Stuck with a wimpy logistics manager? Your business is as good as dead if you can’t deliver products properly, warns William Conroy, president of Tyler Search Consultants. He offers ten tips to unearth the best logistics talent money can buy:
- Look for the vision thing. The candidate must have a clear strategy for the entire logistics and supply chain function.
- From transport to trade issues to 3PLs, the candidate must know it all and be able to manage it all.
- Ask for a list of concrete achievements — a great résumé isn’t enough.
- Find out whether your potential manager has actually been able to cut costs. How much freight expense per pound has he or she reduced?
- Has the candidate ever developed, redesigned, or improved processes? Ask for detailed examples.
- Analytical skills are essential; you want someone with experience in benchmarking, creating standards, and forecasting.
- Seek out the candidate who can listen, communicate, and “sell” your logistics strategy to clients and top management.
- Pay attention to implementation experience: Has the applicant handled a WMS project from start to finish? Can he or she cope with regulatory compliance programs? How about ISO and NAFTA certifications?
- Call all techies! Logistics is now inseparable from technology, so make sure to hire someone with robust IT knowledge.
- Go for guts. Today’s logistics manager needs to be strong, visible, and assertive in the boardroom.
| Region | Management | Executive |
|---|---|---|
| Northeast | $88-$150 | $140-$240 |
| Southeast | $82-$130 | $122-$200 |
| Midwest | $82-$140 | $120-$200 |
| Northwest | $72-$138 | $111-$180 |
| Southwest | $78-$142 | $118-$240 |
| Source: Tyler Search Consultants | ||