Operations Key Account Manager

About Ascent

Ascent Global Logistics headquartered in Belleville Michigan is a leading global provider of expedited time-critical logistics solutions and other direct transportation services. The company connects customers to its extensive carrier network internal ground fleet and airline via its proprietary digital PEAK freight marketplace which provides robust carrier capacity and transparent pricing backed by 24/7/365 logistics experts. Ascents offerings include air charter and ground expedited solutions as well as truckload less-than-truckload global forwarding brokerage and managed transportation services. The experienced Ascent team solves customers most challenging logistics needs by providing industry-leading service and top-tier satisfaction.

Our Guiding Principles

At the core of Ascents culture is a strong commitment to excellence driven by the passion and dedication of every team member. Were equally dedicated to going above and beyond for our customers ensuring this commitment extends beyond our team and brings exceptional value to those we serve. We aim for perfect execution in everything we do and play hard by creating an environment where tasks are performed with a can-do attitude from start to finish. We play smart by delivering on our commitments in an honest fair and ethical manner. We treat every person with whom we interface with the utmost dignity and respect. We understand that our teammates are our most valuable assets so we play together by making every effort to provide a professional and enjoyable experience enabling careers to flourish and personal growth to be achieved.

The Operational Key Account Manager (OKAM) is the performance owner of a portfolio of Ascents most important key account customers. The role is accountable for end-to-end service performance SLAs KPIs continuous improvement and cost-to-serve across the assigned accounts. The OKAM runs the day-to-day operational cadence owns issue resolution and ensures Ascent delivers consistent measurable execution on the commercial commitments made by the Growth KAM. Working closely with Operations Control Tower IT and Finance the OKAM turns performance data into customer-facing insight and continuous improvement a hands-on execution-focused role for a disciplined operational leader.

The six most important activities of the role:

• Own Day-to-Day Service Performance Accountable for SLA/KPI delivery (OTIF TTFB claims win/capture) across the assigned account portfolio; run the weekly and monthly operational cadence with the customer.
• Drive Continuous Improvement & Savings Lead the CI roadmap for each account identify systemic issues deliver measurable cost-to-serve and OTIF improvements and convert performance trends into documented savings.
• Lead Root-Cause Analysis & CAPA Own issue resolution root-cause investigation and corrective/preventive action for escalations; close the loop with Operations and the customer on sustainable fixes.
• Maintain SOPs & Operational Governance Design maintain and govern the account SOPs; ensure cross-regional consistency and smooth onboarding of new lanes modes or scopes awarded by the Growth KAM.
• Deliver Performance Visibility via Power BI Own the customers KPI dashboards and scorecards; turn Power BI data into structured performance narratives for internal reviews and customer QBRs.
• Coordinate Cross-Functional Execution Act as the central bridge between the customers operational teams Ascent Operations Control Tower IT and Finance; ensure one coordinated service delivery for the customer.

The successful candidate brings the following qualifications experience and education:

• Freight forwarding experience is required
• Experience with CargoWise is preferred

• A valid passport is a plus

• Candidates must be based in the Belleville area and able to work onsite with the customer as needed

Work Experience

• 6 years of progressive operational experience in logistics supply chain or freight forwarding with a proven track record of managing complex multi-modal customer accounts.
• Demonstrated success owning SLA/KPI performance (OTIF claims cost-to-serve) across global multi-region customer footprints.
• Hands-on experience leading continuous improvement initiatives that delivered measurable savings and service-level uplift.
• Proven ability to run root-cause analysis (5 Whys fishbone CAPA) and drive systemic corrective actions with Operations.
• Experience authoring and governing SOPs account playbooks and onboarding documentation for complex customer flows.

Qualifications & Skills

• Strong operational mindset disciplined detail-oriented and relentless about execution against the SLA.
• Analytical and data-driven expert-level Power BI and Excel for KPI reporting trend analysis and customer scorecards.
• Excellent communication skills confident presenting service performance to senior customer stakeholders in QBRs and issue reviews.
• Proven cross-functional collaboration with Operations Control Tower IT and Finance without direct authority.
• Knowledge of CargoWise or equivalent TMS PEAK Marketplace integrations and shipment-level data flows a strong plus.
• Bilingual (English / Spanish) a plus given cross-border US-MX account scope.

Educational Background

• Bachelors degree required preferably in Supply Chain Management Logistics Operations Management Industrial Engineering or a related field.
• Advanced degree (MBA MS in Supply Chain / Operations) a plus.
• Relevant professional certifications strongly preferred APICS / CSCP Lean Six Sigma (Green or Black Belt) PMP or equivalent.