Logistics Manager, Team Lead 2

Transportation Insight•Hickory, NC

10d•Onsite

About The Position

The Logistics Manager, Team Lead is a player-coach role combining direct ownership of a client portfolio with day-to-day leadership of a team of Logistics Managers. The role provides tactical and operational support for assigned clients and may oversee work routed through a shared queue. It is accountable for client connectivity, timely and accurate handling of requests, consistent delivery of contracted solutions, measurable client value, client retention, operational excellence, and metrics delivery for both individual accounts and the team portfolio. The position partners closely with Account Managers and Strategic Account Managers on strategic initiatives, upsell opportunities, and building broad client relationships. It also serves as a key escalation and coordination point for the Logistics Manager team. The role monitors portfolio health and risks, reinforces consistent practices, supports continuous improvement, and provides coaching, training, workload coordination, and performance support to team members. This is a full-time, benefits-eligible position scheduled for 30 hours per week, Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The work is generally performed in a standard indoor office environment with moderate noise. Up to 10% travel may be required for client visits, leadership meetings, and industry events.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business administration, supply chain management, logistics, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
At least 4–6 years of experience in the transportation or logistics industry, including at least 1–2 years in a senior individual contributor, lead, or informal people-lead capacity.
Demonstrated experience managing a client portfolio with measurable responsibility for client retention, service performance, and financial outcomes.
Experience in a lead individual contributor or informal leadership role in Client Services, logistics operations, or a similar environment.
Experience mentoring, training, or onboarding team members in a fast-paced, process-driven setting.
Prior experience working within a queue-based or ticketing support model.
Experience supporting workload distribution, prioritization, or workflow coordination across a team.
Strong technical skills with Microsoft applications, particularly heavy Excel use, Transportation Management Systems, Optimization Engines, Salesforce.com, and reporting or BI tools.
Leadership and coaching skills, including influencing without authority, developing talent, and fostering accountability and continuous improvement.
Strong critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, including resolving complex operational and client issues.
Excellent written, oral, and presentation skills for communicating with internal stakeholders and external clients, including executive-level contacts.
Ability to take ownership, accept new challenges, self-manage, and balance competing priorities across client work and team leadership.
Strong understanding of transportation management systems, ticketing platforms, and operational workflows.
Ability to assess priorities, make sound decisions quickly, and adapt to changing conditions.
Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities accurately and consistently.
Ability to provide clear direction, reinforce expectations, and ensure alignment.
Ability to identify patterns, troubleshoot issues, and recommend practical process improvements.
Demonstrated ability to collaborate across teams to resolve issues and improve service outcomes.
High accountability, attention to detail, and commitment to consistent execution.
Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to build trust, provide feedback, and support peers.
Ability to maintain a stationary position for extended periods, move about the office, operate computers and files, and frequently communicate with others.
Ability to occasionally lift boxes weighing up to 20 pounds.

Nice To Haves

Industry certifications such as APICS, CSCP, or Lean Six Sigma.

Responsibilities

Lead a team of Logistics Managers as a player-coach, balancing personal client responsibilities with active team leadership.
Provide day-to-day direction, coaching, and feedback on client management, analysis, communication, and adherence to company standards.
Balance workloads, set priorities, and plan coverage to meet client commitments, including during peak periods and absences.
Partner with Client Services leadership on goal setting, performance reviews, development plans, and recognition.
Identify skills gaps and training needs, and coordinate or deliver targeted training and best-practice sharing.
Act as an escalation point for internal and external stakeholders, ensuring timely resolution and clear communication.
Represent the Logistics Manager team in internal forums, initiatives, and projects, conveying feedback between the team and leadership.
Support recruitment, interviewing, onboarding, and training of new Logistics Managers as needed.
Own tactical and operational execution for an assigned client portfolio, ensuring delivery of solutions defined in commercial agreements, including work routed through a shared queue.
Strengthen client connectivity and ensure client requests are handled accurately, promptly, and in a way that demonstrates value and supports retention.
Coordinate with cross-functional partners to achieve operational objectives and milestones for assigned clients.
Collaborate with Account Managers and Strategic Account Managers on client communications and relationship development.
Assist Account Managers and Strategic Account Managers in identifying upsell opportunities outside current commercial agreement scopes.
Own delivery of assigned clients’ metrics and KPIs, proactively addressing performance gaps.
Represent the voice of the customer and facilitate continuous improvement plans with clients and internal stakeholders.
Monitor the health, performance, and risk profile of the team’s client portfolio, escalating important risks and opportunities to Client Services leadership.
Standardize and reinforce practices for reporting, project tracking, meeting cadence, and client communication.
Promote consistent execution of tactical work, including carrier operations, day-to-day issue remediation, and invoicing, in line with processes, controls, and quality expectations.
Lead or support team continuous-improvement initiatives, including process enhancements, automation opportunities, and standard work.
Collaborate on reports, project trackers, and business alignment meetings that show progress toward client and portfolio goals.
Perform or oversee tactical responsibilities and provide guidance to the team in those areas, as directed.
Own or delegate ad hoc analysis, such as mode-specific spend and shipping volumes, transit times, and mode comparisons, ensuring timely and high-quality deliverables.
Provide monthly metrics analysis and oversee preparation of client analytics and recommendations for improving cost, service, and efficiency while meeting operational requirements.
Support client and internal requests concerning pricing, contracted lane rates, and other client-specific data or analysis.
Perform other duties as assigned.