jobfacts

Managers in logistics

SOC 2020 1243

Managers in logistics plan, co-ordinate and organise the supply chain of goods and services between the point of production and consumption, including their efficient transportation, storage and retailing.

Also calledSupply chain managerLogistics planning managerLogistics operations managerLogistic managerLogistics managerLogistics and distribution managerand 1 more titles
Typical full-time pay£46,1002025 Provisional
People in the job35,000across the UK
Demand for workersElevated
New adverts a month586↑ 16%on last year · 248th of 412

Pay

ONS · ASHE 2025

Half of full-time managers in logistics earn between £36,500 and £61,100 a year.

What full-time managers in logistics earn, 2025
£46,100 typical£29,800lowest 10%£36,50025%£61,10075%n/ptop 10%
Middle half (£36,500–£61,100)n/p: top 10% not published by ONS
Show as table
Lowest 10% earn less than£29,800
Lowest 20% earn less than£35,200
25%£36,500
Median£46,100
75%£61,100
Top 20% earn more thanNot published
Top 10% earn more thanNot published
Typical pay by regionUK median £46,100
South East!£51,000
East of England!£45,200
West Midlands!£45,000
East Midlands!£44,300
London!£39,900
South West!£37,400
North EastNot published by ONS–
North WestNot published by ONS–
Yorkshire and The HumberNot published by ONS–
ScotlandNot published by ONS–
WalesNot published by ONS–
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
UK median, £46,100
South East£51,000 (small sample)
East of England£45,200 (small sample)
West Midlands£45,000 (small sample)
East Midlands£44,300 (small sample)
London£39,900 (small sample)
South West£37,400 (small sample)
North EastNot published by ONS
North WestNot published by ONS
Yorkshire and The HumberNot published by ONS
ScotlandNot published by ONS
WalesNot published by ONS
Typical pay over 3 years
  • 2023 £42,400
  • 2024 £44,900
  • 2025 Provisional£46,100
↑ 8.9% since 2023Provisional figures are revised when ONS publishes the next year’s survey.

Jobs and demand

ONS · Textkernel adverts · DfE

About 586 jobs for managers in logistics are advertised each month. The Department for Education rates demand for workers as elevated.

New job adverts a month, Jan 2017 to Aug 2026
New advertsMonth not published by ONS (1 in all)
Show as table
Aug 2026799
Jul 2026702
Jun 2026590
May 2026633
Apr 2026562
Mar 2026Not published
Feb 2026534
Jan 2026542
Dec 2025341
Nov 2025595
Oct 2025573
Sept 2025571
Aug 2025518
Jul 2025675
Jun 2025585
May 2025592
Apr 2025463
Mar 2025616
Feb 2025573
Jan 2025417
Dec 2024275
Nov 2024417
Oct 2024498
Sept 2024525
Aug 2024504
Jul 2024550
Jun 2024554
May 2024585
Apr 2024580
Mar 2024576
Feb 2024566
Jan 2024674
Dec 2023537
Nov 2023770
Oct 2023571
Sept 2023505
Aug 2023624
Jul 2023637
Jun 2023875
May 2023786
Apr 2023679
Mar 2023916
Feb 2023957
Jan 2023911
Dec 2022856
Nov 20221,004
Oct 20221,178
Sept 20221,044
Aug 20221,062
Jul 20221,152
Jun 20221,048
May 20221,205
Apr 2022887
Mar 20221,147
Feb 20221,161
Jan 20221,194
Dec 2021969
Nov 20211,002
Oct 2021973
Sept 2021938
Aug 2021955
Jul 20211,209
Jun 2021948
May 2021990
Apr 2021831
Mar 20211,374
Feb 2021883
Jan 2021782
Dec 2020843
Nov 2020797
Oct 2020934
Sept 2020676
Aug 2020632
Jul 2020464
Jun 2020495
May 2020456
Apr 2020541
Mar 2020772
Feb 2020994
Jan 2020921
Dec 2019557
Nov 2019737
Oct 2019790
Sept 2019850
Aug 2019866
Jul 20191,040
Jun 2019943
May 2019917
Apr 2019695
Mar 2019834
Feb 2019773
Jan 2019902
Dec 2018559
Nov 2018728
Oct 2018720
Sept 2018838
Aug 2018775
Jul 2018705
Jun 2018782
May 2018714
Apr 2018711
Mar 2018789
Feb 2018763
Jan 2018852
Dec 2017506
Nov 2017732
Oct 2017742
Sept 2017818
Aug 2017764
Jul 2017794
Jun 20171,047
May 20171,068
Apr 2017997
Mar 20171,106
Feb 20171,029
Jan 20171,165
Is there a shortage of managers in logistics?
Elevated

