Supply and Distribution Manager

Supply and Distribution Managers plan and control the flow of goods through a business. This covers buying stock, managing warehouses, arranging transport, and making sure products reach customers on time and within budget. The role connects many parts of a business, from finance and purchasing through to logistics and customer service. People in this role often manage teams and negotiate with suppliers and freight providers.

A typical day could involve reviewing stock levels and flagging shortages, meeting with transport providers to discuss delivery schedules, and checking that warehouse operations are running to plan. There may be time spent on spreadsheets or supply chain software, tracking orders and costs. Conversations with procurement teams, operations staff, and sometimes customers are common. Problem-solving is a regular part of the work, particularly when delays or supply disruptions occur.

A Diploma or Bachelor degree is the typical education pathway for this role (JSA Occupation Profile). Relevant fields include supply chain management, logistics, business, or operations management. Some people move into this role from related positions in warehousing, procurement, or transport coordination, building practical experience over time. Course options may be available through providers listed at yourcareer.gov.au, and it is worth checking dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for any subsidised training in your state or territory.

This role carries real pressure. Supply chains can break down quickly, and the manager is often the person expected to fix problems fast, whether that is a delayed shipment, a supplier going out of business, or a sudden spike in demand. The work can involve long hours during peak periods or crises. Moving into this role from outside logistics or operations may take time, as employers often look for people who already understand how supply chains work in practice. Building that knowledge through a related role first is one option worth considering.

In practice, roles in this occupation tend to cluster around major population centres and industrial areas, given the nature of logistics and distribution networks.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 1336, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Delivery Schedulingcore
• ERP and Inventory Systemscore
• Freight Coordinationcore
• Inventory Trackingcore
• Negotiationcore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Purchase Order Processingcore
• Reporting and Analyticscore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Stakeholder Communicationcore
• Stock Reconciliationcore
• Supplier Communicationcore
• Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)core
• Customer Order Tracking
• Dispatch Documentation
• Driver and Courier Liaison
• Goal Setting and Planning
• Goods Receipt Processing
• Invoice Matching and Reconciliation
• Microsoft Excel Data Management
• Process Improvement Identification
• Regulatory and Legislative Awareness
• Returns Processing
• Stock Counting and Stocktake
• Team Collaboration

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

What Supply and Distribution Manager workers move into, from ten years of tax records.

Last updated: 10 October 2026