WHAT DOES A LOGISTICS ASSOCIATE DO?
Published: Mar 02, 2026 - The Logistics Associate manages inbound and outbound shipments, inventory control, order fulfillment, and accurate system transactions using SAP and related logistics platforms. This position coordinates with third-party logistics providers, vendors, and delivery partners to ensure timely processing, proper documentation, and on-time deliveries. The associate also supports cycle counts, data reporting, process improvements, and customer communication to maintain operational efficiency and inventory accuracy.
A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Logistics Associate
1. Logistics Associate Responsibilities
- Order Processing: Receive and process all merchandise orders for resale using purchase orders and receiving documents.
- Inventory Systems: Record received order quantities in the store computer system PrismCore.
- Systems Knowledge: Maintain working knowledge of all computer applications used in store operations.
- Returns Handling: Process all store returns and manage outbound college store UPS packages.
- Shipping Documentation: Enter outbound UPS shipments into an Excel spreadsheet and submit monthly reports to the Accounting Associate.
- Shipping Coordination: Determine cost-efficient shipping methods based on weight and coordinate shipments with carriers.
- Vending Operations: Check and restock supply vending machines daily to maintain product availability.
- Equipment Maintenance: Keep vending machines in good working order and respond promptly to reported issues.
- Inventory Tracking: Maintain accurate inventory counts for stock placed into each vending machine.
2. Logistics Associate Functions
- Cash Handling: Collect money from vending machines and maintain proper change levels.
- Order Fulfillment: Pack and ship online orders accurately within required timeframes.
- Staff Supervision: Oversee temporary employees hired to pack online orders during peak periods.
- Shipment Accuracy: Ensure accurate online shipments and process orders using the PrismCore system.
- Inventory Support: Assist with inventory counts of books and supplies during peak seasonal periods.
- Year-End Inventory: Support fiscal year end inventory procedures and reconciliation activities.
- Inventory Scanning: Use personal data terminals to conduct accurate counts across assigned inventory areas.
- Stock Replenishment: Assist with stocking textbooks, food, beverages, and merchandise on the sales floor.
- Customer Service: Assist customers on the sales floor and operate the cash register.
- Workplace Organization: Maintain a clean, organized work area and stockroom.
3. Logistics Associate Details and Accountabilities
- Returns Evaluation: Evaluate customer returned equipment and promptly return approved items to inventory.
- Asset Rotation: Rotate and sort returned machines for accurate processing and disposition.
- Barcode Labeling: Apply barcode labels to machines to maintain tracking accuracy.
- Bin Accuracy: Ensure inventory is placed in the correct bins to reflect accurate system records.
- Cycle Counting: Perform monthly cycle counts of warehouse bins to support accuracy and loss prevention.
- Inventory Audits: Conduct spot checks for off-site and in-house bins to verify stock integrity.
- SLA Compliance: Complete warehouse tasks within established service level agreements and standard operating procedures.
- Equipment Receiving: Receive new equipment into inventory and update records accurately.
- Order Allocation: Source pick and allocate equipment to fulfill sales orders.
- Staging Coordination: Gather allocated equipment and place items in staging areas for assembly.
- Email Monitoring: Monitor emails for off-site and internal equipment requests and respond accordingly.
- Order Processing: Process equipment orders promptly to meet expected delivery timelines.
- Delivery Confirmation: Call customers to confirm deliveries and discuss specific delivery requirements.
- Route Planning: Create daily truck schedules and optimize routes for operational efficiency.
- Driver Dispatch: Check out drivers each morning after equipment inspections are completed.
- Delivery Oversight: Monitor driver progress throughout the day and provide assistance.
- Customer Communication: Respond promptly to customer calls and emails regarding delivery inquiries.
- Customer Experience: Correspond with customers to ensure a positive and efficient delivery experience.
4. Logistics Associate Additional Details
- Inventory Monitoring: Monitor inventory status across nationwide warehouses and collaborate with logistics partners to improve inventory processes.
- Project Planning: Assist with strategy planning and budgeting for new market projects.
- Logistics Scheduling: Own delivery and logistics scheduling for new market projects across all cities.
- Delivery Assurance: Ensure products arrive on time in good condition and confirm accurate placement and assembly completion.
- Partner Relations: Serve as primary contact for logistics partners and maintain strong vendor relationships.
- Documentation Management: Create detailed bid packages, assembly instructions, receiving sheets, transfer requests, and storage requests for accurate competitive project pricing.
- Reporting Analysis: Prepare and present reports on project status, timelines, and related budgets.
- Operations Support: Oversee logistics and inventory activities, including intercity transfers, long-term storage, and cost-effective inventory management.
- Systems Implementation: Research and assist with onboarding new inventory management and logistics software solutions.
- Project Ownership: Take ownership of assigned projects or initiatives under the Procurement Manager or Project Manager's direction.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Project Management, Operations, and Finance teams on special projects and ad hoc initiatives.
5. Logistics Associate Essential Functions
- Document Verification: Verify the accuracy and legitimacy of incoming delivery documents in SAP.
- 3PL Coordination: Provide unloading instructions to third-party logistics service providers.
- Unloading Oversight: Oversee physical unloading and repalleting of packages and containers.