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

  • Visas grantedAbove usual
  • Online job advertsAbove usual
  • Wage growthUsual
  • Pay against similar jobsAbove usual
  • Hours workedAbove usual
Vacancies hard to fill because of skills
24%against 27% for all jobs
Broader groupFigure for other managers and proprietors, which includes managers in logistics. DfE Employer Skills Survey 2024.
Where the most jobs are advertisedadverts a quarter
London295
Birmingham48
Manchester42
Bristol, City of41
Glasgow City28
Westmorland and Furness23
Leeds20
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole20
Belfast19
Derby17
London is published as one area. Averages leave out quarters ONS withheld.
Where managers in logistics are most concentratedShare of local job adverts, compared with the UK.

Recruitment from abroad. 89 sponsored work visas were granted for this job from July 2025 to June 2026, most to people from India, China, Italy, ranking it 106th 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 managers in logistics
n/p
24%!
23%!
28%!
19%!
n/p
!Small sample: treat with cautionn/p: too few in the survey to publish
Show as table
16–24Not published
25–3424% (small sample)
35–4423% (small sample)
45–5428% (small sample)
55–6419% (small sample)
65+Not published
Highest qualification
Degree or equivalent52%
Higher education below degree!5.5%
A levels or equivalent!19%
GCSEs or equivalent!21%
Other qualifications–
Not published
No qualifications–
Not published
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
Degree or equivalent52%
Higher education below degree5.5% (small sample)
A levels or equivalent19% (small sample)
GCSEs or equivalent21% (small sample)
Other qualificationsNot published
No qualificationsNot published

Main employers: freight transport by road (9.7%), defence activities (4.4%), warehousing and storage (4%), hospital activities (3.3%).

How to get in

Hold a degree
52%
as their highest qualification
Apprenticeships
None
none leads directly into this work

Routes in

You can get into this job through:

University

Positions for trainee managers are open to graduates of most subjects though you may find it useful to do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in a subject like:

  • logistics
  • supply chain management
  • transport management
  • business management

You can find out about industry sponsored degree courses in supply chain management from NOVUS.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

Apprenticeship

You may be able to apply for a Supply Chain Practitioner Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship, which could lead to an assistant manager position.

You might also be able to do a Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship, such as:

  • Supply Chain Leadership Professional
  • Express Delivery Manager
  • Senior Procurement and Supply Chain Professional
Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a degree apprenticeship

Work your way up

You could start in a junior role, like transport clerk, and work your way up through training and promotion.

You might study for work-based qualifications through The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport or the Institute of Supply Chain Management.

You can find more details about careers and training in the supply chain industry from The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport.

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for supply chain manager. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

The work

ONS · ESCO · O*NET

Typical tasks

  • management and planning of supply chains from source to the point of consumption to ensure goods get from suppliers to distribution centres as efficiently as possible
  • co-ordinates the transportation and storage of goods
  • monitors the distribution of goods and stock levels to ensure the organisation's needs are met and reports on overall performance
  • advises purchasing department on type, quality and quantity of goods required and dates by which they must be available and negotiates contracts with suppliers
  • 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

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 other managers and proprietors, a group of 22 jobs that includes managers in logistics.
Change in jobs, 2020 to 2035↑ 43%about 494,000 more jobs
Workers needed by 20351.3 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.