Transportation Manager

Sartori Cheese Brand • Plymouth, WI

15d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Transportation Manager is accountable for the performance, cost, and service delivery of all transportation activities, including inbound and outbound freight, plant-to-plant transfers, and milk hauling. This role ensures transportation operations align with business needs and Sartori’s commitment to service excellence. The role drives continuous improvement and innovation across the transportation network, including process, technology, and partner strategy, to support operational efficiency and long-term growth. The Transportation Manager also owns carrier relationships and is responsible for managing transportation spend, budgeting, and financial performance. This position provides strategic direction and cross-functional partnership to ensure transportation capabilities effectively support broader business objectives.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, or other related field required.
• 3-5 years of relevant experience in this role required.
• Experience with all modes of transportation, including but not limited to parcel, LTL, full/partial truckload, intermodal, and international freight required.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in a food manufacturing environment, preferred.
• Experience with JDE and TMS (MercuryGate / Infios) systems, preferred.
• Accredited Supply Chain Certifications, preferred.

Responsibilities

• Leads the strategic direction for transportation functions, managing external partnerships, negotiating and administering freight contracts, overseeing carrier payables, and managing customer billable rates
• Develops a comprehensive business plan that includes analysis of the current network and provides recommendations to support future growth
• Plans, develops, and implements goals, objectives, policies, and priorities related to transportation operations
• Serves as the primary liaison and resource for transportation across Supply Chain, Operations, Customer Service, IT, Sales, Marketing, Finance, and other cross-functional teams
• Partners with Customer Service and Warehouse teams to plan and execute effective shipment strategies
• Communicates transportation performance, challenges, and improvement opportunities to stakeholders at all levels of the organization
• Oversees carrier relationships, including contract management and service performance expectations
• Serves as the functional subject matter expert on Transportation Management System (TMS) processes
• Manages freight claims through final resolution
• Fosters a collaborative, high-performance culture across departments
• Prepares and maintains operational reports, metrics, and budget-related analysis to support performance tracking and decision-making
• Leads staffing and personnel management activities, providing guidance, leadership, and development opportunities within the Transportation team
• Conducts root cause analysis on issues related to order fulfillment, transportation, logistics systems, imports/exports, and customer concerns, and recommends effective solutions
• Ensures on-time and in-full delivery performance, including special order fulfillment, new product launches, back-order fulfillment, donations, and product disposition
• Manages order expediting, product returns, and shipments requiring specialized handling or transportation
• Leads continuous improvement initiatives and promotes a Lean culture, including 5S practices
• Participates in or leads cross-functional initiatives to drive improvements in customer satisfaction, processes, productivity, and quality
• Ensures compliance with all company Safety, HACCP, and GMP policies
• Immediately reports any food safety or quality issues to management or authorized personnel

What This Job Offers

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