Freight Forwarding - Sr Mgr, Planning

CJ Logistics HR Team•Des Plaines, IL

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Planning Senior Manager oversees North American Freight Forwarding planning and is responsible for the integrity of internal reporting to senior leadership and for providing reliable, accurate site-level financial support to facility management and customers. The role works closely with Transportation Operations, Corporate Accounting, IT, and Accounts Receivable to develop, maintain, and continually improve the processes and systems that support day-to-day activities and enable efficient collaboration across the company. The position provides strategic and operational leadership for Freight Forwarding finance, including freight bill payments, customer invoicing, reporting, close processes, budgets and forecasts, capital budgeting, and internal controls. It supports the Managing Director with analysis and other financial, management, and operational needs; leads standardization and process improvements across locations; and analyzes operating expenses, labor productivity, and profitability to inform business decisions. This is a hybrid position based in the Des Plaines, Illinois office, with regular onsite presence required four days per week or as otherwise directed. Occasional travel to other CJ facilities or customer locations may be required, up to 20%. Flexible hours may be needed to support deadlines or cross-functional collaboration. The role operates in a professional, climate-controlled office environment and is largely sedentary, with occasional standing, walking, reaching, stooping, or lifting up to 10 pounds.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, logistics business, or a related field.
10 or more years of experience in a client-facing or account management role.
Well-developed problem-solving skills and ability to work independently to resolve issues.
Detail orientation and excellent analytical and organizational skills.
Excellent customer service skills and demonstrated ability to build relationships across the organization and with all levels of management.
Demonstrated experience managing complex projects, multiple priorities, and strict deadlines.
Significant project roles in two or more systems conversions.
Success generating leads and moving them through the pipeline.
Excellent communication skills, including communicating effectively across vertical and horizontal organizational levels and with client organizations.
Proven problem-solving success and aptitude for identifying strategic solutions with enterprise-wide implications.
Flexibility to work across diverse corporate environments, industries, and audiences.
Strong knowledge of accounting and finance principles, with prior P&L ownership.
Ability to travel as needed, up to 20%.

Nice To Haves

At least two years of experience in an international logistics or transportation environment is preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic and operational leadership for Freight Forwarding finance, including monitoring freight bill payments and customer invoicing.
Develop and maintain process documentation and monitor metrics tracking key performance indicators.
Monitor carrier freight bill and customer invoice processing to ensure payments and invoicing are timely and accurate.
Maintain accurate SO and PO accrual reports and manage aging within KPIs.
Ensure accurate customer invoicing and resolve customer invoicing inquiries through effective systems use and communication.
Monitor internal functions and update databases with current rate tables and other time-sensitive information.
Develop strategic process improvements to improve quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of Freight Forwarding finance functions and internal controls, while increasing accuracy and decreasing fraud and error risk.
Review and revise policies and procedures as needed.
Provide leadership and direction for system development across the systems used by Freight Forwarding finance.
Develop relationships with internal and external systems support personnel and serve as the systems subject matter expert within Freight Forwarding finance.
Execute timely, accurate close processes across locations, including reporting, analysis, and account reconciliations; manage North American Freight Forwarding P&Ls and customer sales volume reports.
Support the Managing Director with analysis, information requests, and financial, management, and operational needs.
Lead and implement accounting best practices, standardization, and streamlining across locations.
Evaluate operating expenses, labor productivity, and profitability by customer, job, or facility to support business decisions.
Analyze data, drive action, and investigate and explain variances or unusual items.
Ensure compliance with policies, procedures, and internal controls.
Coordinate with operations, sales, and corporate shared services to support optimal efficiencies.
Lead and support budget and forecast preparation and investigate and explain variances.
Manage North American Freight Forwarding capital budgeting and spending requests.
Support corporate information requests, including reporting, audits, and special projects.
Perform other related duties as assigned or required.