How to Become a Head of Logistics
Heads of Logistics lead warehousing and transport operations, guide teams and ensure goods move safely, efficiently and on time. This guide explains the Head of Logistics role, key responsibilities, essential skills and career progression opportunities within logistics leadership.
Overview of the Head of Logistics Role
If you are confident guiding teams, solving problems, and making practical decisions in fast moving environments, the Head of Logistics role offers a clear and rewarding progression opportunity. Heads of Logistics oversee the performance of logistics, warehousing and transport activity across an organisation, ensuring that goods, materials, and products move safely, efficiently and on time. They play a central role in connecting procurement, operations, customer service, and supply chain teams to maintain reliable service and cost-effective delivery.
This role appears across many sectors, including employment activities, utilities, retail, wholesale, manufacturing and consultancy, reflecting the broad need for strong logistics leadership. Employers consistently highlight leadership, operations, management, and communication as important skills, showing how the role relies on effective people leadership and operational awareness. Heads of Logistics provide direction during daily operations, support continuous improvement, and build resilience into logistics processes.
Dress Code
Heads of Logistics typically work across office‑based leadership environments and operational sites such as warehouses, depots and distribution centres. Business casual or smart business dress is common for meetings, planning sessions and stakeholder engagement. When visiting operational areas, practical clothing is often required along with appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), such as high‑visibility clothing and safety footwear, in line with site safety, transport and compliance policies.
Head of Logistics Responsibilities
Key responsibilities include leading logistics teams, overseeing warehousing and transport operations, managing third party logistics partners, tracking performance indicators, improving processes, ensuring compliance, and maintaining strong working relationships with suppliers and internal stakeholders.
Head of Logistics Tips
To become a Head of Logistics, it is important that you spend time understanding how each part of logistics works, from warehousing and inventory to transport planning and delivery. Establish clear routines for checking operational priorities, reviewing performance indicators and understanding constraints across sites or transport routes. Encourage teams to raise issues early by staying accessible and fostering a supportive environment. When challenges arise, keep communication clear and provide structure so that teams know the next steps. Strong relationships with procurement, supply chain, customer service and external logistics partners help streamline processes and maintain dependable performance.
Head of Logistics Skills and Qualifications
This role requires strong leadership, operations knowledge, communication, and organisational skills. Employers look for candidates who can guide teams, influence decisions, manage third party relationships, and work confidently in high-activity environments.
Formal Education or Apprenticeship
Many Heads of Logistics develop their expertise through experience in logistics, warehousing, transport, or supply chain roles. While degrees in supply chain, business, logistics or operations management can be helpful, practical experience is often more important as you will need to strongly evidence your understanding of the role, and the operations you will be influencing.
Apprenticeships in logistics operations, transport management, or supply chain leadership can provide structured development in this area, providing hands-on experience alongside learning. Employers typically prioritise leadership, operational capability, and experience managing teams in active logistics environments.
Technical Expertise Relevant to Head of Logistics
Heads of Logistics require a strong level of technical expertise, often work with warehouse management systems (WMS) to support stock control and warehouse operations, and transportation management systems (TMS) to plan routes, monitor deliveries and manage fleet performance. You will also need experience with enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems to help maintain visibility of purchasing, inventory and finance information, as well as business intelligence (BI) tools support performance reporting. Understanding how these systems support operational flow allows leaders to guide decision making and improve processes.
Practical Mindset and Adaptability
Logistics operations change rapidly as demand shifts, transport routes alter, equipment availability varies, or supplier schedules adjust. A practical mindset helps Head of Logistics and other leaders remain calm and make clear decisions when challenges arise. Adaptability is an essential skill and personal trait as it supports effective leadership during process changes, growth periods, acquisitions, or new system deployments. Strong communication skills help maintain alignment across teams, particularly when operations span multiple sites.
Head of Logistics Duties
Heads of Logistics oversee logistics strategy, daily operational delivery, performance management, supplier and partner engagement, continuous improvement and compliance across warehousing and transport activities.
Plan and Execute Core Tasks
Core duties of a Head of Logistics include reviewing transport and warehouse plans, monitoring daily priorities, ensuring staff deployment matches demand, and supporting safe, efficient operations. You will act as a key strategic leader within the business, overseeing the work of various teams who deal with logistics on a daily basis. As part of your day-to-day, you may oversee warehouse processes for receiving, storing, picking and dispatching goods, and coordinate with transport teams to manage routes and schedules.
Diagnose and Resolve Issues
Another key responsibility of your role will be to diagnose and resolve issues. When issues occur, such as delayed deliveries, capacity constraints, route disruptions, equipment failures or stock discrepancies, the Head of Logistics works with teams to understand the cause and develop solutions. Effective leaders communicate clearly, remain calm, and guide structured problem solving. You will need a strong understanding of logistics, experience managing a variety of problems and common logistical issues, as well as the ability to communicate changes clearly and effectively to a wide variety of professionals within your business.
Maintain Records of Work and Compliance
You will also be responsible for maintaining records and reporting. Accurate records are crucial for safety and regulatory compliance in logistics operations. Some duties of Head of Logistics roles may include maintaining logs for vehicle checks, fleet compliance, driver hours, training, stock movements and warehouse audits. Heads of Logistics ensure that WMS, TMS and ERP systems remain up to date so that data reflects real operational conditions. You will also be important in reporting records and compliance to key stakeholders within the business.
Head of Logistics Career Path and Progression
Experience in this role supports progression into broader supply chain, logistics, or operational leadership positions. Heads of Logistics build strong capability in people leadership, performance management, partner engagement and operational improvement.
Progress to Senior or Specialist Roles
With experience, individuals may progress into roles such as Logistics Director, Head of Supply Chain, Transport Director, or Continuous Improvement Lead. These roles involve deeper responsibility for network design, performance improvement, and commercial agreements. Specialising can showcase your experience, while offering you the opportunity to continue growing your skillset and understanding. These roles can be a rewarding career opportunities for professionals within higher positions.
Supervisor and Manager Positions
Whether you’re looking for your next career move or to explore your options while at the top of your game, there are some career progression opportunities for Heads of Logistics. As a Head of Logistics. you may progress into senior operational roles such as Operations Manager, General Manager, or Director of Operations. These positions involve broader oversight of multi-site operations, performance improvement, strategic planning, and leadership capability. You may take on more complex supply chains or projects or provide wider operational support to the business.
FAQs on Becoming a Head of Logistics
How Long Does It Take to Become a Head of Logistics?
Many people reach this level after six to ten years of experience in logistics, warehousing, transport, or supply chain roles. Progression often depends on gaining leadership exposure, developing operational expertise, and building confidence managing teams in fast-paced environments.
Do You Need Formal Qualifications to Be a Head of Logistics?
Formal qualifications are not always required. Many employers value practical experience, strong leadership capability, and the ability to manage complex logistics operations.
How Much Does a Head of Logistics Make?
Head of Logistics roles in the UK typically fall between £60,000 and £80,000 per year, depending on sector, scope, and experience. This can also vary depending on your specialism and location.
What Does a Head of Logistics Do?
A Head of Logistics oversees warehousing and transport teams, manages suppliers and partners, monitors performance, resolves operational issues and ensures goods move safely and efficiently across the organisation.
