Director, Linehaul

Roadrunner•Downers Grove, IL

40d•$110,000 - $120,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Linehaul leads the development, optimization, and execution of linehaul strategies to achieve company objectives while upholding a commitment to safe, reliable, and exceptional customer service. This role oversees the daily execution and long-term performance of the linehaul network, ensuring freight moves efficiently, on schedule, and at the lowest sustainable cost. The Director of Linehaul is responsible for network planning, driver utilization, vendor management, and operational performance across the system. Working closely with senior leadership, field operations, sales, and marketing, this role drives initiatives that strengthen operational discipline, improve driver engagement and retention, and enhance overall network productivity. Success in this role requires a strong focus on innovation, process improvement, and data-driven decision making. The Director will continuously evaluate operational performance, refine processes, and implement strategies that improve efficiency, strengthen collaboration across teams, and ensure alignment with broader organizational goals. Roadrunner’s Smart Long Haul is revolutionizing the industry with significant investments in technology, a culture of continuous improvement, and intelligent and efficient direct routing. A Top 100 Trucking company by Inbound Logistics and a Top Tier Service Carrier by Mastio, Roadrunner is an LTL industry leader on the rise. As a long-haul, metro-to-metro LTL carrier, Roadrunner offers more direct routes than any other nationwide Less-than-Truckload carrier in the United States. With a nationwide presence, terminals across 40+ markets, and more than $400 million in revenue, the company’s Smart Long-Haul Network is the preferred choice for shippers looking to move freight quickly and reliably. Roadrunner is growing and looking for a highly motivated Director of Linehaul to join our winning team. If you are results driven and looking for a rapidly growing company with high growth and earnings potential, apply today! We Run Safe. We Run Smart. We Run Together. Our Work Experience is the combination of everything that's unique about us: our culture, our core values, our company meetings, our commitment to sustainability, our recognition programs, but most importantly, it's our people. Our employees are self-disciplined, hard working, curious, trustworthy, humble, and truthful. They make choices according to what is best for the team, they live for opportunities to collaborate and make a difference, and they make us the #1 Top Workplace in the area.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or 4 years of relevant work experience (Engineering, Math, Science, or IT, advanced degrees preferred).
Driver-focused leader with a proven ability to mentor, develop, and engage both team members and independent contractors, fostering a collaborative and high-performing work environment.
People-focused leader with a proven ability to mentor, develop, and engage team members to drive growth and high performance.
Ability to represent and uphold a positive corporate image in a fast paced, dynamic environment.
Proven ability to communicate effectively with stakeholders at all organizational levels, including executive leadership.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and financial acumen to develop and execute strategic initiatives.
Extensive proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel (VLOOKUPs, IF statements, data cleansing), PowerPoint, and Power BI.
Flexibility to travel occasionally and work evenings or weekends as needed.
Linehaul network planning and optimization
Operational execution and performance management
Driver engagement, utilization, and retention
Data-driven decision making and KPI management
Cost control and financial acumen
Vendor and capacity management
Cross-functional collaboration
Process improvement and operational standardization
Team leadership and talent development
Strategic planning and execution

Responsibilities

Manage daily Linehaul Operations across the network, including planning and network optimization to ensure they are conducted safely, on schedule, and in the most cost-efficient manner.
Track and oversee driver mileage, settlements, utilization, and home time to optimize efficiency and overall operational performance.
Partner with cross-functional teams including senior leadership, field operations and sales to align goals and execute critical initiatives to develop and implement strategies that reduce driver turnover by improving driver engagement, satisfaction, and long-term retention.
Lead driver communications strategy aligned with the marketing team, including text messaging and other direct communication channels, to strengthen engagement and connection between the company and the driver network.
Establish feedback mechanisms to regularly capture driver sentiment and identify what matters most to drivers, ensuring initiatives align with their needs and expectations.
Coordinate driver Roundtable sessions in partnership with Marketing to increase engagement, drive participation, and follow up through additional communication channels to sustain dialogue and action.
Foster a culture of accountability while promoting continuous improvement across teams and processes.
Analyze and report on key performance indicators, including CPOV, on time dispatch and arrival, load density, and cost per mile, to support data-driven decision making and operational improvements.
Evaluate compliance and performance metrics to identify trends, anticipate operations needs, and adjust plans to ensure optimal performance.
Assess staffing requirements to ensure all departments are appropriately staffed all shifts and operational hours.
Negotiate rates and manage relationships with power providers and vendors to optimize resources and control costs.
Develop, implement, and refine standard operating procedures (SOPs) to enhance process efficiency and support automation initiatives.
Lead, motivate, and mentor a team of professionals to cultivate a high-performance data and results-driven culture.
Responsible for other duties that may be assigned on an ad hoc or permanent basis in conjunction with or in addition to these current responsibilities.