, the largest concentration tends to be in the south-east, north-west and the Midlands.

With experience, you could be promoted to regional or national operations manager or director.

Jobs are advertised in the local press, on company websites, with recruitment agencies and Jobcentre Plus.

You may also find the following useful for job vacancies and general reading (links open in new window):

Job profiles are based on the latest information supplied to us by industry bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils. Please be aware that with the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework (Opens in a new window) there has been, and will continue to be, changes to vocational qualifications. For more information, please check with industry bodies directly.

We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.


Related industry information

Industry summary

The storage and warehousing industry is part of the logistics sector, represented by the Skills for Logistics Sector Skills Council, which also includes: air freight; wholesaling; road haulage; freight forwarding; postal services; and couriers. Logistics is the movement and supply of all goods (or freight) from raw materials, through all stages of the manufacturing process to the delivery of the finished product to companies and consumers. This is known as the ‘supply chain.’ Nearly 2,320,000 people work in the logistics sector, which accounts to 8% of the UK workforce. It has been estimated that the logistics sector is worth £86.54 billion to the UK economy.

Warehouses operate by storing all sorts of products and then dispatching them to where they are needed. A variety of goods are stored in warehouses, including: chemicals; electrical goods; textiles; and foodstuffs. To manage goods safely warehouses may need to be kept at, for example, a certain temperature or have refrigerated areas to keep food frozen.

Key facts:

  • A total of 190,600 people are employed in storage and warehousing in the UK, which is estimated to be 11% of the logistics sector workforce.
  • There are 5,600 storage and warehousing workplaces in the UK.
  • In England, the storage and warehousing industry employs a greater proportion of younger people than in any other part of the logistics sector.
  • 41% of the workforce is under 35 years old.
  • Self-employment in this industry is limited.

Jobs in the industry range from: warehouse assistant, warehouse manager, storekeeping, stores administration, forklift truck driver, warehouse team leader, order picker, stock controller.


National and regional data

East Midlands – Of the 156,600 employees working in logistics businesses in the region, 29,800 work in storage and warehousing. This equates to 19% of the logistics workforce in the East Midlands.

East of England – Of the 186,700 employees working in logistics in the East of England, 14,800 work in storage and warehousing. This equates to 8% of the logistics workforce in the region.

London – Of the 178,800 employees working in logistics businesses in London, 11,800 work in storage and warehousing. This equates to 7% of the logistics workforce in the city.

North East – Of the 55,000 employees working in logistics in the North East, 4,100 work in storage and warehousing. This equates to 7% of the logistics workforce in the region.

North West – Of the 193,400 employees working in logistics in the North East, 25,100 are employed in storage and warehousing roles. This equates to 13% of the logistics workforce in the region.

South East – Of the 256,300 employees working in logistics businesses in the region, 22,500 are employed in storage and warehousing roles. This equates to 9% of the logistics workforce in the region.

South West – Of the 135,100 employees working in logistics in the South West, 12,400 work in storage and warehousing. This accounts for 9% of the logistics workforce in the region.

West Midlands – Of the 187,500 employees working in logistics in the West Midlands, 29,300 are employed in storage and warehousing. This accounts for 16% of the logistics workforce in the region.

Yorkshire and the Humber – Of the 158,100 employees working in logistics in the region, 23,700 people are employed in storage and warehousing. This accounts for 15% of the logistics workforce in the region.

Northern Ireland – There is an estimated 80 workplaces involved in storage and warehousing.

Scotland – There is an estimated 7,600 employees in the industry, accounting for 7% of the logistics sector, in around 400 workplaces.

Wales – There is an estimated 4,500 employees in, accounting for 8% of the logistics sector, in around 200 workplaces.

[N.B. Data derived from Annual Population Survey, 2008, Annual Business Inquiry, 2007 and Inter‐Departmental Business Register, 2007.]


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