Distribution Manager Job Description
A Distribution Manager leads warehouse and transport operations to ensure goods are delivered safely, efficiently, and on time. Learn about responsibilities, required skills, career progression and senior logistics pathways.
Thinking about a career as a Distribution Manager? This is a central leadership role within logistics, responsible for ensuring goods flow smoothly from warehouses or distribution centres to customers, stores, or regional hubs. Here, we’ll walk through what a Distribution Manager does day‑to‑day, how to become one, what to include on your CV, and some related roles worth exploring across logistics, transport, warehousing, and supply chain.
What Is a Logistics Controller?
A Distribution Manager oversees the full operation of a distribution centre or regional logistics network, ensuring products are picked, processed, loaded, and delivered accurately, safely, and on time. You’ll manage teams across warehousing, transport, and admin functions, making sure the site runs efficiently while meeting service levels, cost targets, and safety requirements.
On a typical day, you’ll review inbound and outbound volumes, plan staffing levels, and coordinate with transport, planning, and customer service teams to prepare for the day’s workload. You’ll monitor performance through key performance indicators (KPIs) such as OTIF/DIFOT (On Time, in Full), pick accuracy, dispatch times, vehicle utilisation, and stock accuracy, stepping in to resolve operational issues and keeping processes running smoothly through busy peaks.
You’ll take responsibility for leading shift managers, supervisors, and team leaders, supporting them with resource planning, coaching, and performance management. A large part of the role involves driving continuous improvement, including reviewing workflow bottlenecks, implementing new processes, adjusting layout for better efficiency, or working with Transport Planners to cut turnaround times.
You’ll also ensure that compliance standards are met across the site. This includes health and safety, temperature control (if relevant), manual handling, vehicle movements, stock governance, and audit requirements. A Distribution Manager must be confident reading data, using warehouse management systems (WMS), analysing performance reports, and using insights to improve service and reduce costs.
If you enjoy leadership, structure, problem‑solving, and managing busy fast‑paced operations, this role is a strong fit with excellent progression opportunities into senior operations and supply‑chain leadership roles.
How to Become a Distribution Manager?
To become a Distribution Manager, many professionals progress from roles such as Logistics Supervisor, Warehouse Manager, Transport Manager, or Operations Team Leader. Strong experience managing people, workloads, and KPIs in a distribution environment is essential. Building skills in leadership, WMS and TMS systems, continuous improvement, compliance, and cost control will significantly strengthen your prospects.
What to Put on a Distribution Manager CV
A strong Distribution Manager CV should highlight senior leadership experience, operational impact, and data‑driven decision‑making. Include skills such as multi‑shift team management, KPI ownership, WMS/ERP systems, cost‑to‑serve optimisation, compliance management, and continuous improvement. Show examples of how you’ve improved OTIF, reduced costs, increased efficiency, or successfully led large distribution teams through peak and change periods.
Similar Jobs to Distribution Manager
Distribution Managers develop a broad set of logistics and leadership skills that transfer well across other supply‑chain roles. Some similar jobs to Distribution Manager includes Demand Planning Managers, Logistics Managers, or Service Delivery Managers. Each of these positions use warehousing, logistics, and transportation data to optimise the process and ensure delivery standards are met.
Other Jobs in Logistics and Supply Chain
Whether you’re exploring your next role or planning a career path, there are a vaiety of roles on offer in logistics and supply chain. Related roles include Warehouse Manager, Logistics Manager, Operations Manager, Transport Manager, Fulfilment Manager, and Depot Manager. These roles give you high-level responsibilities, including people management and disruption solving.
For those looking to progress further, roles such as Head of Logistics, Supply Chain Manager, or Regional Operations Manager offer natural next steps. There are also specialist routes into planning, inventory, automation, safety, or continuous improvement. These career paths are common across retail, e‑commerce, parcel delivery, FMCG, manufacturing, and 3PL networks.
Apply for Logistics Controller Jobs Near You
Distribution Manager roles are available across the UK in large distribution centres, warehouse campuses, retail RDCs, parcel hubs, and 3PL depots. Employers include national retailers, supermarkets, online fulfilment centres, logistics service providers, and manufacturers with regional distribution networks.
Whether you prefer fast‑moving e‑commerce, structured retail operations, or multi‑client 3PL environments, there are opportunities across a variety of shift patterns and management levels. This role offers opportunities across the UK, both inside and outside of major cities. Locations that regularly hire Distribution Managers include London, Bicester, Bellshill, Manchester, and Birmingham.
Distribution Manager Job Description FAQ
Is a Distribution Manager a Good Career Choice?
Yes, this is an excellent option if you enjoy leading large teams, managing operational performance, and ensuring goods move efficiently through the supply chain. It also offers strong progression into senior operations roles.
What Skills Does a Distribution Manager Need?
You’ll need strong leadership, communication, organisation, and decision‑making skills. Confidence with WMS systems, data analysis, performance reporting, and health & safety standards is essential.
What Are the Biggest Challenges of Being a Distribution Manager?
Common challenges include handling fluctuating demand, managing large teams across multiple shifts, solving bottlenecks quickly, and maintaining high accuracy and safety standards during peak periods.
What Personal Qualities Make a Great Distribution Manager?
Great Distribution Managers are proactive, calm under pressure, highly organised, and supportive leaders. They communicate clearly, build strong teams, and focus on continuous improvement to keep operations running smoothly.
