Director, Logistics

Dole Packaged Foods • Westlake Village, CA

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

Dole Packaged Foods is a purpose-led organization focused on accessible fruit nutrition and building a brighter future through the goodness of fruit. The company fosters a respectful, inclusive culture that values colleagues, customers, and global communities, striving for excellence and empowering employees to overcome challenges and achieve world-class results. Integrity, collaboration, and an innovative spirit are core to their operations. The Director of Logistics provides strategic and operational leadership for Dole's North American logistics network, encompassing import logistics, domestic transportation, carrier management, 4PL partnerships, customer service execution, and network optimization. This role is responsible for logistics financial performance, operational execution, service delivery, and continuous improvement initiatives supporting Dole's growth and customer commitments. As a key supply chain leader, the Director collaborates with Finance, Customer Operations, Procurement, Manufacturing, Warehousing, Sales, IT, and executive leadership to enhance transportation performance, productivity, cost optimization, and operational excellence. The position demands strong strategic awareness, executive presence, and the ability to lead complex transportation initiatives, network changes, operational implementations, and transformational improvements. The ideal candidate possesses deep expertise in import logistics, transportation operations, carrier management, freight procurement, logistics analytics, supply chain best practices, financial acumen, P&L ownership, and a data-driven approach. This leader will negotiate and manage strategic logistics partnerships, hold providers accountable for performance, and foster a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.

Requirements

• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in logistics, transportation, import operations, supply chain, or related disciplines.
• Experience managing complex transportation networks and third-party service providers.
• Proven experience managing import logistics operations, domestic transportation networks, carrier relationships, and logistics service providers.
• Demonstrated success leading transportation transformations, operational implementations, network optimization efforts, and continuous improvement programs.
• Strong understanding of import logistics, drayage operations, domestic transportation, carrier management, freight procurement, transportation compliance, and logistics best practices.
• Strong financial acumen with experience managing budgets, forecasts, transportation spend, accruals, claims, cost reduction programs, and transportation-related P&L performance.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and manage KPI frameworks, performance scorecards, analytics, and reporting processes.
• Proven experience negotiating transportation contracts, managing strategic supplier relationships, and holding providers accountable for service and financial performance.
• Strong executive presence with the ability to influence senior leadership and lead cross-functional initiatives.
• Demonstrated ability to balance strategic planning with disciplined execution.
• Experience leading, developing, and retaining high-performing teams.
• Working knowledge of transportation management systems (TMS), SAP, freight audit and payment processes, transportation analytics, managed transportation services, and logistics reporting tools.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint.
• Strong presentation and communication skills with demonstrated experience presenting to executive leadership and large cross-functional groups.
• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Operations Management, Logistics, or related field required.
• Ability to sit and use the computer for extended periods of time.
• Ability to answer phones and use a variety of office equipment.
• Ability to lift 15 pounds and reach overhead.

Nice To Haves

• MBA preferred.
• APICS, ASCM, CSCMP, Lean, or Six Sigma certification preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight of Dole's import logistics operations, ensuring efficient flow of goods from port arrival to final delivery.
• Serve as the primary liaison between drayage providers, ocean carriers, customs brokers, warehouses, and internal stakeholders for seamless product movement.
• Ensure timely container retrieval, return activities, demurrage and detention mitigation, and overall port-to-warehouse execution.
• Monitor and improve logistics performance through operational reporting, KPI management, exception management, and service recovery.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance visibility, reduce costs, improve transit performance, and strengthen operational execution.
• Provide strategic leadership and oversight of Dole's domestic transportation operations, optimizing cost and network performance while meeting customer service requirements.
• Lead transportation strategy, carrier sourcing, capacity planning, routing optimization, and performance management for the domestic freight network.
• Establish operating standards and governance processes for consistent execution, service reliability, and network efficiency.
• Develop, monitor, and drive accountability for key transportation KPIs, including Primary Tender Acceptance (PTA), On-Time Pickup (OTP), On-Time Delivery (OTD), routing guide compliance, transportation cost, and carrier performance.
• Lead regular carrier business reviews, routing guide governance, and Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) to evaluate performance and identify improvement opportunities.
• Manage carrier relationships and network capacity to ensure carriers meet Dole's service, cost, compliance, and operational performance requirements.
• Partner with Customer Operations, Sales, Warehousing, Planning, and Supply Chain teams to achieve customer service objectives and maintain cost discipline.
• Establish strong governance processes with carriers, drayage providers, freight brokers, and logistics service providers, holding them accountable for performance.
• Lead carrier performance reviews, corrective action plans, and continuous improvement initiatives with partners.
• Manage strategic relationships with 4PL partners for transportation management systems (TMS), managed transportation services, analytics, and operational support.
• Drive resolution of transportation, capacity, service, and customer-related issues, implementing sustainable corrective actions.
• Lead carrier procurement, transportation contract negotiations, pricing discussions, statements of work, and commercial reviews.
• Identify opportunities to improve service levels, reduce costs, mitigate risk, and strengthen transportation network performance.
• Support transportation RFPs, strategic sourcing initiatives, network studies, and carrier selection processes.
• Own logistics and transportation financial performance, including budget management, forecasting, accrual accuracy, cost optimization, and expense control.
• Provide disciplined P&L management and ensure operational decisions align with financial objectives.
• Utilize KPI reporting, transportation analytics, and financial analysis to improve service, productivity, and business results.
• Ensure accurate transportation invoicing, carrier settlements, claims management, financial controls, and compliance.
• Champion a culture of continuous improvement through best practices, operational discipline, data-driven decision making, and process optimization.
• Lead initiatives to improve service performance, network efficiency, cost management, transportation visibility, and customer satisfaction.
• Drive standardization of transportation processes, reporting, and performance management.
• Ensure logistics operations consistently support customer service expectations through disciplined execution and proactive communication.
• Build, coach, and develop a high-performing logistics organization.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, ownership, and continuous learning.
• Develop future leaders and build organizational capabilities for long-term supply chain objectives.
• Lead special projects, business initiatives, and cross-functional efforts.
• Provide logistics leadership and expertise for evolving business needs, transportation transformations, and network optimization.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Consideration for remote candidates in eligible locations.
• Pay scales are subject to review and updates.
• All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, sex, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or on the basis of disability.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director