- Quality Assessment: Evaluate rejected packages segregated during unloading for proper disposition.
- Tag Compliance: Confirm all packages have corresponding status tags before storage.
- Storage Validation: Validate that QA released materials are stored in appropriate storage sections.
- Putaway Audit: Review third-party logistics putaway reports, comparing physical and system locations for daily stored stocks.
- Order Review: Check and review material reservations, sales orders, and material delivery requests daily in SAP.
- Pick List Preparation: Prepare and issue pick lists to third-party logistics providers for requested materials.
- Picking Verification: Verify the correctness and quantities of picked materials before dispatch.
- Loading Supervision: Instruct third-party logistics providers to load materials onto transport vehicles.
- Inventory Validation: Validate daily cycle count records conducted by third-party logistics providers to ensure inventory accuracy.
- SOP Compliance: Review warehousing standard operating procedures to ensure compliance with GMP, GDSP, housekeeping, pest control, and safety standards.
- Material Disposal: Facilitate disposal of expired, obsolete, damaged, and rejected materials.
- Equipment Maintenance: Coordinate repair and preventive maintenance of material handling equipment.
- Operational Reporting: Prepare reports and initiate projects addressing operational capacity utilization and productivity issues.
- Warehouse Monitoring: Monitor receiving and issuance operations of outsourced warehouses and coordinate issues with stakeholders.
6. Logistics Associate Roles and Details
- Process Improvement: Drive continuous improvement of external manufacturing systems and shipping processes supporting key business operations.
- Shipment Coordination: Coordinate and oversee all shipments supporting external manufacturing activities.
- Shipping Documentation: Execute shipping documentation requirements for transactions with contract manufacturing operations.
- Shipment Planning: Plan FDS DP and sample shipments based on external manufacturing filling schedules.
- Schedule Management: Maintain updates and communicate the status of external manufacturing activities using schedules and checklists.
- Investigation Support: Support investigations in accordance with regulatory and company requirements.
- Data Analysis: Track trends and monitor shipping data, prepare reports, analyze results, and recommend improvements with minimal supervision.
- Database Management: Maintain critical data databases, ensuring accuracy, integrity, and KPI alignment.
- Production Reporting: Generate reports to manage production activities and provide input for key operational decisions.
- Invoice Resolution: Collaborate with contract manufacturing operations to resolve invoice discrepancies and documentation issues.
- Continuous Improvement: Lead and support initiatives that enhance process efficiency and operational quality.
- Problem Resolution: Identify operational issues and take initiative to implement effective solutions.
- Logistics Collaboration: Partner with supply chain logistics to coordinate shipments and ensure on-time delivery performance.
- Project Leadership: Participate in key projects and lead initiatives of increasing importance within the external manufacturing organization.
7. Logistics Associate Responsibilities and Key Tasks
- Inbound Operations: Perform incoming stock processing, including count verification, document reconciliation, and inbound shipment handling.
- Material Handling: Handle unpack count, manage pick and pack raw semi finished and finished inventory materials.
- Outbound Fulfillment: Execute picking, packing, staging material preparation, and outbound shipment processing for customer orders.
- SAP Transactions: Record and document all material movements using SAP-associated systems and physical filing processes.
- Safety Compliance: Maintain a clean, safe work area and adhere strictly to safety procedures.
- 6S Participation: Actively participate in daily 6S program activities to sustain workplace organization.
- Shipment Data Entry: Enter container numbers, invoice details, vessel arrival dates, and related shipment information into the system.
- Invoice Processing: Prepare and process invoice packets for the Accounting and Order Management departments.
- Vendor Coordination: Maintain relationships with freight forwarders and overseas factories to support logistics operations.
- Booking Follow Up: Follow up with vendors to ensure shipments are booked and dispatched on schedule.
- Document Control: Follow up with vendors to obtain complete shipping documents and ensure timely processing.
8. Logistics Associate Duties and Roles
- Order Monitoring: Monitor shippers and urge timely order processing in line with committed schedules.
- Customer Support: Handle customer requests and resolve complaints related to transport services.
- Process Improvement: Propose solutions and improvements to enhance working methods and operational systems.
- Data Management: Record, monitor, and update operational data accurately, fully, and promptly to prevent errors or discrepancies.
- Trend Analysis: Analyze strengths and development trends of shipped units to support proactive planning initiatives.
- Accounting Verification: Review software inputs to ensure accounting data is recorded accurately and truthfully.
- Delivery Coordination: Manage individual and group order deliveries across clients within and outside major metropolitan areas.
- Process Scaling: Scale new and existing logistics processes to support operational efficiency and business growth.
- Risk Mitigation: Provide actionable insights when group delivery timelines are at risk and identify process breakdowns.
- Partner Management: Build and manage relationships with delivery service partners while evaluating performance through data analysis.
- Technology Enhancement: Identify opportunities for new system features to improve seamless logistics operations.
Editorial Process and Content Quality
This content is developed by the Lamwork Editorial Team using structured analysis of real-world job data, skill requirements, and hiring patterns.
Research framework by Lam Nguyen, Founder & Editorial Lead.
Reviewed by Thanh Huyen, Managing Editor.
Learn more about our editorial standards.