Operations Manager Freight Forwarding

Location: HOUSTON TX on-site

Reports To: Director of Operations / General Manager

Type: Full-Time Exempt

Schedule: Standard business hours MondayFriday

Compensation: Competitive base performance bonus commensurate with experience

About Our CLIENT

Since 1987 they have delivered end-to-end logistics solutions across air ocean and ground freight including time-critical transport special handling transborder (Canada/Mexico) shipping and warehousing. We serve demanding verticals including automotive aviation & MRO electronics & high-tech energy medical & healthcare retail & e-commerce and trade shows. Our promise is simple: when you call us you speak with an actual person guaranteed and your freight delivers on time. No exceptions no excuses.

Position Summary

The Operations Manager owns the day-to-day execution of our freight operations leading the operations team driving on-time performance across all modes managing carrier and agent relationships and ensuring every shipment moves with the proactive communication our customers expect. This is a hands-on leadership role for a freight-forwarding operator who can balance service excellence team development and margin discipline in a fast-moving multi-modal environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Operational Execution: Direct daily operations across air ocean ground and transborder shipments booking routing dispatch documentation and proof of delivery.

• Team Leadership: Lead coach and develop a team of operations coordinators and agents; set clear KPIs run daily stand-ups and manage shift coverage including escalation paths for after-hours and weekend freight.

• Service Performance: Own on-time delivery performance and service recovery; intervene early on at-risk shipments and communicate proactively with customers before they have to ask.

• Carrier & Vendor Management: Negotiate and manage carrier airline ocean cartage and agent relationships; qualify vendors manage capacity and hold partners accountable to service standards.

• Margin & Cost Control: Monitor file-level profitability; control buy rates accessorials and claims exposure to protect gross margin on every shipment.

• Compliance: Ensure compliance with TSA IATA/DG C-TPAT customs documentation and transborder requirements for Canada and Mexico lanes.

• Systems & Process: Leverage the TMS and proprietary tracking technology to drive visibility exception management and reporting; identify and implement process improvements.

• Time-Critical Ops: Support time-critical and special-handling operations charters hand-carries expedited ground where minutes matter and problem-solving under pressure is the job.

• Sales Support: Partner with sales on onboarding new accounts pricing support and standard operating procedures for key customers in automotive aerospace/MRO healthcare and other core verticals.

Required Qualifications

• 5 years of freight forwarding / logistics operations experience with 5 years in a supervisory or management role.

• Multi-modal fluency: domestic and international air ocean (FCL/LCL) FTL/LTL ground and expedited services.

• Working knowledge of transborder operations () and customs documentation.

• Hands-on TMS proficiency (e.g. CargoWise Magaya Descartes or comparable platforms) and strong Excel/reporting skills.

• Proven carrier negotiation and vendor management experience.

• Demonstrated ability to lead teams in a high-pressure deadline-driven environment.

• Customer-first communication style consistent with a live-person no-excuses service culture.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in time-critical/expedited freight charters or AOG (aircraft-on-ground) support.

• Vertical experience in automotive aviation & MRO medical/healthcare or trade show logistics.

• Certifications: IATA/DG Hazmat CLTD or Customs Broker License (CHB).

• Warehouse/distribution operations exposure.

Success Metrics (First 12 Months)

• On-time delivery performance at or above company standard across all modes.

• Measurable improvement in file-level gross margin and claims ratio.

• Team retention and documented development plans for all direct reports.

• SOPs documented for top accounts; escalation and after-hours coverage running without service gaps.

Why Work Here

Nearly four decades in business a reputation built on answering the phone and delivering on time and a leadership team that invests in old-school customer service backed by new-age technology. You will run operations that customers actually notice and stake your name on.