Distribution jobs involve transporting goods from the place of manufacture or creation to the place they're going to be sold. Distribution jobs can be found in manufacturing, large business organizations, retail chains and wholesale distributors. These jobs involve making it possible for goods to be moved from those who produce them to those who buy them. In some cases, materials are distributed as well, not just finished products.

Distribution manager jobs

Among the better paying jobs in distribution are those performed by distribution managers. Distribution managers oversee the process by which goods are moved from where they are produced to where they are bought. This is called "logistics," and generally involves several process points.

For example, if the distribution is wholesale, the goods arrive from a manufacturer and are inventoried. Then, they are shipped to where they're going to be sold. If the distribution takes place in manufacturing, those who manage the distribution are responsible for taking care of shows that come in, controlling inventory, and shipping finished products out.

Managing the shipping process

Distribution managers are responsible for more the simple transportation of the shipments. They must also figure out how much freight should be placed on each shipment and the routes to be traveled. They must also make sure that there is enough available transportation to ship the goods, such as if goods are going to be shipped on trucks; enough trucks and drivers must be available to do this.

Besides making sure that the products ship out okay, they must keep track of the shipment while it's in progress to make sure that the products reach where they're going on time and without mishap. If a company is particularly small, the distribution manager and an assistant or two manage this task. If the company is particularly large, the distribution manager doesn't have direct contact with these tasks; instead, he or she directs a division of logistics and coordinate several departments for warehousing, receiving and shipping products or raw materials. It's especially important to make sure our product gets to where it's going on time and at the lowest cost possible, especially if it's something that can spoil, such as fresh produce, or during holiday season when timelines are especially tight.

Training and education

Those who undertake a distribution career, especially management, must have excellent skills when it comes to managing the logistics of this particular field. Distribution managers must have college degrees in economics, business or accounting to qualify. In addition, computer skills are a must and a background in computer science is also desired.

If companies' logistics are especially complicated as sometimes happens with very large corporations or multinational operations, distribution managers may need to have a master's degree in distribution management or business administration to qualify for jobs of this caliber.

There are also other jobs to be had within a distribution career. For example, one can be a warehouse supervisor, traffic manager, or inventory control analyst. With the proper background in education, you can work your way up from these positions into a job as a distribution manager, and may even go higher within the company. You may work your way up within a single company to become registration manager, or you may be recruited from another company.

Looking for distribution jobs

It's quite easy to find job listings online, on various jobsites, for experienced distribution managers, as they are usually in high demand; oftentimes, the newspaper also lists these types of openings.

Career path and outlook

Those who are successful as distribution managers can often work their way up to the top of a particular corporation. They can even move into vice presidential positions within corporations, or decide to work for themselves within logistics or transportation consulting once they have gained enough experience.

Because the economy at present is somewhat slow, distribution jobs, too, have taken a hit and are less available than usual. However, as logistical efficiency within the transportation sector is going to become increasingly important to drive costs down; therefore, distribution managers will continue to be in demand and will be in even greater demand once the economy recovers.

Working conditions and salary

The conditions distribution managers work independently on how big a company and its logistics operations are. With small companies, distribution managers do quite a bit of hands-on managing by working in both the warehouse and in the office. Hours also may fluctuate depending on what the particular volume is of incoming and outgoing goods. In general, managers work about 40 to 45 hours a week, on average.

Most distribution managers average roughly $70,000 a year in salary. They also usually get benefits such as medical insurance, vacations and paid holidays. Retirement, too, is usually provided for.

Conclusion

Jobs in distribution can fluctuate depending on the economy, so that at present, they are less in demand than usual. However, the economy will improve and efficiency will continue to be the focus within the transportation and logistics of shipping, storing and handling of raw materials, commercial goods such as foodstuffs, and finished products. This means that those who can fill distribution jobs will continue to be in great demand.

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