Operations Manager of Freight Forwarding (Mon-Fri 8:00am-4:30pm)
RK Logistics Group, Incā¢Fremont, CA
ā¢$110,000 - $120,000ā¢Onsite
About The Position
The Freight Forwarding Operations Manager is responsible for owning and leading end-to-end domestic and international freight forwarding operations across all modes of transportation. This role drives operational performance, service execution, regulatory compliance, and profitability within a high-volume, fast-paced logistics environment. This position serves as the operational leader for freight forwarding activities, ensuring efficient shipment execution, strong carrier performance, and consistent delivery of high-quality service. The Manager acts as the primary escalation point for complex issues, while developing processes, optimizing trade lanes, and building a high-performing team.
Requirements
- Minimum of 5 years of hands-on freight forwarding operations experience
- Minimum of 3 years of leadership or direct people management experience
- Experience managing multimodal international freight operations required
- Experience working with global partners, carriers, and regulatory agencies preferred
- Deep knowledge of domestic and international freight forwarding operations across all modes
- Strong understanding of trade lane optimization, carrier management, and cost control strategies
- Expertise in regulatory compliance, risk mitigation, and global shipping requirements
- Proficiency in CargoWise Transportation System, ACE portal, CASS, and Microsoft Office applications
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities
- Effective communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills
- Demonstrated ability to drive both operational performance and financial results
- Adherence to all RK Safety, Quality, ISO and HR policies and standards.
Nice To Haves
- Experience working with global partners, carriers, and regulatory agencies
Responsibilities
- Own end-to-end operational performance across domestic and international freight forwarding services, including service delivery, cost control, and customer satisfaction
- Oversee execution of multimodal shipments (FTL, LTL, air, ocean, and consolidations), ensuring timely, accurate, and compliant delivery
- Serve as the primary escalation point for complex, time-sensitive, or high-value shipments, driving rapid resolution
- Manage shipment lifecycle activities including booking, routing, documentation, tracking, and exception management
- Coordinate closely with carriers, customs brokers, cartage and drayage providers, and global partners to ensure seamless operations
- Oversee import/export documentation to ensure accuracy and compliance with international trade regulations
- Drive shipment and account-level profitability through cost control, trade lane optimization, and carrier selection strategies
- Analyze operational and financial data to identify margin improvement opportunities and cost efficiencies
- Support pricing and quoting strategies by providing market intelligence, capacity insights, and cost analysis
- Partner with leadership on carrier negotiations and performance management to ensure competitive pricing and service reliability
- Balance service expectations with cost efficiency to maintain strong customer and financial outcomes
- Develop, implement, and enforce standard operating procedures (SOPs) across all freight forwarding activities
- Establish and manage KPIs and SLAs to ensure consistent operational performance and accountability
- Identify inefficiencies and lead continuous improvement initiatives to streamline workflows and reduce errors
- Standardize processes across modes and trade lanes to improve consistency and scalability
- Leverage systems and tools to enhance visibility, reporting, and operational control
- Own compliance across all freight forwarding activities, ensuring adherence to international trade regulations and company standards
- Act as the subject matter expert on Incoterms, customs procedures, TSA IAC Known Shipper requirements, and CTPAT standards
- Implement and enforce carrier vetting processes to mitigate fraud risk, validate carrier identity, and ensure proper insurance coverage
- Reduce risk of loss or damage through effective routing, packaging oversight, and carrier selection
- Investigate claims and service failures, performing root cause analysis and implementing corrective actions
- Maintain required certifications and programs including Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) and sustainability initiatives such as SmartWay
- Lead, develop, and manage operations staff, driving accountability, performance, and engagement
- Set clear performance expectations and monitor productivity through measurable outcomes and performance metrics
- Participate in hiring, onboarding, and workforce planning to support operational needs and growth
- Provide ongoing coaching, training, and development to build team capability and bench strength
- Foster a culture of urgency, accuracy, collaboration, and customer focus
- Partner with customers to resolve service issues, improve processes, and strengthen long-term relationships
- Participate in client communications, reviews, and performance discussions as the operational representative
- Communicate proactively with internal and external stakeholders regarding shipment status, risks, and resolutions
- Ensure a high level of responsiveness and service quality across all customer interactions
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Manager
Education Level
No Education Listed
