Director of Traffic and Customer Service

Position Title: Director of Traffic and Customer Service

Department: Executive Leadership

Reports To: Chief Operating Officer

Direct Reports: Traffic, Customer Service and Documentation Teams

FSLA Status: Exempt

Location: Sweetwater, Florida

Position Summary

The Director of Traffic and Customer Service is responsible for leading the integrated traffic management, customer service, documentation, and reception functions across all markets served by the company. This leadership role ensures efficient coordination of vessel space and bookings, high-quality customer support, accurate documentation processing, and effective front-line reception at headquarters. The position drives operational excellence, customer satisfaction, and team performance in a fast-paced ocean freight environment, while maintaining compliance and fostering strong stakeholder relationships.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Direct traffic management operations for all markets, including coordination of vessel space allocation, booking confirmations, routing, and shipment flow to optimize efficiency and meet market demand.
• Oversee customer service operations across all markets, handling customer inquiries, escalations, account relationship management, and performance metrics such as CSAT and NPS.
• Manage documentation processes and teams for all markets, ensuring accurate and timely preparation and processing of Bills of Lading, customs documentation, and compliance-related paperwork.
• Lead and develop distributed teams, including personnel in Colombia and on-site receptionists at Sweetwater headquarters, promoting collaboration, professional development, and high performance standards.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (operations, sales, pricing, compliance, and others) to identify and resolve systemic issues and improve end-to-end processes.
• Serve as the senior escalation authority for critical customer, traffic, or documentation-related issues.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators across traffic, customer service, and documentation functions; analyze data and implement continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure full compliance with international shipping regulations, IMO/ISM standards, company policies, and market-specific requirements.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with key customers, agents, and partners to support service quality, retention, and business growth.
• Provide regular performance reports, trend analysis, and strategic recommendations to senior leadership.

Qualifications Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Maritime Studies, or a related field (Master’s degree preferred).
• Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in traffic/operations, customer service, documentation, or account management within the maritime, shipping, or logistics industry.
• At least 5 years of senior leadership experience managing multi-functional or distributed teams in high-volume, time-sensitive environments.
• Demonstrated success in improving customer satisfaction metrics, reducing escalations, and optimizing operational processes.
• Proven ability to build, coach, and lead distributed and international teams.
• Strong verbal and written communication, negotiation, problem-solving, and stakeholder management skills.
• Fluency in both Spanish and English (bilingual proficiency required for effective management of diverse markets and teams).
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, with strong expertise in Excel (pivot tables, data analysis, reporting), Word, and PowerPoint.

Preferred:

• In-depth knowledge of container shipping processes, including traffic coordination, bookings, documentation, and vessel operations.
• Prior experience managing integrated traffic and customer service functions in liner shipping or ocean freight.
• Experience working with major container carriers or comparable liner operations.
• Professional certification in supply chain/logistics (e.g., CSCP, CLTD) or maritime-related credentials.