Description

TITLE: Transportation and Logistic Manager

DEPARTMENT: Transportation

REPORTS TO: President

POSITION SUMMARY:

As a leading seafood distribution company with a top-of-the-line fleet, we take pride in delivering premium products to our customers. This position is responsible for all transportation and logistics management, effectively overseeing both inbound and outbound operations. Lead a team of transportation and logistics professionals, providing guidance, mentorship, and ongoing training to enhance their skills and knowledge. Supervise the comprehensive safety of staff, oversee equipment maintenance, and manage the company's fleet abroad. Foster a positive work environment, promote teamwork, and ensure effective communication across the team and with other departments. Additionally, manage transportation assets, personnel, and preparedness for product delivery to customers, involving training, planning, and coordination. 

REGULAR ASSIGNED DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop and implement transportation strategies efficient and cost-effective delivery goods.
• Responsible for the management of transportation operations, including inbound and logistics, carrier selection, and freight rates.
•  Monitor and analyze key performance indicators (KPIs to identify areas for improvement and drive operational efficiencies- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure effective coordination and execution of transportation activities.
• Ensure compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and maintain up-to-date knowledge of transportation laws and regulations, DOT.
• Continuously evaluate transportation service providers and recommend changes as necessary to maintain high service levels.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of transportation professionals to foster high performance and a culture of continuous improvement.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with carriers, suppliers, and internal stakeholders to ensure smooth and efficient operations.
• Drive customer satisfaction by delivering exceptional service levels and resolving transportation-related issues in a timely manner.
• Stay abreast of emerging trends and developments in transportation and logistics to drive innovation and stay ahead of the competition.
• Plans, coordinates, and supervises the administration of the process of delivery by organizing truck loads and routing schedules to increase efficiency and lower costs. Recommend optimal transportation modes, routing, equipment, or frequency. 
• Employing common carriers, airlines, and trains were cost effective. Regarding air freight, this position will be responsible for the negotiation, set up, and management of the process.
• Coordinates delivery, repair, procurement, recovery, and rental of trucks.
• Maintain metrics, reports, process documentation, customer service logs, and training/safety records. 
• Outbound consists of daily product deliveries (with J.J. owned/operated units) to all customers that have placed orders on any given day in the tri-state metropolitan area. 
• Oversees the loading of products into trailers or trucks.
• Coordinates multiple shipping modes to various states.
• Create policies or procedures for logistics activities. Communication to HR to gather and store and keep updates. 
• Supervise and train personnel in roles and responsibilities regarding transportation, and their job duties.
• Implement specific customer requirements, such as internal reporting or customized transportation metrics.
• Resolve problems concerning transportation, imports or exports, and customer issues. Responsible for proper communication to sales team via phone, email, text, or fax as to the status of the customer’s order.
• Ensure carrier compliance (DOT and IFTA when need be) with company policies and procedures for product transit and delivery.
• Ensure Drivers Qualification files remain compliant including maintaining the Department of Transportation Clearinghouse website. 
• Negotiate transportation rates or services, rentals, repairs, vehicle procurement analysis, and recommendation and communicate these to Finance Department.
• Negotiate with suppliers and customers to improve supply chain efficiency and sustainability.
• Collaborate with other departments to integrate transportation/logistics with business systems and processes, such as customer sales, order management, accounting, or shipping.
• Analyze the financial impact of proposed transportation/logistics changes, such as routing, shipping modes, product volumes or mixes, or carriers.
• Analyze all aspects of corporate transportation/logistics to determine the most cost-effective or efficient means of transporting products or supplies.
• Review transportation/logistics reports for ways to improve efficiency or minimize the environmental impact of logistics activities.
• Conducts huddles daily – especially between shifts to communicate information to and from prior and later shifts.

OTHER DUTIES MAY INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:

• Ensuring safety is a number one consideration in the Transportation Department.
• Observe and correct all unsafe conditions that could cause associate or customer accidents.
• Record and report all associate and customer accidents in accordance with established J.J. McDonnell procedures.
• Complete other projects as assigned.
• Fill in various Transportation positions when staffing is short.
• Performs additional duties, responsibilities, and projects as assigned.

DESIRED MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Education and Experience: Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Logistics, Supply Chain Management, or a related field, Master's Degree preferred.

• Minimum of 8 years of progressive experience in transportation and logistics management, preferably in a high-volume distribution environment.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-volume environment while maintaining attention to detail and quality.
• Flexibility to adapt to changing business needs and work collaboratively across departments.
• Strong knowledge of transportation operations, including freight transportation modes (truck, rail, ocean, air), logistics network design, and last-mile delivery.
• Proven ability to lead and develop high-performing teams, with a focus on fostering a positive and collaborative work culture.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build effective relationships at all levels of the organization.
• Analytical mindset, with the ability to leverage data and metrics to enhance decision-making and process improvement.
• Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines in a fast-paced setting.
• Familiarity with transportation management systems (TMS) and other related software applications.
• Up-to-date knowledge of transportation regulations, compliance requirements, and industry standards.

Necessary Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Experience coaching and managing teammates.
• Regarding Microsoft Office products – must have the ability to draft letters, emails, create spreadsheets tracking production units and ability to analyze data.
• 3-5 years’ experience with transportation software systems.
• Able to recognize and correct errors and work effectively under tight deadlines.
• Must be able to read and write in English.
• Ability to speak Spanish a plus.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit, stand, talk, hear, fit in smaller tight areas, and may be required to bend, crawl, and climb more than usual.
• The employee is constantly required to use hands and fingers to feel, handle or operate objects; and reach with hands and arms.
• The employee is routinely required to stoop, kneel, crouch, and walk.
• The ability to be on your feet for hours at a time.
• The employee is capable of lifting and/or move up to 50-100 pounds occasionally.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, color vision, and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee works mostly indoors in the warehouse environment and on occasion outside for brief periods of time. The employee can be exposed to wet and/or humid, hot, cold, and snow conditions, fumes or airborne particles and vibration.
• The noise level in the work environment can range from moderate to loud.

The duties listed above are intended only as an illustration of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.

The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.