Transportation Logistics Manager

An agricultural trading company is looking for a hands-on Senior Transport Logistics Specialist who will be responsible for road transportation, working with carriers, negotiating freight rates, and ensuring that the transportation needs of the Trading Department are fully covered.

Main Focus

Sourcing trucks and carriers, purchasing transportation services, negotiating freight rates, and supporting the transportation needs of the Trading Department.

About the Role

The Senior Transport Logistics Specialist is responsible for organizing road transportation based on the needs of the company’s Trading Department.

The main goal of the role is to ensure that the required number of trucks is available in the right place, at the right time, and at a competitive market rate.

The Senior Transport Logistics Specialist receives transportation requests from the Trading Department, analyzes the road freight market, finds suitable carriers, negotiates rates and terms, confirms transportation arrangements, and ensures that the required number of trucks is provided.

The role involves active daily communication with carriers and has a direct impact on the profitability of the company’s trading operations.

Back-office tasks and documentation related to completed shipments are handled by a separate Logistics Specialist.

Key Responsibilities

Supporting the Trading Department — 30%

• Receive road transportation requests from traders.
• Understand the main parameters of each shipment: route, cargo, tonnage, loading period, required number of trucks, and target rate.
• Quickly assess whether the transportation request can be fulfilled.
• Plan how to secure the required transport for specific trading operations.
• Ensure that the required number of trucks is available according to the agreed schedule.
• Keep traders updated on the current situation in the road freight market.

Sourcing Trucks and Carriers — 30%

• Actively search for trucks for Trading Department requests.
• Work with the company’s existing carrier database.
• Continuously search for and engage new carriers.
• Build and develop a network of reliable transportation partners.
• Source trucks through freight platforms, direct contacts, referrals, and other channels.
• Assess carrier reliability and their ability to provide the required transport capacity.
• Build a strong carrier network for the company’s key routes.

Negotiation and Procurement of Transportation Services — 25%

• Negotiate freight rates with carriers.
• Secure competitive rates for specific routes.
• Compare offers from different carriers.
• Negotiate and agree on commercial terms.
• Ensure that transportation rates are in line with the agreed budget or target rate.
• Monitor market conditions and changes in freight rates.
• Look for opportunities to reduce logistics costs without affecting the reliability of transportation.

Operational Coordination — 10%

• Confirm trucks and carriers for approved transportation requests.
• Monitor the timely arrival of trucks for loading.
• Quickly resolve issues related to truck availability or replacement.
• Find alternative transport if a carrier cancels.
• Monitor whether carriers meet their agreed commitments.
• Coordinate urgent or critical situations between the Trading Department, carriers, and other parties involved in transportation.

Coordination and Analytics — 5%

• Coordinate road logistics activities.
• Assign tasks within the logistics team when needed.
• Coordinate responsibilities between front-office and back-office functions.
• Keep the carrier database up to date.
• Analyze freight rates for key routes.
• Analyze carrier performance and reliability.
• Prepare short reports on rates, transportation volumes, problematic routes, and truck availability.

Interaction with the Trading Department

The Trading Department is the main internal stakeholder of the road logistics function.

The Trading Department provides information about:

• the route;
• commodity;
• required volume;
• delivery period;
• commercial parameters of the transaction.

The Senior Transport Logistics Specialist is responsible for:

• checking transport availability;
• providing current market rates;
• finding suitable carriers;
• negotiating rates and terms;
• confirming trucks;
• ensuring that the transportation is completed as agreed.

What We Expect from the Candidate

Professional Skills

• Hands-on experience in road logistics.
• Direct experience sourcing trucks and carriers.
• An existing network of carrier contacts will be a strong advantage.
• Experience negotiating freight rates.
• Good knowledge of the Ukrainian road freight market.
• Understanding of how transportation rates are calculated.
• Ability to quickly estimate the market rate for a specific route.
• Experience working with large transportation volumes will be an advantage.
• Experience in agricultural logistics or transportation of grain and oilseed crops will be a strong advantage.
• Confident Excel skills and experience working with carrier databases.

Personal Qualities

• Strong negotiation skills.
• Commercial mindset.
• Ability to negotiate effectively and protect the company’s commercial interests.
• Ability to react quickly.
• Persistence in finding transport.
• Strong focus on results.
• Ability to work well under pressure.
• Comfortable working with a high volume of calls and contacts.
• Ability to make quick decisions.
• Structured and systematic approach to working with carriers.
• Strong sense of responsibility for agreed commitments.