Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee
Transportation Specialist
Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee
Job Summary
The Transportation Specialist provides first-in-class freight and logistical services to food bank customers for Project Preserve, a social enterprise program of the Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee. This position ensures all transportation processes and procedures are followed and administered to ensure customer satisfaction and successful supply chain process flow. The Transportation Specialist supports and fosters our deep commitment to diversity and inclusion, which is the foundation for ensuring a culture of belonging for all personnel.
Job Responsibilities
- Acts as primary in-house contact to maintain close communication and develop healthy relationships with freight carriers and brokers to provide prompt service and competitive rates for all outbound customer orders and inbound inventory replenishment.
- Create, process, and release load sheets day of receipt to maintain our customer lead time requirements for mixed load and assembly orders.
- Work closely with Supply Chain Specialist and Production Manager for prompt end-to-end order fulfillment.
- Ownership and oversight of carrier scorecard. Track weekly to make score adjustments. Monthly report out to the Director of Supply Chain. Discuss scores quarterly with carriers to leverage outcomes.
- Responsible for arranging transportation of purchased goods (both inbound and outbound).
- Selects carriers and 3PLs for both inbound and outbound loads based on established criteria.
- Serves as the primary contact with all carriers and 3PLs to solve any potential issues with released loads.
- Tracks current rate structures and advises on needed adjustments when necessary.
- Maintains timely and accurate records of bids won via Freight Paid worksheet.
- Maintain timely and accurate records of invoices on the Freight Paid worksheet.
- Maintains current and accurate freight information on ProjectPreserve.org.
- Confirms the legitimacy of fees incurred from carriers.
- Processes direct load freight rate requests promptly, typically within the same day as receipt.
- Establishes and maintains strong relationships with multiple carriers/brokers and provides long-term, competitive freight rates for all lanes served throughout all markets. Communicates our needs respectfully with enthusiasm and professionalism.
- Resolves issues pertaining to all carrier shipments.
- Develops and maintains strong internal relationships and can communicate effectively with multiple departments.
- Apprises Director, Supply Chain of changes/fluctuations in the market as well as opportunities and issues with existing vendor options.
- Acts to be an effective administrator-level user of ProjectPreserve.org, Admin and Subject Matter Expert for all things freight and database related to ProjectPreserve.org.
- Works closely with the finance team to process all freight bills promptly and provide prompt input and resolution to all invoice issues.
- Supplies prompt feedback to the Project Preserve team. The in-house expert for the current trends for transportation in the markets we serve.
- Cross-trains with Supply Chain Specialist, Production Manager, and Director, Supply Chain as needed.
- Serves as a backup to the Supply Chain Specialist in the areas of:
- Receiving POs – production and direct (drop ship).
- Processing all PO receiving & invoicing paperwork.
- Invoicing direct ship and production orders.
- Order Entry
- Updates job knowledge regularly by taking part in educational opportunities.
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
Education: High School Diploma or equivalent; Bachelor’s degree preferred.
Experience: 3+ years of related experience and/or training.
Skills & Capabilities:
- Intermediate to advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office, Outlook, Excel, and Word.
- 2+ years of experience with scheduling inbound and outbound freight loads.
- Strong ability to tender LTL and FTL freight rates from multiple carriers with a history of success.
- Create a transportation matrix to manage rates and lanes.
- Ability to learn new databases and software.
- Interact with all levels of the organization with confidence and professionalism.
- Adapt to a fast-paced, sales-focused work environment.
- Organize, coordinate, and direct projects.
- Strong oral and written communication abilities, both internally and externally.
- Maintain 3PL vendor scorecard to achieve higher standards of customer service and 3PL accountability.
Competencies: Attention to detail, Safety and Risk Management, Quality Improvement, Technical Proficiency
Other requirements: Our pre-hire process requires acceptable results from the following: professional reference feedback, criminal background, and Motor Vehicle Record. A current Driver’s License and automobile insurance are also required. Criminal backgrounds are evaluated on a case-by-case basis considering several factors (timing, frequency, severity, and job relation).
Additional Information
Benefits
- Work with a purpose: As one of Middle Tennessee’s largest nonprofits, our local hunger relief work is uniquely rewarding, hands-on, and solutions-oriented. We are innovative, mission-focused, diverse, collaborative, values-driven, and focused on results. A career with Second Harvest ensures that you not only earn a paycheck but also help your local community through meaningful work. If you are passionate about serving your neighbors in need and are committed to our mission of ending hunger, we invite you to join our 120+ person team in the fight against hunger, as we work to achieve our vision of a hunger-free community.
- Award-winning workplace: we are a best-in-class workplace because we are passionate and people-focused – we listen, respect, care, and challenge each other so that our neighbors can count on us. Our employees have identified us among The Tennessean’s Top Workplaces eight times based solely on employee surveys and feedback. We are invested in our team and offer frequent whole-person wellness opportunities through our Harvest Wellbeing Program. We focus on staff physical and mental health, financial empowerment, personal and professional development as well as social and community engagement. There is ample opportunity to be engaged, have a work-life balance, and grow with Second Harvest.
- Compensation & Benefits: Second Harvest is proud to offer rich and affordable total compensation packages. Full-time employment includes 34+ days off, medical (employee-only is 100% employer paid), dental, vision, 403b retirement (up to 3% match, 5% base, length of service vesting), disability insurance (short and long term) and long-term care insurance.
- DEIB & Equal Employment Opportunity: we celebrate and value diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. We are intentionally working to diversify our team so that our employees reflect the diverse communities that we serve. Candidates from historically underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply! Our goal is to attract, develop, retain, and promote a talented and diverse workforce in a culture where all employees will contribute to their fullest potential. We provide equal employment to all applicants and employees regardless of race, religion, color, gender, disability, national origin, ancestry, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or other legally protected characteristics.
How to Apply
You can express interest in joining our team, in any of the following ways:
Online: employment application on our website: secondharvestmidtn.org/job-opportunities. Resumes and cover letters can be uploaded with applications on the website as well.
In-person: applications can be completed by visiting us on-site at any of our distribution centers, locations can be found on our website: secondharvestmidtn.org/contact.
Details
- Date Posted: June 16, 2024
- Type: Full-Time
- Job Function: Other
- Service Area: Social / Human Services
- Working Hours: M-F, 7:30am - 4:00pm