Senior Manager, Forward and Reverse Transportation

NewAge Products Inc • Remote, ON, CA, ON

38d • CA$130,000 - CA$160,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

NewAge Products is seeking a results-driven Senior Manager of Forward and Reverse Transportation to lead and optimize our end-to-end transportation network — spanning outbound final-mile delivery, reverse logistics, and claims management — across Canada and the United States. This role owns both forward network optimization and carrier strategy, as well as end-to-end resolution of complex, high-impact returns and claims exceptions, driving cost efficiency, scalability, operational compliance, and a superior customer experience.

The ideal candidate brings strong analytical capability, senior leadership experience, and deep expertise in residential final-mile delivery models — including pallet-based pricing, dimensional rating, and CzarLite rate structures — alongside proven command of reverse logistics and claims operations. A critical component of this role is the ability to analyze complex data sets, identify trends, and translate findings into clear, executive-ready insights, including regular presentations to the COO and senior leadership. This individual will leverage AI tools and modern analytics platforms to build automated dashboards, surface patterns, and drive continuous improvement across both forward and reverse transportation flows.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or diploma in Supply Chain, Logistics, Business, Data Analytics, or a related field (required).
• 10+ years of experience in transportation, logistics, or supply chain, including direct experience in North America ground transportation within a 3PL, distribution, and final-mile home delivery environment with field operations execution.
• Minimum 3+ years in a leadership or managerial role; experience managing offshore teams is an asset.
• Proven experience managing final-mile delivery networks as well as reverse logistics and claims operations in North America.
• Strong understanding of freight rating structures, including CzarLite and dimensional pricing.
• Home delivery experience required.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (mandatory).
• Experience with ERP systems such as SAP Business One or similar.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Access, PowerPoint, Project).
• Demonstrated ability to leverage AI tools to automate reporting, uncover operational patterns, and drive efficiency.
• Strong analytical and financial acumen; ability to synthesize complex data into clear insights and develop strategic recommendations.
• Advanced negotiation and vendor management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present confidently to executive audiences.
• A genuine curiosity about AI and emerging technologies; proactively seeks out and applies AI tools to improve workflows and eliminate manual effort.
• High adaptability in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Strong leadership and team development capabilities.
• Attention to detail and a strong focus on quality and accuracy.

Nice To Haves

• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt preferred
• PLog, CITT, or equivalent logistics certification preferred

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute end-to-end (forward and reverse) transportation strategies to improve cost, service levels, and scalability.
• Design and continuously optimize the final-mile delivery and reverse logistics networks across North America.
• Identify opportunities for carrier consolidation, expansion, and mode optimization.
• Lead carrier sourcing initiatives, including RFP development, evaluation, and selection.
• Negotiate competitive rate structures and service agreements with transportation partners.
• Manage and strengthen relationships with 3PLs and final-mile carriers to ensure consistent service performance across forward and reverse flows.
• Monitor carrier KPIs and drive accountability through structured performance reviews.
• Oversee daily outbound transportation operations, ensuring seamless execution of order routing and shipping logic.
• Ensure adherence to delivery SLAs, service expectations, and customer experience standards.
• Partner cross-functionally with Warehousing, Customer Service, and Planning teams to resolve operational challenges.
• Own end-to-end resolution of operational exceptions across returns, ensuring timely and cost-effective outcomes.
• Oversee returns processing, disposition, and recovery strategies.
• Partner with distribution centers and carriers to optimize reverse logistics flow.
• Drive cost reduction through improved return classification and recovery.
• Act as an escalation point for high-risk, customer-critical issues.
• Develop frameworks to identify root causes and prevent repeat exceptions.
• Lead freight, damage, loss, and service claims from investigation through settlement.
• Ensure timely, accurate documentation and recovery.
• Partner with carriers to drive improvements and reduce financial exposure.
• Develop and maintain cost models to evaluate freight spend and identify savings opportunities across forward and reverse networks.
• Manage the transportation budget, including forecasting and variance analysis.
• Analyze rate structures (including pallet, dimensional, and tariff-based pricing) to optimize spend.
• Build and maintain automated exception tracking dashboards that provide real-time visibility into returns, claims, and financial exposure across the operation.
• Apply AI tools to identify patterns, anomalies, and root causes within transportation and exceptions data, translating findings into actionable recommendations that prevent recurrence and reduce cost.
• Generate executive-ready reports with minimal manual intervention, leveraging automation to ensure accuracy, consistency, and timely delivery.
• Prepare and deliver strategic recommendations and reporting to the COO and senior leadership on a regular cadence, communicating both the story behind the data and the recommended path forward.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of transportation coordinators, auditors, and exceptions specialists, including offshore teams where applicable.
• Establish performance metrics and accountability frameworks for the team.
• Drive a culture of continuous improvement, analytical rigor, and operational excellence.
• Coach team members to enhance both technical and problem-solving capabilities.
• Identify and implement process improvements, including leveraging automation and AI-driven tools to streamline workflows.
• Stay current on industry trends, technologies, and best practices in transportation, last-mile delivery, and reverse logistics.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to align transportation initiatives with broader business objectives.

Benefits

• Salary and bonus is based on experience and highly competitive for the right candidate.
• This is an existing vacancy and the base salary range for this position is $130,000 to $160,000 annually (CAD) at the time of the posting.
• Benefits Package
• An opportunity within a growing, fast-paced company, well established in its industry.
• Fun! We celebrate successes and hold special events to build strong teams.

What This Job Offers

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