What are the responsibilities and job description for the Manager, Dangerous Goods Management position at Forward?
The Manager, Global Dangerous Goods Management supports and responds to hazardous materials and dangerous goods inquiries through the organization’s Global Hazmat Desk. They provide expert guidance across North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia, on hazardous materials compliance, shipment acceptability, emergency response, and regulatory requirements. They are responsible for interpreting and communicating hazardous materials standards in accordance with company policies and applicable local, country, and international regulations, including DOT, IATA, IMDG, ADR, and other regional frameworks. They partner cross-functionally with operations, safety, legal, and compliance teams to ensure alignment and mitigate risk across a global logistics network. They play a key role in supporting training, audit readiness, incident response, and continuous improvement initiatives. This position operates within a global, 24/7 environment requiring responsiveness and sound decision-making.
Responsibilities
- Respond to stations, terminals, branches, warehouses, operations teams, internal support functions, and external customers regarding hazardous materials compliance, shipment requirements, and regulatory guidance
- Provide global guidance on hazardous materials shipment acceptability, documentation, classification, and regulatory requirements
- Support global hazardous waste and disposal initiatives in partnership with approved third-party vendors and local operating teams
- Deliver hazardous materials / dangerous goods training programs covering classification, labeling, marking, packaging, documentation, segregation, and hazard communication requirements
- Advise leadership on process gaps, operational risks, audit findings, and opportunities to strengthen hazardous materials controls globally
- Review, audit, and maintain required records including manifests, declarations, permits, training logs, incident reports, and supporting documentation
- Provide immediate guidance on spills, leaks, damaged freight, and hazmat incidents
- Coordinate reporting, containment, and escalation procedures for hazardous materials incidents
- Partner with Safety, Legal, Operations, Customs, and Compliance teams to ensure enterprise alignment on hazardous materials requirements
- Support continuous improvement initiatives, SOP development, and harmonization of global hazmat processes across the enterprise
- All other duties as assigned to meet evolving business needs
Qualifications
- Education: High School Diploma or GED equivalent required; Undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university preferred.
- Certification/Licensure: Current certification in DOT 49 CFR, IMDG regulations, and IATA Dangerous Goods required
- Experience: 3 years of experience directly related to hazardous materials, dangerous goods, transportation compliance, or environmental health & safety; or 5 years of industry experience in operations, transportation, freight forwarding, warehousing, or compliance roles
- Experience supporting multi-site or international operations preferred
- Strong knowledge of global transport standards for hazardous materials across ground, air, ocean, and warehouse environments, including DOT, IATA, IMDG, ADR, OSHA, EPA, and applicable country regulations
- Ability to interpret technical regulations and communicate requirements clearly to non-technical audiences; strong problem-solving and risk assessment capabilities
- Ability to remain calm and decisive during spills, incidents, and urgent compliance matters; knowledge of PPE requirements and emergency response protocols
- Ability to develop training content, lead employee education sessions, and reinforce compliance culture; strong documentation, auditing, and recordkeeping skills; ability to work across time zones in a global 24/7 environment
- Demonstrated discretion and confidentiality in handling and protecting sensitive information.
- Technical: Proficient with common office technologies, including Windows PCs, Microsoft O365 (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) and web conferencing (Teams, Zoom, Webex, etc.)
- Environment: Comfort commuting to/from and working in a 100% on-site setting (listed in this posting), with travel for related meetings/events.