Senior Manager-Commercial Rail Freight - Decatur, IL

Archer Daniels Midland • Decatur, IL

6d • Onsite

About The Position

This is an exempt level position. Partner with transportation leadership to develop and execute North America's rail transportation strategy, ensuring transportation capabilities support commercial growth, mitigate enterprise risk, and optimize ADM's multi-billion-dollar rail transportation portfolio. Serve as a strategic advisor by providing market intelligence, negotiating complex commercial agreements, and leading cross-functional initiatives that strengthen ADM's transportation network and competitive position.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Economics, Agriculture, Supply Chain, Finance, Engineering, or related discipline; MBA preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in trading, commodity merchandising, rail transportation, supply chain strategy, logistics, or commercial operations preferred.
• Grain trading / grain terminal management experience strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated success negotiating complex commercial agreements and building long-term strategic partnerships.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen, with the ability to evaluate market dynamics, influence business strategy, and deliver measurable business results.
• Experience with P&L management and applying financial analysis to support commercial and transportation decisions preferred.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and influence senior stakeholders in a complex, matrixed organization.
• Strategic thinker with strong analytical and data-driven decision-making skills, capable of translating market insights into actionable business strategies.
• Experience operating effectively in fast-paced, high-impact commercial environments, balancing risk, opportunity, and competing business priorities.
• Demonstrated collaboration, change management, and relationship-building skills, with an entrepreneurial mindset and continuous improvement focus.
• Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and executive-level communication skills.
• Advanced proficiency with business intelligence and analytical tools (Power BI, Tableau, Microsoft Office Suite, etc.).
• Commitment to corporate ethics, compliance, and safety.

Responsibilities

• Partner with business unit and transportation leadership to drive and execute rail transportation strategies that support commercial, operational, and growth objectives.
• Evaluate market trends, railroad strategies, competitive dynamics, and regulatory developments to inform strategy, identify opportunities, mitigate risks, and support execution.
• Build and strengthen senior-level relationships with North American railroads and key transportation partners to support long-term business objectives.
• Lead negotiation of complex transportation agreements representing a significant portion of ADM's rail freight spend, balancing cost, service, flexibility, and risk.
• Work closely with the rail transportation team and business unit stakeholders to identify process improvement opportunities, resolve rail transportation-related challenges, and implement solutions that enhance execution excellence, accuracy, service, and business performance.
• Partner with merchandising, trading, operations, logistics, procurement, and commercial teams to align transportation solutions with evolving business priorities.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives that improve transportation efficiency, network optimization, and business processes.
• Develop market intelligence on rail capacity, equipment availability, legislation, and competitive trends to support strategic planning and business continuity.
• Champion continuous improvement through process optimization, technology enhancements, and data-driven decision making.
• Mentor commercial teams by strengthening transportation knowledge and promoting best practices across the organization.

Benefits

• Serve as a strategic partner in managing one of ADM's largest transportation spend categories, influencing billions of dollars in annual commercial activity.
• Advise senior leadership on transportation strategy, market trends, and commercial opportunities.
• Expand enterprise exposure through collaboration with merchandising, trading, operations, and commercial leadership.
• Build executive relationships across the North American rail industry while leading high-impact strategic initiatives and cross-functional projects.

What This Job Offers

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