Transportation Operations Assistant

The Operations Assistant is an integral part of our team, supporting daily logistics and transportation activities to ensure efficient, safe, and on time deliveries. This role assists our operations team and customers by coordinating schedules, monitoring shipments, and resolving issues that arise throughout the transportation lifecycle, allowing us to provide superior support to our customers.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Schedule pick-up and delivery appointments for all company loads with customers, plants, and receiving locations.
• Communicate shipment arrivals, delays, and status updates to customers, sales teams, and internal stakeholders.
• Manage and process carrier rate change requests, including accessorial charges.
• Provide shipment tracking and tracing updates, including estimated times of arrival (ETAs) for pick-ups and deliveries.
• Assist with retrieving and organizing load documentation such as proof of delivery (PODs) and lumper receipts.
• Coordinate with plant shipping teams to confirm load ready times and update carriers and internal systems accordingly.
• Assist in creating manual loads related to claim returns, reconsignments, or other operational exceptions.
• Monitor and communicate arrival times of empty trailers at plant locations.
• Process load changes and updates in coordination with sales teams and plant shipping docks.
• Serve as a key point of contact between customers and carriers to facilitate communication and resolve shipment issues.
• Provide operational support and coverage for other team members as needed.
• Maintain accurate and timely updates in transportation management systems and internal records.

QUALIFICATIONS, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND EXPERIENCE:

• Must be 18 years of age or older.
• Must be able to work in the United States without sponsorship.
• High school diploma or GED achieved.
• A minimum 1-year transportation experience preferred but not required.
• Cost reduction mindset preferred.
• Strong customer service skills in a transportation setting preferred.
• Excellent verbal communication, including telephonic conversations, with internal and external contacts. 
• Clear written communication skills, with internal and external contacts.
• Must be familiar with and able to work with Microsoft Office programs and transportation management systems (TMS).
• Willing and able to work overtime, as necessary.

SKILLS/EXPERIENCE/REQUIREMENTS:

• Able to solve problems and resolve issues with autonomy.
• Must be able to work in a fast-paced environment. 
• Strong analytical skills, attention to detail and follow-up. 
• Ability to handle stress. 
• Demonstrates understanding and remains calm under pressure. 
• Able to navigate in systems and websites. 
• Able to prioritize, and be adaptable to changes, pivot from one task to another. 
• Collaborate well with peers, support the team’s goals. 
• Maintains performance during high volume of work. 
• Able to make improvements from constructive feedback. 
• Able to take responsibility for one's actions, decisions, and outcomes. 
• Perform work tasks with minimal direction. 
• Create and maintain a positive, professional, and productive work environment. 
• Ability to build and maintain strong working relationships with coworkers and leadership. 
• Understand how responsibilities contribute to broader organizational goals.

Job descriptions assist organizations in ensuring that the hiring process is fairly administered and that qualified employees are selected. All descriptions have been reviewed to ensure that only essential functions and basic duties have been included.  Requirements, skills, and abilities included have been determined to be the minimal standards required to successfully perform the positions.

In no instance, however, should the duties, responsibilities, and requirements delineated be interpreted as all-inclusive. Additional functions and requirements may be assigned by supervisors as deemed appropriate.  Job descriptions are not intended as and do not create employment contracts. The organization maintains its status as an at-will employer.