Transportation Specialist

Overview and Key Responsibilities

The Transportation Specialist role involves comprehensive management of freight logistics, including coordination with trucking partners, container handling, and cost oversight to ensure a smooth transport operation.

Primary Duties

• Manage supplier and carrier relations by coordinating with trucking companies to handle capacity demands during peak periods and evaluate transport service efficiency.
• Perform thorough financial reconciliations for freight charges by regularly validating accounts payable and other fees with suppliers, upholding stringent cost control measures.
• Oversee the container pickup process, starting with acquiring the Schedule of Orders (S/O) and verifying details such as pickup point, yard location, container type, and critical timelines.
• Organize trucking arrangements by dispatching trucks to yards for shipping document processing and collecting empty containers.
• Ensure containers are inspected by drivers at pickup for correct container numbers, types, physical integrity, and absence of odors.
• Manage loading and container returns by confirming weights, quantities, signing off return receipts, and coordinating timely deliveries to the port.

Required Qualifications and Skills

• A minimum of 2 to 3 years' experience in ocean freight, trucking, dispatching, or freight forwarding operations, with specific knowledge of local port yard container pickup and return procedures.
• A Bachelor's degree in Transport and Logistics or a related field.
• Strong numerical aptitude and data skills, including advanced proficiency with Excel features like VLOOKUP and pivot tables, essential for accurate cross-verification of accounts with carriers and suppliers.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills to manage challenges such as container shortages, port congestion, and customs inspections, alongside resilience and coordination across departments.