Warehouses are an essential link the supply chain as it connects the consumers to their products. In order to be successful, your warehousing unit needs to be high performing as it may store perishable, temperature-sensitive goods. And the person who ensures that operations are running smoothly is the warehouse manager.
The profession has gained much attention in recent years as the e-commerce boom has made warehouse space a hot commodity, with the global market growing at a CAGR of 8%. With the need for space, comes the need for professionals to manage business operations.
According to Monster.com, a warehouse manager provides materials, equipment and supplies by directing warehousing and distribution services and staff.
Additional duties include:
- Coordinate and enforcing program, operational and personnel policies and procedures
- Controls inventory levels
- Coaches warehousing staff
- Maintains professional and technical knowledge of the industry
Warehouse managers are behind the scenes, ensuring that procedures are running smoothly. The positions help keep the food supply chain in motion because if there is even a slight disruption, the consumer may not receive their products and have their safety compromised in the process.
Read Next: How Much Should a Supply Chain Manager Make?
As the position is heavily dependent on fulfilling orders and getting products to customers on time, some required skills include:
- Understanding of warehouse management systems
- Understanding of the importance of warehouse layout
- Excellent communication skills
- Leadership skills to provide guidance throughout operations
With all the duties that is required, it is necessary that warehouse managers get compensated accordingly.
Consider the follow statistics regarding salaries in the warehouse management field. However, examine each listing carefully as the career can be found in a wide variety of business sectors, including retail, food service, manufacturing and health care.
We looked at the data on what warehouse managers can make and found a low end of $52,757 and a high end of $94,780.
According to payscale.com:
The average salary for a warehouse manager is $52,757.
On a job satisfaction scale, it received 3.8 stars out of 5, and when broken down by gender, 88.9% of warehouse managers are male and 11% are female.
Meanwhile, glassdoor.com reports an average salary of $56,315 for the position.
Glasdoor.com highlights the salaries for warehouse managers at the following companies:
However, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a higher income for the role, coming in at $94,780 annually.
Warehouse manager quickfacts, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics:
- Employment in 2017: 10,180
- Percent of industry employment: 1.01
- Hourly mean wage: $45.57
Takeaway on warehouse manager jobs
Warehouse manager salaries vary based on region and company. The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that the highest paying region for warehouse manager jobs is Washington D.C. While Montana has some of the lowest paying positions, ranging from $51,450 - $87,060.
One thing is clear: as long as e-commerce continues drive the growth of warehouse spaces, there will be a need for warehouse managers.
