Senior Manager, Network Transportation

CarParts.com•Long Beach, CA

4d•$120,000 - $150,000•Onsite

About The Position

CarParts.com is the go-to eCommerce platform for auto care and maintenance. We provide drivers with quality parts at competitive prices and enable them to schedule appointments with trusted mechanics directly through our website. Using world-class design principles and the latest technologies, we deliver a fast, intuitive digital experience backed by our company-owned national distribution network. With over 1,000 employees worldwide, we are scaling rapidly, fueled by our most recent strategic partnership and $35 million investment. This positions us for the next phase of growth as we continue to empower drivers along their journey. At CarParts.com, our culture goes beyond our core values of Safety First, Customer Focused, and Commitment to Excellence. We are a performance-driven, data-focused, and fast-paced team where results matter and winning is expected. - Hungry & Hardworking: We set ambitious goals, measure progress with clear metrics, and hold ourselves accountable to deliver results. - Promote from Within: We reward top performers with opportunities for growth and advancement. - Collaborative & In-Person: We believe the best ideas and fastest execution happen face-to-face. - High Standards: We move quickly, pay attention to details, and dig deep - whether it’s analyzing contracts, aggregating complex scenarios, or building clear, data-driven presentations. - No Passengers: We value grit, ownership, and the relentless pursuit of results The Network Transportation Manager is a critical, hands-on role responsible for building and scaling our own last mile delivery capability while managing our broader fleet and carrier network across 4 nodes. This is a greenfield opportunity - we are moving from a carrier-dependent model toward owning the last mile, and this person will design and execute that transition. You will own day-to-day performance across the network, manage strategic carrier partnerships during the build, collaborate with our data science team to develop the analytics foundation, and architect the long-term network strategy covering national, regional, and own-carrier operations. Building our own last mile is the priority. That means standing up the operational infrastructure - routes, drivers, vehicles, compliance, technology - while simultaneously managing the third-party carrier relationships that bridge us to that future state. You will set the 3-, 6-, and 12-month planning horizons for both the transition and the broader network, while also being the person who picks up the phone when a lane goes down today.

Requirements

6+ years of experience in transportation operations, network management, or supply chain logistics — with meaningful exposure to owned/private fleet or own last mile operations
Hands-on experience building or operating an owned last mile delivery program — you have stood up routes, managed drivers, and know what it takes to make unit economics work
Direct experience with both middle mile and last mile operations; you understand the cost structure, service dynamics, and failure modes of each — and how they interact
Proven track record managing carrier relationships end-to-end: sourcing, contracting, performance management, and escalation resolution
Experience operating across multiple distribution or fulfillment nodes (3+ preferred)
Demonstrated ability to build and own 3-, 6-, and 12-month operational plans including labor, capacity, and carrier forecasting
Working knowledge of DOT regulations, Hours of Service (HOS), carrier compliance requirements, and transportation safety standards
Strong analytical skills — comfortable building reports, interpreting transportation data, identifying trends, and driving decisions from metrics
Proven ability to develop and implement SOPs, policies, and process improvements in a logistics or distribution environment
Excellent communication skills — equally effective with carriers, warehouse teams, data scientists, and the CFO
Builder mentality: you have operated without a fully built infrastructure and found it energizing, not frustrating

Nice To Haves

Experience designing or contributing to long-term transportation network strategy — carrier mix modeling, node architecture, own-fleet business cases
Background at a growth-stage or startup logistics company where you built processes from scratch
Familiarity with TMS platforms, route optimization tools, or carrier API/EDI integrations
Experience as a collaborator or product owner with a data science or engineering team building logistics analytics tools
Deep experience with own/private fleet operations: asset acquisition or leasing, driver hiring and management (W2 and/or contractor models), vehicle maintenance programs, and private fleet P&L
Experience building the business case for insourcing last mile — modeling cost-per-stop, route density, volume thresholds, and make-vs-buy trade-offs
Prior experience at or benchmarking against large-scale operators (e.g., Amazon Logistics, Walmart Transportation, XPO, Echo, Coyote) — you know the playbook and can right-size it for a lean organization

Responsibilities

Lead the design and buildout of PRTS's own last mile delivery operation — this is the core strategic priority of the role
Define the operating model: route structures, driver/vehicle requirements, service zones, delivery windows, and cost-per-stop targets across each node
Build the infrastructure needed to run owned delivery: onboard and manage drivers (W2 or contract), establish vehicle procurement or leasing strategy, and implement last mile technology (route optimization, proof-of-delivery, driver apps)
Develop the business case and phased transition plan for shifting volume from third-party last mile carriers to owned operations — with clear milestones, cost targets, and service benchmarks
Establish DOT compliance, HOS tracking, and driver safety programs from the ground up for the owned fleet
Partner with data science to build the routing, dispatch, and performance analytics that power a scalable owned delivery operation
Own day-to-day transportation operations across all 4 network nodes — on-time performance, cost per unit, exception management, and service recovery
Manage third-party last mile and middle mile carrier partners (national, regional, and spot) through scorecards, SLA reviews, and regular business reviews — these partners bridge the gap while owned last mile scales
Develop, implement, and enforce SOPs, carrier compliance standards, DOT and safety regulations, and operational documentation
Lead carrier sourcing, contract negotiation, and onboarding as the network expands into new geographies and volume tiers
Forecast transportation capacity needs across 3-, 6-, and 12-month horizons to stay ahead of demand and avoid service gaps
Own the long-term transportation network architecture — defining the trajectory from carrier-dependent to owned last mile, and the right mix of national, regional, and own-carrier operations at maturity
Model the financial and operational trade-offs of owned vs. outsourced last mile at different volume thresholds and geographies
Build capacity planning and peak season frameworks; ensure the network is never caught flat-footed during surges
Identify and recommend new node placements, lane optimizations, and carrier diversification opportunities
Partner with senior leadership to translate network strategy into actionable roadmaps with measurable milestones
Serve as the primary business owner and collaborator for transportation analytics with our data science team — define requirements, co-develop tools, and validate outputs
Build and own KPI dashboards covering carrier performance, cost-per-stop, transit times, exception rates, and network utilization
Perform trend analyses to identify underperforming lanes, rising cost drivers, and systemic exceptions — then act on them
Drive automation and process improvements that reduce manual intervention and improve delivery reliability
Establish a data-first operating culture within transportation from day one
Partner with warehouse and fulfillment teams to align inbound/outbound schedules and reduce dwell time across all nodes
Work with Finance on transportation budgeting, cost tracking, carrier rate benchmarking, and variance reporting
Serve as the escalation owner for carrier failures, service disruptions, and network exceptions — resolve fast, document root cause, prevent recurrence
Represent transportation in cross-functional planning meetings; bring visibility, data, and clear recommendations