Yard Management Specialist

Heaven Hill Brands•Bardstown, KY

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Yard Management Specialist (YMS) / Spotting Specialist coordinates trailer movements, yard activity, dock assignments, and spotting operations to support safe, efficient, and timely warehouse and transportation operations. The role is a key coordination point among warehouse, transportation, inventory control, carriers, drivers, and yard spotting operations. The Specialist actively manages the Yard Management System, maintains accurate trailer and yard inventory, prioritizes trailer moves based on operational needs, and ensures equipment is positioned at the correct dock or yard location when required. The position reports to the Manager of Logistics and Inventory Control and supports daily yard, warehouse, transportation, and inventory control activities. It is primarily a first-shift role, with some flexibility outside normal first-shift hours potentially required based on business and operational needs. The role is onsite at the Bardstown Bottling facility, Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
At least 2 years of experience in transportation, logistics, warehousing, distribution, shipping/receiving, yard operations, or a related field.
Strong organizational and prioritization skills.
Ability to manage multiple trailer moves and operational priorities simultaneously.
Strong verbal and written communication skills, including frequent communication with yard drivers, carriers, warehouse personnel, inventory control, and transportation teams.
Basic computer proficiency and ability to learn transportation and warehouse management systems.
Ability to work effectively with drivers, carriers, spotters, warehouse associates, transportation personnel, inventory control, and leadership.
Strong attention to detail and commitment to accurate system information.
Ability to make timely decisions in a fast-paced operating environment.
Ability to occasionally stand, walk, handle or feel objects, operate a computer, and reach with hands and arms.
Ability to occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds.
Comfort working periodically outdoors or in yard areas around tractors, trailers, forklifts, and other material-handling equipment.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a high-volume distribution, manufacturing, or consumer packaged goods operation.
Previous experience coordinating yard spotters or trailer movements.
Experience using a Yard Management System (YMS), Transportation Management System (TMS), or Warehouse Management System (WMS).
Knowledge of drop-and-hook operations, trailer pools, dock scheduling, and carrier operations.
Familiarity with transportation terminology, trailer types, shipping documentation, and DOT-related operating requirements.

Responsibilities

Maintain accurate, real-time trailer locations and statuses in the Yard Management System.
Monitor inbound, outbound, loaded, empty, staged, and out-of-service trailers throughout the facility.
Reconcile yard inventory and resolve discrepancies between physical trailer locations and system records.
Assign trailers to appropriate yard locations, dock doors, staging areas, or parking locations; track dwell time and maintain visibility of empty trailers.
Coordinate trailer availability with transportation and warehouse teams to prevent operational delays.
Prioritize and dispatch trailer moves for yard spotters, monitor outstanding moves, and adjust priorities as conditions change.
Coordinate trailer placement at dock doors and staging locations, removal of completed trailers, and communication of special handling or equipment requirements.
Escalate delays, equipment shortages, congestion, and other issues affecting shipping or receiving.
Communicate with shipping and receiving teams about trailer readiness, dock availability, and operational priorities.
Coordinate inbound and outbound trailers based on appointment schedules, warehouse capacity, production schedules, customer requirements, and carrier pickup times.
Monitor scheduled carrier arrivals and departures, communicate exceptions, and help ensure trailers are positioned ahead of scheduled loading or unloading.
Assist with driver check-in and check-out; provide facility, trailer-location, dock, and staging instructions.
Verify trailer numbers, carrier information, shipment status, and equipment assignments, and communicate with carriers about trailer availability and drop-and-hook activity.
Escalate late arrivals, missed pickups, equipment issues, and other carrier-related exceptions.
Support compliance with company safety rules, yard procedures, transportation, security, quality, food/beverage safety, and applicable regulatory requirements.
Coordinate trailer movements to minimize congestion and unnecessary moves, and promptly report unsafe conditions, damaged trailers, equipment issues, or seal discrepancies.
Monitor yard performance indicators, including dwell time, move completion time, dock utilization, inventory accuracy, empty-trailer availability, carrier wait time, and congestion.
Identify recurring operational issues, recommend process improvements, and assist with developing and maintaining standard operating procedures.
Provide shift updates, communicate unresolved issues, support shift handoffs, and participate in continuous improvement initiatives related to transportation, warehouse flow, trailer utilization, inventory control, and yard efficiency.