Manager of Outbound Freight

BELL LUMBER & POLE COMPANY•New Brighton, MN

About The Position

The Manager of Outbound Freight oversees outbound transportation operations across truckload and less-than-truckload carriers, rail, transload facilities, and international shipping modes. The role is responsible for dispatch, routing, load consolidation, equipment availability, rail and fleet operations, and the movement of wood and steel poles. It also oversees cross-border and international shipments, including ocean, air, rail, and trucking, while ensuring customs compliance, export documentation, and effective port and terminal workflows. The manager negotiates with carriers, manages spot-market bidding and contracted rates, analyzes freight costs and accessorial charges, and works with Finance to review invoices and resolve disputes. The position serves as the logistics contact for key accounts, coordinates with Sales and Customer Service, manages escalations, and drives on-time delivery and customer service performance. It establishes operational metrics, analyzes root causes, improves processes through standard operating procedures, and works toward delivery, margin, carrier acceptance, customer SLA, and cost-reduction targets. Other duties and responsibilities may be assigned as needed.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, logistics, business administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant operational experience.
At least 5 years of progressive experience in freight management, dispatch, or outbound logistics.
Proficiency with Transportation Management Systems (TMS), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software such as SAP or Oracle, and routing or dispatch tools.
Solid understanding of international shipping regulations, Incoterms 2020, customs compliance, and export procedures.
Advanced Excel and analytical skills for data modeling, carrier scorecarding, and cost reporting.
Strong negotiation and carrier management capabilities.
Outstanding communication and key account management skills.
High crisis-management capabilities and agility in fast-paced operational environments.

Nice To Haves

Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP), Certified in Logistics, Transportation and Distribution (CLTD), or Customs Specialist certification.
Direct experience in bulk or industrial commodities, or multimodal timber, wood, or heavy freight handling.

Responsibilities

Oversee daily dispatch operations for truckload and less-than-truckload carriers, including routing, load consolidation, and equipment availability.
Direct outbound rail shipping strategies, fleet and car management, rail spot placement, and transload facility operations for wood and steel pole freight.
Oversee cross-border and international shipments by ocean, air, rail, and trucking, ensuring customs compliance, export documentation, and effective port and terminal workflows.
Negotiate with carriers and manage spot-market bidding and contracted rate structures to maintain and improve freight margins.
Analyze freight costs, accessorial fees, detention and demurrage charges, and fuel surcharges to identify savings and protect profitability.
Work with Finance to review and approve freight invoices, ensure compliance with contracted rates, and resolve disputes promptly.
Serve as the primary logistics point of contact for key client accounts, conducting regular reviews and aligning freight strategies with client SLAs.
Collaborate with Sales and Customer Service to provide shipping visibility, proactive updates, and timely problem resolution.
Handle escalations involving delivery delays, freight damage claims, rerouting requests, and customs holds.
Monitor and improve on-time delivery across transport modes through root-cause analysis and carrier scorecarding.
Establish, track, and report operational metrics, including carrier acceptance rates, transit times, freight cost per unit or ton, and customer satisfaction scores.
Identify dispatch, transloading, and documentation bottlenecks and implement lean standard operating procedures.
Meet or maintain delivery targets, including the stated standard target of 95–98% OTD and 99% for key customers.
Maintain target gross freight margins and achieve annual cost-reduction targets.
Maintain primary and secondary carrier tender acceptance rates and minimize spot-market reliance.
Meet or exceed key customer shipping and communication SLAs and minimize non-standard logistics charges across rail, ocean, and motor carriers.
Perform other duties and assume additional responsibilities as needed or requested.