Senior Manager, Transportation (Ambient Logistics)

Kinder's•Walnut Creek, CA

3h•$160,000 - $180,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Kinder’s is seeking an experienced Senior Manager, Ambient Logistics to own the transportation strategy, 4PL partnership, and carrier base behind their shelf-stable business, which includes seasonings, rubs, sauces, and marinades. The company is experiencing rapid growth and is committed to innovation and quality in bringing flavor solutions to consumers. Kinder's has over 100 products sold nationwide and is a top 5 brand in multiple flavor categories. This role is crucial for supporting the company's expansion and mission to bring awesome flavor to consumers everywhere. As the Senior Manager, Ambient Logistics, you will be the single accountable owner for the movement of Dry and Liquid freight from co-manufacturers and internal plants, through warehouses, to retail and club customers nationwide. This is a strategic role where you will define how the 4PL partner operates, hold them accountable, and continuously redesign the network to support scaling. You will manage the relationship with the ambient 4PL partner, establish and govern the routing guide, lead the ambient carrier strategy, and collaborate with consolidation partners to ensure efficient inbound freight movement. Key partnerships will include Sales, Supply Planning, Finance, Operations, and internal Logistics Operations and Analytics teams. The role reports to the Senior Director, Transportation & Logistics Strategy.

Requirements

8+ years of transportation or logistics experience, with at least 3 years in a strategic or leadership role in food, beverage, or consumer goods.
Proven experience owning a 3PL, 4PL, or managed transportation relationship – including contracts, service levels, and performance governance.
Deep knowledge of dry van truckload and LTL markets, carrier procurement, and freight bid management.
Track record of designing or improving transportation networks that scaled with fast growth.
Experience meeting the routing and compliance requirements of large retail and club customers such as Walmart, Costco, and Kroger.
Strong commercial and financial acumen – comfortable negotiating, building cost models, and making trade-offs in the face of incomplete information.
Data-driven mindset with hands-on experience using TMS and BI tools (e.g., Tableau or Power BI); familiarity with SAP a plus.
Working knowledge of AI tools (e.g., generative AI assistants, machine-learning forecasting, AI-enabled TMS and visibility platforms) and how to apply them to transportation decisions, analysis, and partner management.
Excellent communication and influence skills with executives, partners, and cross-functional teams.
Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, or a related field preferred; equivalent experience considered.

Responsibilities

Develop and own the multi-year transportation strategy for the Dry and Liquid businesses, aligned with company growth plans and built to scale with volume, new items, and new channels.
Design the ambient network end to end – inbound from co-manufacturers and plants, consolidation, warehouse replenishment, and outbound to customers – balancing service, cost, and resilience.
Drive mode strategy (truckload, LTL, consolidation, intermodal) and decide which lanes Kinder’s contracts directly versus through partners.
Translate commercial plans, promotions, and seasonal peaks into transportation capacity plans well ahead of demand.
Provide a point of view to cross-functional leaders on how ambient transportation can create advantage for customers and consumers.
Serve as the accountable owner of the ambient 4PL relationship: scope of work, service level agreements, governance cadence, and quarterly business reviews.
Set clear expectations for partner execution (tendering, appointment scheduling, tracking, exception handling, carrier payment, freight audit, and claims) and hold them accountable.
Negotiate and manage partner agreements, including service levels, service credits, rate and cost transparency, data access, and audit rights.
Direct the partner to operate within the Kinder’s routing guide and over Kinder’s-contracted carriers, and push for continuous improvement ideas.
Manage consolidation and 3PL partners supporting inbound ambient freight, ensuring they work as one system with the 4PL.
Own the ambient carrier portfolio – asset carriers and brokers – including carrier selection, contracting, onboarding, and performance management.
Lead ambient freight bids with the procurement partner: define lanes and requirements, evaluate responses, award, and build the routing guide.
Build strategic relationships with core carriers so Kinder’s is a shipper of choice, with capacity that can be counted on through market swings.
Manage accessorial, detention, and fuel programs to keep costs transparent, fair, and controlled.
Partner with Logistics Analytics to define and review carrier and partner scorecards, cost-to-serve, and network performance, and act on data insights.
Own the ambient freight budget and forecast in partnership with Finance; identify and deliver cost improvements without compromising service.
Protect customer service and retailer compliance (on-time, in-full, appointment and routing requirements) for the largest retail and club customers.
Champion the transportation technology stack – TMS, visibility, and analytics tools – and ensure partner systems provide necessary data.
Apply AI and automation to transportation work (rate and capacity analysis, bid evaluation, exception management, partner reporting, and forecasting) and encourage partners to do the same.
Work with Supply Planning, Sales, Customer Operations, and Finance so transportation decisions support the overall business.
Provide direction and escalation support to the Logistics Operations team on ambient pre-shipment work and partner handoffs.
Lead with Kinder’s values – Humility, Integrity, Collaboration, Innovation, Curiosity, and Results – asking great questions and owning outcomes without excuses.
Support the evaluation and launch of new channels and partners as the business grows.
Anticipate capacity, rate, and service risk in the ambient network and build contingency plans with partners and carriers.
Lead response to disruptions – weather, capacity crunches, partner or carrier failures – always doing what is right for customers and the business over the long term.