Logistics coordinator job description template: the freight, the volume, the systems and the hazmat question
On this page
"Logistics coordinator: coordinate the movement of goods" fits an outbound coordinator at a food manufacturer booking thirty truckloads a day, a 3PL coordinator tracking loads for a handful of retail customers, an import coordinator managing ocean bookings and documents with a customs broker, a coordinator at a construction contractor getting materials and equipment to job sites, and a parts coordinator for a field service team. The volume, the systems and the pressure points differ, and so does the background that transfers. A useful logistics coordinator job description says which freight moves, by which modes, at what volume, in which systems, how exceptions reach the coordinator, whether hazardous materials are involved, and what the shift looks like. Below are the seat types, a copy-ready template, the classification and hazmat lines with sources, screening and scorecard rows, and the mistakes that bring in the wrong applicants. For the first call, use the logistics coordinator screening questions.
Name the seat: freight, mode and volume
| Seat | What the shift looks like | Must-have that separates it |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation coordinator (shipper or manufacturer) | Tendering loads to carriers, dock appointments, bills of lading, tracking, claims for damage or shortage | Has booked and tracked truckload or LTL freight at volume and handled a missed pickup without losing the order |
| 3PL or brokerage logistics coordinator | Customer updates, carrier check calls, appointment changes, exceptions in a TMS, billing documents | Has worked a customer-facing load board and kept customers informed before they had to ask |
| Import or export coordinator | Bookings with forwarders, commercial invoices and packing lists, customs broker coordination, container tracking, demurrage and detention | Has managed international documents and caught a document error before it held up a shipment |
| Inventory or warehouse logistics coordinator | Inbound receiving schedules, transfers between sites, cycle count follow-up, system reconciliation | Has reconciled system inventory with physical counts and fixed the cause, not just the number |
| Project or field logistics coordinator | Materials and equipment to job sites, rentals, delivery windows, site contacts | Has coordinated deliveries to changing sites and schedules with crews waiting |
Settle before writing: modes (truckload, LTL, parcel, ocean, air, rail), daily or weekly shipment volume, lanes or regions, the TMS, WMS or ERP, whether the coordinator negotiates rates or only books at contracted rates, hazardous materials, shift hours and after-hours coverage, and the reporting line. If the core of the job is assigning drivers and managing hours on the road, the dispatcher job description template is the closer fit; if it is running people and docks inside a building, compare with the warehouse supervisor job description template.
The logistics coordinator job description template
Logistics Coordinator, [Transportation / Import-Export / 3PL
Customer / Inventory / Project Logistics]
[Company], [city, state] — [On-site / Hybrid: days], shift [days
and hours], after-hours coverage [none / rotating, about N per
month]
Pay: $[min]–$[max] per [hour / year]. [Shift differential, if any.]
[Benefits summary, if required.] [Exempt or non-exempt, after
review.]
SUMMARY
You will coordinate about [N] shipments a [day / week] of
[products] by [modes] across [lanes / regions], for [our plants /
our customers]. You will work in [TMS / WMS / ERP], book at
[contracted rates / rates you negotiate within limits], and own
each shipment's exceptions until they are closed. You will report
to [title].
WHAT YOU WILL DO
- Book carriers, schedule pickups and deliveries, and confirm dock
appointments.
- Prepare and check shipping documents: [bills of lading /
commercial invoices / packing lists / hazmat shipping papers].
- Track shipments and tell [customers / plants / sales] about
delays before they find out.
- Resolve exceptions: missed pickups, damage, shortages,
[detention, demurrage].
- File and follow up on freight claims.
- Audit freight invoices against rates and report cost and
on-time performance each [week].
YOU MUST HAVE
- [N] year(s) coordinating freight, shipping, receiving or
dispatch.
- Working skill in [TMS / ERP / spreadsheets].
- Clear, calm phone and email communication with carriers and
customers.
NICE TO HAVE
- Experience with [modes / international shipping / named
systems].
If you meet the must-haves and none of these, please apply.
FIXED CONDITIONS
- [Hazmat training provided within 90 days of hire; you will work
under supervision on hazmat functions until trained.]
HOW WE HIRE
[Recruiter screen; conversation with (logistics manager); a
30-minute exercise sorting a morning's exceptions by priority; a
short shadow on the desk.]
[EEO STATEMENT]
Need an adjustment to apply or interview? Contact [address].Classification and hazmat lines, with sources
Not legal advice. The points below were checked against the federal regulations and Department of Labor fact sheets as of October 2026. State overtime rules can be stricter; confirm classification and hazmat duties with counsel or your compliance lead.
