Employer Introduction:
Established in 1999, Pacific Trellis Fruit® is one of North America’s top year-round importers, growers and marketers of premium fresh fruit, including grapes, peaches, plums, nectarines and cherries. With the acquisition of Dulcinea® Farms in 2014, Pacific Trellis Fruit® added PureHeart® Mini Seedless Watermelons, Tuscan Style® Cantaloupe and SunnyGold® Yellow Mini Seedless Watermelons amongst other premium melons to its portfolio. Pacific Trellis Fruit is also featuring its sweetest new addition: Kiss Melons. Headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, the company also has sales offices in Fresno, CA, Gloucester, NJ and Nogales, AZ.
Job Summary:
The Transportation Manager performs a key department management and team leadership role, to ensure the planning and execution of product transportation services related to customer order fulfillment. This is a hands-on role that requires a quick-thinking, flexible, leader that is able to manage multiple and diverse priorities with a strong emphasis on organization and effective communication skills. This is a demanding and fast paced position requiring a proactive and positive thinker who can exercise good judgment, customer service and initiative in delivering departmental performance requirements and financial objectives.
Responsibilities:
- Create and deliver overall financial objectives (i.e., contract rates).
- Drive operational performance results (i.e., on time delivery, response rate, claims management, etc.).
- Manage carrier relationships, contract terms, processes, and systems (i.e., bookings, tracking and
- logging of loads/deliveries and timely communication of delays or issues).
- Communicate timely and accurately information of product in transport leadership and management.
- Management of daily activities with the transportation team and transportation vendor partners.
- Maintains exceptional working knowledge of customer requirements.
- Claim management to applicable inland transportation activities.
- Analyze and provide recommendations on efficiencies for improved labor, processes, and equipment.
- Prepare cost analysis, budgeting, and reporting.
- Create contract terms and business bids.
- Develop and execute departmental operating plans that address costs and seasonal business volumes.
- Manges the follow up on loads confirmed, keeping daily updates and proactively communicates with sales regarding OTD issues.
- Develops and manages relationships with new vendors and contract terms.
- Leads the day-to-day route scheduling, with multiple vendors to meet product transport requirements.
- Facilitates route optimization, scheduling, and program changes as necessary to meet the client needs.
- Serves as a point of contact for employees and vendors, responding to transportation related inquires, suggestions, and resolves complaints in a prompt, responsive, and professional manner.
- Leads TMS system use, training, and administration.
- Other duties assigned as required*
Required Skills/Abilities:
- Proficient business and operations management skills to grow the department and develop additional service offerings.
- Ability to multi-task timely, confidently, and comfortably in a fast-paced environment.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office applications and computer skills.
- Team Player, assertive, friendly, and effective leadership skills required.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to work through conflict and effectively address issues.
- Ability to adapt and function effectively in a high-paced and at times stressful environment.
- Proficient knowledge of commercial transportation regulations.
- Fact-based decision-making ability and open to new ways of doing things.
- Ability to be on-call and work extended days and/or weekends.
- Driven and proactive self-development/learning of operations, processes, and systems.
- Strong working knowledge of Transportation Management Systems (i.e., Emerge).
Education / Experience / Certifications:
- BA in logistics, transportation, supply chain management, or equivalent degree from an accredited institution, in a related field or equivalent years of experience (highly preferred).
- 4+ years of experience in produce commercial transportation operations.
- 4+ years experience in leading and managing a transportation department, team, operational plans, and budgets.
- Bi-lingual Spanish (preferred).
Travel:
- Ability to travel overnight as required to other facilities and office locations.
- Physical Requirements and Working Environment.
- Work in an office environment with prolonged periods of sitting at a desk, speaking on the phone, and working on a computer.
*Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required for this job.