Women in logistics

Published: Wednesday, 26 August 2015

As our American friends celebrate Women’s Equality Day, we took the opportunity to look at our own diverse workforce. When we analyse the gender split across the six Priority Freight offices, over 40% of our staff are female professionals.

Traditionally the transport and logistics sector is considered to be a male-dominant sector. Logistics careers have conventionally been held by men, but women are becoming increasingly involved at all levels.

At Priority Freight, we strive to create a workplace environment that provides everyone with equal opportunities and development. The rich diversity of our global team is key to our success. The wide range of talent and ideas we share gives us the ability to understand, embrace and operate on a global scale, whilst embracing local knowledge and experience.

Leanne Barry started at Priority Freight in 2014 as a Team Leader in 2014. We spoke to Leanne to find out what her daily routine in logistics usually involves:

A career in logistics

Logistics is a growing sector that plays a major role in the global economy. Every company in the world uses logistics in some form. In the UK alone, the logistics industry is worth £74 billion to the UK economy. According to the Office for National Statistics, 1 in 12 working people in the UK is employed in logistics and over 60% of UK freight is managed by a third-party logistics company, like Priority Freight.

The Logistics Coordinator

A Logistics Coordinator will plan and execute the distribution of materials and goods on behalf of global manufacturers to create everything from cars to aeroplanes and clothing to medicine. Logistics specialists are responsible for communication with the clients, efficiency and the resolution of transportation issues.

• Liaise with international carriers to agree transport costs and ensure the best possible solutions are found to fit the client’s requirements
• Tender job revenues to clients ensuring a bespoke solution is found for them best fitting their request, offering different transport solutions where applicable
• Monitor the progression of transports advising the client at agreed milestones, and ensuring the transports are running to schedule
• Ensure our bespoke freight management system is correctly monitored and updated when required
• Build excellent relationships with multinational clients who are under immense pressure
• Answer incoming telephone calls professionally and deal with enquiries quickly

Looking for a job in logistics? We’re currently recruiting, take a look at our current opportunities now.