jobfacts

Directors in logistics, warehousing and transport

SOC 2020 1140

Directors in logistics, warehousing and transport plan, organise, direct and co-ordinate the activities and resources necessary for the safe, efficient and economic movement of passengers and freight by road, rail, sea and air transport, and the receipt, storage and warehousing of goods and the maintenance of stocks at an optimal level.

Also calledChief controllerDirectorAirport directorTransport directorTraffic directorCourier service ownerand 14 more titles
Typical full-time pay£83,4002025 Provisional
People in the job30,000across the UK
Demand for workersNot high
New adverts a month232↓ 5.4%on last year · 336th of 412

Pay

ONS · ASHE 2025
What full-time directors in logistics, warehousing and transport earn, 2025
£83,400 typical£54,700lowest 20%£60,00025%n/ptop 10%
n/p: top 10% not published by ONS
Show as table
Lowest 10% earn less thanNot published
Lowest 20% earn less than£54,700
25%£60,000
Median£83,400
75%Not published
Top 20% earn more thanNot published
Top 10% earn more thanNot published
Typical pay by regionUK median £83,400
Yorkshire and The Humber!£79,200
South East!£72,500
North EastNot published by ONS–
North WestNot published by ONS–
East MidlandsNot published by ONS–
West MidlandsNot published by ONS–
East of EnglandNot published by ONS–
LondonNot published by ONS–
South WestNot published by ONS–
ScotlandNot published by ONS–
WalesNot published by ONS–
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
UK median, £83,400
Yorkshire and The Humber£79,200 (small sample)
South East£72,500 (small sample)
North EastNot published by ONS
North WestNot published by ONS
East MidlandsNot published by ONS
West MidlandsNot published by ONS
East of EnglandNot published by ONS
LondonNot published by ONS
South WestNot published by ONS
ScotlandNot published by ONS
WalesNot published by ONS
Typical pay over 3 years
  • 2023 £72,000
  • 2024 £81,400
  • 2025 Provisional£83,400
↑ 16% since 2023Provisional figures are revised when ONS publishes the next year’s survey.

Jobs and demand

ONS · Textkernel adverts · DfE

About 232 jobs for directors in logistics, warehousing and transport are advertised each month. The Department for Education rates demand for workers as not high.

New job adverts a month, Jan 2017 to Aug 2026
New advertsMonth not published by ONS (1 in all)
Show as table
Aug 2026339
Jul 2026246
Jun 2026302
May 2026244
Apr 2026203
Mar 2026Not published
Feb 2026225
Jan 2026212
Dec 2025133
Nov 2025200
Oct 2025252
Sept 2025191
Aug 2025391
Jul 2025268
Jun 2025350
May 2025269
Apr 2025186
Mar 2025346
Feb 2025315
Jan 2025187
Dec 2024172
Nov 2024174
Oct 2024198
Sept 2024183
Aug 2024169
Jul 2024188
Jun 2024225
May 2024214
Apr 2024222
Mar 2024238
Feb 2024214
Jan 2024214
Dec 2023216
Nov 2023283
Oct 2023228
Sept 2023186
Aug 2023207
Jul 2023232
Jun 2023291
May 2023286
Apr 2023225
Mar 2023286
Feb 2023326
Jan 2023338
Dec 2022255
Nov 2022322
Oct 2022357
Sept 2022313
Aug 2022296
Jul 2022332
Jun 2022309
May 2022393
Apr 2022264
Mar 2022384
Feb 2022394
Jan 2022374
Dec 2021311
Nov 2021329
Oct 2021302
Sept 2021236
Aug 2021262
Jul 2021303
Jun 2021259
May 2021320
Apr 2021246
Mar 2021399
Feb 2021236
Jan 2021247
Dec 2020209
Nov 2020233
Oct 2020241
Sept 2020223
Aug 2020185
Jul 2020163
Jun 2020154
May 2020139
Apr 2020166
Mar 2020300
Feb 2020287
Jan 2020314
Dec 2019233
Nov 2019268
Oct 2019204
Sept 2019239
Aug 2019226
Jul 2019285
Jun 2019276
May 2019274
Apr 2019212
Mar 2019224
Feb 2019248
Jan 2019265
Dec 2018184
Nov 2018257
Oct 2018292
Sept 2018232
Aug 2018258
Jul 2018247
Jun 2018274
May 2018230
Apr 2018272
Mar 2018257
Feb 2018208
Jan 2018250
Dec 2017183
Nov 2017216
Oct 2017232
Sept 2017239
Aug 2017232
Jul 2017206
Jun 2017256
May 2017311
Apr 2017261
Mar 2017292
Feb 2017296
Jan 2017292
Is there a shortage of directors in logistics, warehousing and transport?
Not high

The Department for Education rates demand as not high, elevated or critical, using five indicators. This is its 2025 assessment; in 2024 it was elevated.

