Logistics Analyst

Calumet•Indianapolis, IN

11d

About The Position

The Rail Freight Analyst manages rail transportation pricing, procurement, routing, waybill data integrity, and carrier relationships in support of the organization’s transportation strategy. The position serves as a subject matter expert for rail freight operations, including railroad negotiations, rate management, rail routing, EDI transaction monitoring, waybill validation, and network analysis. It works closely with Sales, Customer Service, Transportation, Supply Chain, and railroad partners to support accurate pricing, reliable transportation execution, data integrity, and ongoing cost optimization. The role also supports rail quoting, route management, waybill validation, carrier procurement, and EDI oversight. It contributes to transportation budgeting, forecasting, network analysis, strategic planning, system enhancements, and process documentation.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Business, Transportation, Finance, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
At least 3 years of experience in transportation, logistics, freight procurement, railroad operations, or transportation analytics.
Experience with railroad pricing, carrier negotiations, freight procurement, or rail transportation management.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and data management skills.
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and transportation reporting tools.
Excellent communication, organizational, and stakeholder management skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience with SAP Transportation Management (SAP TM) or similar transportation systems.
Knowledge of rail waybill processes, railroad billing practices, and EDI 404 transactions.
Experience leading transportation RFQs and carrier sourcing events.
Experience with transportation data governance, master data management, and process improvement initiatives.

Responsibilities

Negotiate rail freight rates, contracts, and service agreements with Class I and short-line railroad carriers to support business objectives and cost-reduction initiatives.
Develop and provide rail freight quotes for Sales, Customer Service, and business stakeholders.
Lead railroad RFQ activities, including bid solicitation, carrier analysis, proposal comparisons, and award recommendations.
Analyze rail transportation markets, lane activity, and freight volumes to identify optimization and cost-saving opportunities.
Maintain railroad pricing, tariff rates, contract rates, and freight agreements in transportation management and pricing systems.
Create, maintain, and optimize rail transportation routes, ensuring routing accuracy, carrier selection, transit-time validation, and compliance with operational requirements.
Validate rail waybill data for accuracy and completeness, including routing, station identification, rate application, billing accuracy, and railroad requirements.
Monitor and maintain EDI 404 transaction integrity between internal systems and railroad partners.
Investigate and resolve EDI failures, data discrepancies, mapping issues, transmission errors, and waybill exceptions.
Analyze rail billing discrepancies, EDI exceptions, and waybill errors, and implement corrective actions.
Partner with Information Technology, Customer Service, Transportation, and railroad representatives on system enhancements, EDI integration improvements, and data governance initiatives.
Develop and maintain reporting and analytics on rail spend, freight volumes, route utilization, and procurement activities.
Support transportation budgeting, forecasting, network analysis, and strategic planning through freight and market analysis.
Create and maintain standard operating procedures, work instructions, training materials, and process documentation for rail freight operations.
Serve as the primary rail transportation subject matter expert and guide internal stakeholders on rail pricing, routing, waybilling, EDI transactions, and carrier requirements.
Perform additional duties and special projects as assigned.