Rail Logistics & Distribution Manager

Ostara•Saint Louis, MO

7h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Rail Logistics & Distribution Manager is responsible for leading and executing Ostara’s finished goods distribution network with primary accountability for railcar fleet management, rail and truck transportation execution, warehouse and 3PL capacity strategy, and delivered-cost performance. This role is both strategic and hands-on, owning the day-to-day performance of the rail, trucking, and warehouse network while building the processes, systems, and visibility needed to scale efficiently. The role ensures finished goods move from production facility to end customer safely, reliably, and cost effectively across domestic and international markets. This includes ownership of railcar utilization, trucking coordination, carrier and warehouse partner performance, demurrage and other transportation-related costs, and continuous improvement initiatives. The successful candidate is a self-starter with an owner’s mindset, comfortable operating in ambiguity, solving problems directly, and building a disciplined, scalable logistics function.

Requirements

Deep expertise in rail logistics and railcar fleet management
Strong understanding of trucking operations and carrier management
Experience managing warehouse, terminal, and 3PL storage capacity
Strong understanding of international logistics, import/export processes, and related documentation requirements
Demonstrated ability to manage transportation providers and hold vendors accountable to performance expectations
Strong analytical capability across cost modeling, KPIs, and logistics performance
Experience integrating logistics operations across ERP, TMS, and operational systems
Ability to operate both strategically and tactically in a fast-paced environment
Strong communication and cross-functional leadership skills
High sense of ownership, urgency, and accountability
Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Business, or related field preferred
7+ years of experience in transportation, logistics, or distribution roles
Hands-on experience managing railcar fleets and rail transportation execution
Experience managing trucking operations and multimodal logistics
Experience working with third-party warehouse and storage providers
Experience with international logistics, import/export, customs, and cross-border shipments
Experience in manufacturing, fertilizer, agriculture, bulk materials, or asset-intensive industries

Responsibilities

Own the performance of the railcar fleet, including availability, utilization, cycle time, dwell time, maintenance coordination, and lease effectiveness
Manage and oversee day-to-day rail and trucking execution across shipments, returns, storage, and customer deliveries
Coordinate directly with railroads, trucking carriers, railcar lessors, repair providers, terminals, and third-party logistics partners to resolve delays and improve performance
Ensure reliable transportation capacity across rail and truck modes to meet production and customer requirements
Minimize demurrage, switching, storage, and other transportation-related fees through proactive management and escalation
Maintain full visibility of railcar and shipment status, billing, documentation, and movement across the network
Ensure all regulatory requirements and certifications for domestic and international transportation are met
Lead the strategy and execution for contracted warehouse and storage capacity across the distribution network (domestic and international)
Identify, secure, and optimize third-party warehouse space to support seasonality, congestion management, and customer service
Manage relationships with warehouse, terminal, and storage partners, including service levels, capacity commitments, and performance reviews
Evaluate and adjust network footprint based on demand, cost, and service requirements
Own total logistics cost performance for the distribution network, including railcar lease expenses, freight (rail and truck), warehouse costs, demurrage, and transportation-related fees
Analyze logistics data to improve delivered cost, service reliability, and asset utilization
Develop and manage KPIs including railcar turns, utilization, dwell time, warehouse utilization, on-time delivery, and cost per shipment
Partner with Finance, Sales, and Operations to support margin analysis, accruals, budgeting, and performance reporting
Pursue recovery of costs from third parties where applicable
Partner daily with plant operations, sales, and finance to align production schedules, inventory, shipment timing, and customer commitments
Own on-time delivery performance and customer service reliability across the distribution network
Lead issue resolution for transportation, storage, and delivery disruptions
Support decisions on inventory positioning, customer sourcing, and network flow strategy
Provide operational input on material handling, loading/unloading, and storage practices to improve logistics efficiency
Own transportation and distribution planning required to execute the S&OP plan, including railcar allocation, trucking strategy, warehouse positioning, and capacity planning
Translate S&OP supply plans into executable transportation and network flow plans, adjusting for real-time constraints and operational conditions
Own overall design, integration, and improvement of logistics systems, including TMS and its integration with ERP and production systems
Ensure integration between transportation execution, production planning, inventory management, and financial systems
Establish system standards and processes to ensure consistent, accurate logistics data across all operations
Establish real-time visibility of railcar status, shipments, inventory, and cost data across systems
Develop dashboards, reporting tools, and data structures to support decision-making and financial visibility
Partner with IT and external vendors to improve system capabilities, automate manual processes, and enhance data accuracy
Serve as the accountable owner for logistics system performance, visibility, and reporting outputs
Build and standardize SOPs, controls, and workflows to reduce manual effort and key-person dependency
Improve forward planning of rail, truck, and warehouse flows to reduce congestion, improve asset utilization, and lower costs
Identify and implement process and system improvements to strengthen planning, execution, and visibility
Provide leadership, coaching, and performance management for team members, including a Supply Chain Supervisor
Foster a responsive, accountable, and service-oriented logistics function
Other duties as assigned