  • Visas grantedAbove usual
  • Online job advertsUsual
  • Wage growthUsual
  • Pay against similar jobsAbove usual
  • Hours workedAbove usual
Vacancies hard to fill because of skills
18%against 27% for all jobs
Broader groupFigure for corporate managers and directors, which includes directors in logistics, warehousing and transport. DfE Employer Skills Survey 2024.
Where the most jobs are advertisedadverts a quarter
London172
Manchester32
Birmingham25
Bristol, City of21
Leeds21
Glasgow City11
City of Edinburgh9
Cambridge8
Cheltenham8
Liverpool7
London is published as one area. Averages leave out quarters ONS withheld.
Where directors in logistics, warehousing and transport are most concentratedShare of local job adverts, compared with the UK.

Recruitment from abroad. 70 sponsored work visas were granted for this job from July 2025 to June 2026, most to people from China, India, Japan, ranking it 114th of 313. Home Office

Who does it

ONS · Annual Population Survey · April 2025 to March 2026
WomenToo few in the survey to give a reliable figure
Age of directors in logistics, warehousing and transport
12%!
29%!
31%!
22%!
n/p
!Small sample: treat with cautionn/p: too few in the survey to publish
Show as table
25–3412% (small sample)
35–4429% (small sample)
45–5431% (small sample)
55–6422% (small sample)
65+Not published
Highest qualification
Degree or equivalent45%
Higher education below degree!6.3%
A levels or equivalent!20%
GCSEs or equivalent!16%
Other qualifications!8.1%
No qualifications–
Not published
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
Degree or equivalent45%
Higher education below degree6.3% (small sample)
A levels or equivalent20% (small sample)
GCSEs or equivalent16% (small sample)
Other qualifications8.1% (small sample)
No qualificationsNot published

Main employers: freight transport by road (16%), other transportation support activities (3.5%).

How to get in

Hold a degree
45%
as their highest qualification
Apprenticeships
1
from level 6, a degree apprenticeship
Apprenticeships take
4 years
typically

Apprenticeships

1 for this job

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

The work

ONS · ESCO · O*NET

Typical tasks

  • plans the optimum utilisation of staff and operating equipment, and co-ordinates maintenance activities to ensure least possible disruption to services examines traffic reports, load patterns, traffic receipts and other data and revises transport services or freight rates accordingly
  • oversees and directs the movement, handling and storage of freight in transit and the operations of transport hubs such as airports, railways stations and harbours
  • arranges for maintenance of airport runways and buildings, liaises with fuel and catering crews to ensure adequate supplies and resolves any complaints and problems raised by airport users.
  • ensures that regulations regarding hours of work, the licensing of crews and transport equipment, the operational safety and efficiency of equipment, the insurance of vehicles and other statutory regulations are complied with
  • liaises with production, maintenance, sales and other departments to determine the materials and other items required for current and future production schedules and sales commitments
  • reviews, develops and implements stock control, handling and distribution policies to maximise use of space, money, labour and other resources
  • advises purchasing department on type, quality and quantity of goods required and dates by which they must be available
  • prepares reports on expenditure and advises on materials and parts standardisation, future stores and stock control policies
  • decides on storage conditions for particular items, allocates warehouse space and arranges for regular stock inspections to detect deterioration or damage

Skills

  • manage staff
  • give instructions to staff
  • have computer literacy
  • use different communication channels
  • apply airport standards and regulations
  • comply with legal regulations
  • encourage teams for continuous improvement
  • improve rail service delivery
  • liaise with transportation companies
  • perform market research
  • perform project management
  • provide assistance to a variety of airport users
  • work in an aviation team
  • write work-related reports

Knowledge

  • airport environmental regulations
  • financial capability
  • health and safety measures in transportation
  • project management
  • transportation methods
  • airport operating environment
  • airspace system block upgrades
  • air traffic management

Suits people who like

  • Leading and persuading
  • Organising and following procedures

Outlook

DfE · Skills Imperative 2035
Broader groupThese projections are for corporate managers and directors, a group of 20 jobs that includes directors in logistics, warehousing and transport.
Change in jobs, 2020 to 2035↑ 3%about 78,000 more jobs
Workers needed by 20351.4 millionincluding people replacing those who retire or leave

Sources

Pay
ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 provisional
People in the job, who does it
ONS, Annual Population Survey, April 2025 to March 2026
Job adverts
ONS, online job adverts (Textkernel), to Aug 2026
Demand, skill shortages
Department for Education and Skills England, Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey
Outlook
The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE
Routes in
National Careers Service job profiles
Apprenticeships, qualifications
Skills England occupational maps
Skills, interests
ESCO classification of the European Commission; O*NET data, U.S. Department of Labor (CC BY 4.0, modified)
Visas
Home Office, immigration system statistics

Figures as of 10 October 2026.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey: Department for Education and Skills England. Immigration system statistics: Home Office. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Source: The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE.

This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission.

This service includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This service has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 licence.

jobfacts is independent. It is not part of, affiliated with or endorsed by the Office for National Statistics, the Department for Education, Skills England, the National Careers Service, the Home Office, the European Commission or the U.S. Department of Labor.