Manager Trainee

J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. • Chicago, IL

12d • $52,409 - $63,400

About The Position

Under general supervision, the Manager Trainee learns to manage a small driver count and/or non-traditional shifts, including nights and weekends. The role supports the safe, timely movement of freight through load assignment and planning, routing, monitoring, and delivery, while providing high-quality customer service. The trainee learns to ensure compliance with Department of Transportation regulations and company requirements, coordinating with internal and external contacts to support accurate freight operations.

The position develops skills in driver and personnel management, fleet efficiency and profitability, customer reporting and financial analysis, inventory and asset management, administrative duties, yard and equipment oversight, service issue resolution, safety programs, and freight planning. Regional relocation may be required depending on account assignment, and travel to account, customer, or company event locations may be needed.

The expected starting pay range is $52,409–$63,400. Starting pay may vary based on skills, education, experience, geography, and other qualifications. The position may be eligible for annual bonuses and incentives based on profitability or volumes, subject to the applicable company plans. It is not eligible for employment-based sponsorship.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Transportation/Logistics, Supply Chain, or a related field; alternatively, a high school diploma/GED with one year of experience in management, transportation/logistics, business administration, account management, or a related field, and/or equivalent military experience.
• Willingness to travel to account, customer, and company event locations when applicable.
• Ability to work across multiple shifts, including nights and/or weekends if needed.
• Willingness to relocate regionally depending on account assignment.

Nice To Haves

• Experience managing a team.
• Ability to anticipate, recognize, and effectively address existing or potential conflicts at the individual, group, or situation level.
• Ability to analyze situations accurately and make productive decisions based on informed judgment.
• Ability to adapt to changing environments.
• Ability to establish and maintain healthy working relationships with clients, vendors, and peers.
• Ability to meet or exceed team and driver needs and expectations and provide excellent service directly or indirectly.
• Ability to effectively transmit, receive, and accurately interpret ideas through various mediums.
• Ability to recognize, anticipate, and resolve organizational, operational, or process problems.

Responsibilities

• Learn to build and maintain professional relationships with drivers and safe, reliable outside carriers; support carrier setup, retention, and productivity.
• Fill in for absent or unavailable personnel and work on special projects to optimize fleet operations and profitability.
• Learn personnel management, including training and orienting drivers or employees and providing assistance with internal and third-party customer systems.
• Develop proficiency in improving fleet efficiency and profitability, recommending continuous improvement, measuring key performance indicators, and preparing and presenting customer-specific reporting and financial analyses.
• Learn to manage inventory, assets, customer pools, and driver assignments to balance equipment in the market.
• Learn administrative duties, including payroll, Net-Revenue budget management, driver counseling, accident reviews, filing and documentation, pay issue resolution, P&L analysis, invoicing, and operational or financial reporting.
• Learn yard management, including inspecting equipment, replacing parts, completing repairs, and coordinating scheduled preventive maintenance and repairs of safety-related mechanical issues.
• Work with drivers, customers, and company personnel to resolve service, routing, planning, mechanical, and accessorial pay issues, including when on call where necessary.
• Learn to maintain the company safety culture through daily safety messages, monthly safety briefings, quarterly driver training, annual reviews, and enforcement of company and DOT safety requirements.
• Learn to assign loads and plan, route, and monitor freight to provide safe, on-time service and meet customer requirements, including managing freight exceptions and adjusting driver ETAs based on schedules and road conditions.

Benefits

• Medical benefit
• Dental benefit
• Vision benefit
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Life insurance
• Short-term and long-term disability coverage
• Paid time off commensurate with tenure, including vacation and sick time
• Six weeks of paid maternity leave
• Two weeks of paid parental leave
• Six paid holidays annually
• May be eligible for annual bonus and incentives based on profitability or volumes, subject to company plans

What This Job Offers

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