| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Logistics and Warehousing |
| Level | Senior management |
| Reports to | Chief Operating Officer |
| Direct reports | Head of Logistics, Head of Warehousing, General Manager Logistics |
| Experience | 18+ years in logistics and supply chain with senior leadership experience |
Vice President Logistics job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Vice President Logistics
Department: Logistics and Warehousing
Reports to: Chief Operating Officer
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Vice President Logistics leads the entire logistics organisation and sits on the leadership table. They set the multi-year strategy for network, transport and warehousing, approve capital projects, choose strategic partners, and answer to the CEO for logistics cost, customer service and safety. The role is about direction and capability, not daily operations: expanding into new geographies, building the org, and making the trade-offs between cost, speed and reliability that shape the whole supply chain. A good one makes logistics a source of competitive advantage.
Key responsibilities
- Set the multi-year logistics strategy and translate it into a network, capacity and investment roadmap.
- Approve major capital projects such as new distribution centres, automation and fleet, and own their business case.
- Choose strategic transport, 3PL and technology partners and hold executive-level relationships with them.
- Present logistics cost, service and risk to the CEO and board, and secure the annual budget and capex.
- Set the customer service promise with sales, and balance it against cost and inventory across the network.
- Build the logistics organisation, hire and develop heads, and set the succession plan for critical roles.
- Lead expansion into new cities and channels, from site selection to go-live, with cross-functional teams.
- Govern safety, business continuity and statutory compliance across all logistics sites and fleets.
- Sponsor large change and automation programmes and hold them to their cost and benefit commitments.
- Track industry practice and regulation, and adjust the strategy so the network stays competitive.
Requirements
- Graduate in engineering or a related field
- MBA from a reputed institute, or equivalent senior experience
- Executive programme in supply chain or leadership is an advantage
- 18+ years in logistics and supply chain with senior leadership experience
KRAs and KPIs for a Vice President Logistics
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Logistics cost ratio | Logistics cost as a percent of revenue reduced over the multi-year plan |
| Customer service | On-time delivery and order accuracy sustained above the promised service level |
| Capex return | Approved capital projects delivering the committed payback and service gains |
| Network expansion | New distribution centres and lanes live on the roadmap dates |
| Organisation | Critical leadership roles filled with successors identified for each |
| Safety and continuity | No major safety or continuity failure across sites in the year |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: ERP and supply chain suites, Transport management systems, Warehouse management systems, Business intelligence tools, Capital planning models.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Chief Supply Chain Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Managing Director
Interview questions for a Vice President Logistics
- How do you build a three-year logistics strategy that the board will fund?
- How do you decide between building your own distribution centre and using a 3PL?
- Walk me through how you would justify a warehouse automation investment to the CEO.
- How do you balance the sales team's service promises against logistics cost?
- Describe a network expansion you led and how you managed the risk and cost.
- How do you build a logistics leadership team and a succession plan under it?
Managing a Vice President Logistics in ZeniaHR
Hire and manage your logistics and warehousing team in one place
Post the role, onboard the new hire, and track attendance, leave and KRAs in ZeniaHR. Free for your first 50 employees.
Book a free demoSee pricingFrequently asked questions
What does a Vice President Logistics do?
A Vice President Logistics leads the whole logistics organisation. They set multi-year strategy, approve capital projects, choose strategic partners, and own logistics cost, customer service and safety at the leadership level. They build the org, lead expansion into new markets, and present the logistics agenda to the CEO and board rather than running daily operations.
Who does a Vice President Logistics report to?
A Vice President Logistics usually reports to the Chief Operating Officer, and in some companies to the Chief Supply Chain Officer or Managing Director. Their direct reports are the heads of logistics and warehousing and regional general managers, who run operations while the VP sets strategy, secures investment and manages board expectations.
What is the difference between a Vice President Logistics and a Head of Logistics?
A Head of Logistics runs the function: network design, carriers, standards and daily service. A Vice President Logistics operates one level up, setting multi-year strategy, approving capital, choosing strategic partners and representing logistics to the board. The VP decides where the function is heading and funds it; the Head makes it work.