Operations and Logistics

Businesses that are involved in transportation, production, shipping, distribution, and warehousing require operations and logistics help to ensure work processes flow smoothly. The key jobs in operations and logistics are logisticians (also known as logistics managers); industrial production managers; transportation, storage, and distribution managers; purchasing managers, buyers and purchasing agents, and cost estimators.

Logisticians are employed in a wide variety of industries, from manufacturing and wholesale trade to federal government and professional, scientific, and technical consulting services. They analyze and coordinate the supply chain of companies, managing a products life cycle, starting at the point of acquisition through to distribution and final delivery. They review the logistical functions of businesses, such as procurement, inventory management, and supply chain management and planning systems, and make recommendations for improvements. Logisticians oversee purchasing, transportation, inventory, and warehousing. Their work may involve directing the movement of goods, people, or supplies; this could include common consumer goods or military personnel and supplies. In 2023, there were 237,100 logisticians employed in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).

Industrial production managers manage the daily operations of manufacturing plants. They oversee the plant’s workers and work processes. They decide how to use workers as effectively as possible to streamline production, always with attention to staying on schedule and within budget. Industrial production managers work closely with managers in other departments, such as the procurement department, which orders and buys materials that the production department uses. They also coordinate work with sales, warehousing, and the research and design departments. In 2023, there were 230,100 industrial production managers employed in the United States, according to the DOL. The manufacturing industries that employed the most industrial production managers were transportation equipment, fabricated metal product, chemical, food, and machinery manufacturing.

There were approximately 211,800 transportation, storage, and distribution managers working in the United States in 2023. Their main tasks are to plan, direct, and coordinate transportation, storage, and/or distribution activities according to organizational policies and in compliance with government regulations and laws. The industries that employ the largest number of transportation, storage, and distribution managers are transportation and warehousing, wholesale trade, manufacturing, and government.

Purchasing managers coordinate purchasing activities for wholesale trade, retail, or organizations. They plan and direct the buying of materials, products, equipment, supplies, or services. They hire, supervise, and train staff, and also oversee the work of buyers and purchasing agents. Purchasing managers also interview and select vendors and suppliers, visiting plants and distribution centers to find the best products, services, and prices for the organization they are working for. They negotiate contracts with suppliers and monitor the business processes to make sure the terms of the contract are met. Purchasing managers stay informed of their organization’s sales records and inventories of current stock. The job also entails identifying foreign suppliers, and keeping up to date on changes that could affect supply and demand of products and materials. There were 81,300 purchasing managers working in the United States in 2023. The majority worked in management. Others worked in the management of companies and enterprises, government, wholesale trade, or professional, scientific, and technical services.

Buyers and purchasing agents buy products and services that organizations use or resell. They work closely with purchasing managers. They evaluate suppliers based on price, quality, and delivery speed of products and services. They visit plants and distribution centers to see the products and have a better understanding of how the business operates. They maintain records of purchases, deliveries, product performance, and inventories. There were 524,100 buyers and purchasing agents employed in the United States in 2023. Some specialize in purchasing machinery, equipment, tools, supplies, or services for the operation of an establishment. This included the purchase of raw or semi-finished materials for manufacturing. In the much smaller farm products sector, buyers and purchasing agents purchase farm products that are used for further processing or resale. This category includes grain brokers, grain buyers, tobacco buyers, market operators, and tree farm contractors.

Cost estimators calculate the time, money, and labor that is needed to manufacture and/or ship products. There were 227,900 cost estimators in the U.S. in 2023, with many working in the construction industry. About 12 percent worked in manufacturing.