What are the responsibilities and job description for the Logistics Lead position at Cypress HCM?
Responsibilities
- Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing logistics team focused on accountability, engagement, and operational excellence.
- Manage end-to-end international inbound logistics, including ocean and air freight bookings, scheduling, routing, and tracking for imported components supporting U.S. manufacturing operations.
- Oversee U.S. domestic transportation for inbound raw materials and outbound finished goods, including OTR, LTL, and FTL shipments.
- Partner with purchasing to negotiate competitive pricing and service agreements with freight carriers, freight forwarders, customs brokers, and 3PL providers.
- Work closely with customs compliance and trade teams to ensure timely customs clearance, accurate documentation, duty compliance, and adherence to U.S. import/export regulations.
- Maintain centralized shipment visibility across inbound ocean, air, and domestic freight, providing timely updates to procurement, planning, warehouse, production, and finance teams.
- Monitor carrier performance, on-time delivery, transit times, and freight costs, while proactively resolving delays, disruptions, and claims.
- Develop and track logistics KPIs, including freight cost per unit, on-time delivery, transit time variance, documentation accuracy, and overall logistics efficiency.
- Prepare monthly logistics performance reports by transportation mode, highlighting trends, cost variances, service issues, and process improvement opportunities.
- Lead continuous improvement initiatives to reduce logistics costs, improve efficiency, eliminate waste, and strengthen supply chain resilience.
- Ensure compliance with company policies, safety standards, and transportation best practices.
- Coordinate cross-functionally with planning, procurement, warehouse, production, and finance to align logistics execution with manufacturing schedules and inventory goals.
- Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including VLOOKUP, PivotTables, reporting, budgeting, and data analysis.
- Experience with logistics systems, transportation management systems, and shipment tracking tools.
- Strong knowledge of international shipping terms and processes, including FOB, CIF, DDP, EXW, ocean freight, air freight, customs clearance, and trade compliance.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities, shipments, and deadlines in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to work effectively with internal stakeholders and external partners.
- Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and negotiation skills.
- Detail-oriented with strong organizational and documentation skills.
- Self-motivated and results-driven with the ability to work independently.
- Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate teams and drive accountability.
- Collaborative and effective in cross-functional environments.
- Adaptable to shifting production schedules, supply chain disruptions, and changing business needs.
- Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business Administration, or a related field.
- 5 years of progressive experience in logistics, transportation, freight management, or a related area.
- Experience in procurement, logistics buying, or carrier/vendor management preferred.
- Background in high-volume manufacturing environments, ideally in solar, renewable energy, high-tech, or industrial manufacturing.
- Experience supporting U.S.-based manufacturing operations with high volumes of imported components strongly preferred.
- Experience in startup, high-growth, or rapidly scaling environments preferred.
- Familiarity with Lean principles, continuous improvement, total cost of ownership, and process optimization.
- Experience working with international suppliers, freight forwarders, customs brokers, and domestic carriers.