Implementation Manager

Forward Air Services • Dallas, TX

4d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Implementation Manager owns customer onboarding and implementation activities for new business, ensuring a seamless transition from Sales to Operations. The role translates customer requirements into scalable operational, systems, and compliance solutions; coordinates internal teams and external stakeholders; manages project timelines; and proactively resolves risks before go-live. Working closely with Sales, Operations, IT, Finance, and customers, the Implementation Manager ensures commitments made during the sales process are accurately implemented and supported, helping establish successful long-term customer relationships and operational execution.

The position manages implementations for domestic and international freight forwarding customers from kickoff through handoff. It coordinates international forwarding processes, including customs, trade compliance, documentation, and engagement with stakeholders in multiple countries. The manager validates go-live readiness across processes, systems, reporting, integrations, compliance, and stakeholder expectations; develops working knowledge of TMS and EDI/API integration capabilities; and reviews post-implementation performance, profitability, customer experience metrics, and realization outcomes. The role also identifies process and scalability improvements and facilitates corrective action planning when post-launch results reveal gaps.

The position is hybrid. The employee must be comfortable commuting to and working onsite periodically, as well as traveling for related meetings and events.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business, Industrial Engineering, or a related field; an equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
• Five or more years of experience in freight forwarding, logistics, transportation operations, account management, or a related industry, with exposure to international forwarding operations.
• Working knowledge of freight forwarding operations, customs processes, transportation management systems, and customer onboarding activities.
• Strong project management and organizational skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Demonstrated ability to assess operational impacts, drive issue resolution, and make informed decisions in dynamic environments with incomplete information.
• Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and facilitation skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders at all organizational levels.
• Strong analytical and technical aptitude, including experience interpreting operational and financial performance metrics and evaluating systems capabilities.
• Demonstrated discretion and confidentiality in handling and protecting sensitive information.
• Proficiency with common office technologies, including Windows PCs, Microsoft O365 (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.), and web conferencing tools such as Teams, Zoom, and Webex.
• Comfort commuting to and working onsite periodically, as well as traveling for related meetings and events.

Nice To Haves

• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification or related project management credentials.
• Experience working with global teams and customers across multiple time zones.
• Bilingual proficiency in Spanish.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end implementation strategy and execution for new domestic and international freight forwarding customers, from kickoff through handoff.
• Serve as the primary point of contact among Sales, Operations, IT, Finance, customers, and external partners throughout implementation.
• Gather, assess, and document customer requirements and operational needs, translating them into detailed plans, milestones, and risk assessments.
• Lead cross-functional implementation meetings to align stakeholders on scope, timelines, deliverables, and go-live expectations.
• Coordinate international forwarding processes, including customs, trade compliance, documentation requirements, and multi-country stakeholder engagement.
• Monitor project progress and proactively identify, mitigate, and resolve implementation risks, roadblocks, and scope gaps.
• Validate readiness before go-live by ensuring processes, systems, reporting, integrations, compliance requirements, and stakeholder expectations are aligned.
• Develop working knowledge of transportation management systems (TMS) and EDI/API integration capabilities to support customer onboarding requirements.
• Partner with internal teams to review post-implementation performance, profitability, customer experience metrics, and realization outcomes.
• Facilitate corrective action planning when post-launch results indicate gaps between expectations, execution, and/or commercial commitments.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to customers during onboarding, providing a positive implementation experience and establishing a foundation for long-term partnership.
• Identify opportunities to improve implementation processes, tools, documentation, and organizational scalability.
• Perform other duties as assigned to meet evolving business needs.

What This Job Offers

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