Exempt or nonexempt. The administrative exemption needs a salary of at least the standard level, which the Department of Labor lists as $684 a week, and a primary duty that includes discretion and independent judgment on matters of significance (DOL Fact Sheet 17C). The regulations say that judgment must be more than applying well-established techniques or procedures, and that recording or tabulating data does not count (29 CFR 541.202(e)). Most coordinators booking and tracking freight under set procedures are nonexempt. The motor carrier overtime exemption does not help either: the Department of Labor says it does not apply to employees not engaged in safety-affecting activities, such as dispatchers and office personnel (DOL Fact Sheet 19).
Hazardous materials. If the coordinator prepares hazmat shipping papers or otherwise performs covered functions, they are a hazmat employee. Federal rules allow new hazmat employees to perform those functions before training only under the direct supervision of a trained employee, require training within 90 days after employment or a change in job function, and require recurrent training at least once every three years (49 CFR 172.704(c)). Say in the posting whether hazmat is part of the job and whether you provide the training.
Pay and EEO. Post the range and any shift differential, check pay transparency laws by state, and close with a short EEO statement and an accommodation contact. Physical requirements, such as walking the dock, belong in the posting only if the job truly needs them.
From must-haves to screening questions and scorecard rows
| Must-have | Screening question | Scorecard competency | Evidence of a strong answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exception handling | "Tell me about the last shipment that went wrong. When did you find out, who did you call, what did the customer hear?" | Problem resolution | Timeline, options weighed, customer told early, root cause noted |
| Volume | "How many shipments did you handle on a normal day, and how did you keep track of them?" | Organization at volume | A real number, a tracking method, a way of spotting the one at risk |
| Documents | "What document errors have you caught before a shipment left? What would they have caused?" | Accuracy | Specific error, specific consequence, a check they built in |
| Carrier relationships | "A carrier keeps missing appointments but has your best rate. What do you do?" | Judgment and cost awareness | Measures performance, talks to the carrier, weighs total cost of failures |
| Systems | "Walk me through tendering and closing a load in the system you used most." | Systems skill | Steps in order, status codes, where data errors creep in |
The later rounds are in the interview guide for logistics roles, and the manager the coordinator often reports to is covered in the 30-60-90 day plan for logistics managers.
Common mistakes in logistics coordinator job descriptions
No modes or volume
A parcel coordinator and an ocean import coordinator are not interchangeable. Name the modes and give the volume.
Hiding after-hours coverage
If the coordinator carries a phone on weekends, say how often. It is the first thing experienced candidates ask.
Rate negotiation left vague
Say whether the coordinator books at contracted rates or negotiates spot freight, and within what limit.
Hazmat left out
If the job touches hazardous materials, say so and say who trains. It affects who applies and what you owe them.
Assuming salaried means exempt
Coordinators who follow set procedures are usually nonexempt. Track hours unless a duties review says otherwise.
Before you publish
- Modes, volume, lanes and systems are in the summary.
- Shift, after-hours coverage and any differential are stated.
- Rate authority and hazmat duties are clear.
- Classification has been reviewed against the duties test.
- Pay range, EEO statement and an accommodation contact close the posting.
Questions people ask
What does a logistics coordinator do day to day?
It depends on the seat. At a shipper they book carriers, schedule pickups and deliveries, prepare shipping documents and chase exceptions. At a broker or third-party logistics provider they track loads for customers and work with carriers. On an import or export desk they manage documents, bookings and the customs broker. The job description should name which one and give the daily or weekly volume.
Is a logistics coordinator exempt from overtime?
Usually not. Most coordinators schedule, track and document shipments using established procedures, and the regulations say applying well-established procedures and recording data is not the discretion the administrative exemption needs. The Department of Labor's motor carrier exemption also does not cover office personnel or dispatchers. A senior coordinator who negotiates freight contracts may be different; review each seat and check state law.
Does a logistics coordinator need hazmat training?
If they perform functions covered by the federal hazardous materials regulations, such as preparing hazmat shipping papers, classifying or marking shipments, they are hazmat employees. Federal rules require training within 90 days of employment or a change in job function, with supervision until then, and recurrent training at least every three years. Say in the posting whether the employer provides it.
What is a good first screening question for a logistics coordinator?
Ask about the last shipment that went wrong: what happened, when they found out, who they called and what the customer heard. Coordinators who have run a desk answer with times, carriers and the fix; others describe the system.