Sr Transportation Analyst Optimization

Ulta Beauty, Inc. • Bolingbrook, IL

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Sr. Transportation Analyst partners with the Director, Carrier Management and Transportation Optimization and is responsible for data and pricing analysis, forecast modeling, scenario analysis, and optimization projects for retail and eCommerce. The role leads and supports RFP and contracting activities, uses analytical and transportation technology tools to evaluate alternatives and inform decisions, develops financial analysis for leadership, and drives continuous improvement, savings, and efficiencies across the transportation team.

The analyst collaborates across transportation, distribution, and network strategy, develops and communicates actionable insights, supports carrier and vendor relationships, and contributes to transportation strategy and cross-functional projects. The position uses analytical, transportation, and AI-enabled tools where appropriate to improve the speed and quality of decision-making. The listed work arrangement is hybrid.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Minimum of 5–7 years’ experience in a logistics, distribution, or supply chain environment, with an analytics focus preferred.
• Highly analytical, with advanced Excel skills.
• Working knowledge of Transportation Management Systems (TMS).
• Proficiency with analytical, modeling, reporting, and technology tools, including AI-enabled tools, for scenario analysis, opportunity identification, and translating insights into actionable recommendations.
• Continuous improvement mindset and demonstrated ability to challenge current processes, identify root causes, and drive measurable improvements.
• Experience supporting analysis for freight-related reporting metrics, such as on-time delivery rates and time-in-transit.
• Ability to work effectively within a team environment.
• Strong sense of urgency and ability to manage projects in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Self-motivated and able to manage by exception.
• Guest-focused.
• Ability to build relationships at various levels and influence decisions.
• Ability to resolve conflicts and discrepancies positively and professionally.
• Time management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, collaboration, and influencing skills.
• High level of numeric skill and analytical ability.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with Manhattan Active TMS.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with transportation, distribution, and network strategy teams to optimize retail and eCommerce deliveries and deliver cost savings.
• Communicate data insights and recommendations through presentations, visualizations, and reporting documents.
• Produce KPI reporting for retail and eCommerce activities, including support for monthly and quarterly carrier/vendor reviews.
• Facilitate retail and eCommerce carrier/vendor business reviews.
• Participate in and lead transportation-related projects and help design transportation strategy.
• Support transportation optimization strategies to improve efficiency and reduce transportation expense.
• Support negotiations with 3PLs, railroads, trucking companies, and brokers on rates and incremental charges while delivering savings and ensuring service.
• Perform data and scenario analysis to evaluate alternatives, model cost/service tradeoffs, develop actionable metrics, and support recommendations on performance, trends, growth, forecasts, and cost.
• Monitor initiatives against benchmark metrics and proactively highlight opportunities for improvement.
• Prepare executive-level reports and presentations for customer and vendor meetings.
• Lead and support transportation RFP processes from strategy development and data collection through bid analysis, carrier selection, negotiations, contracting support, and implementation.
• Run reports and analyze the impact of vendor rate and service adjustments and vendor comparisons.
• Identify, justify, and implement opportunities to increase efficiency, reduce costs, improve service, and simplify transportation processes.
• Develop costing and scenario models using analytical and transportation tools to evaluate sourcing and network strategies and support data-driven decisions.
• Leverage AI-enabled tools where appropriate to aid data analysis, identify trends and scenarios, and improve transportation decision-making.
• Apply descriptive and diagnostic analytics, data visualization, data querying, and predictive analysis to accelerate analysis and improve decision quality.
• Solve complex problems by recognizing patterns, extracting actionable insights, evaluating solutions, and applying continuous improvement methodologies where established processes may not exist.
• Own technical contributions to cross-functional project teams and lead transportation initiatives as appropriate, independently driving work forward and delivering commitments.
• Complete ad hoc assignments as needed.

Benefits

• Eligible full-time positions include paid time off, health, dental, vision, life, and disability benefits.
• Eligible associates may earn additional compensation under the Company’s bonus plan.

What This Job Offers

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