The opportunity:

As a (Sr.) Trade Lane Service Manager, you are multi-faceted, acting as the “chief of staff” to the (Sr.) Director, a technical partner to (Sr.) Trade Lane Managers, an interface with Global Solutions, and the people manager for all (Sr.) Associates in the region. The (Sr.) Trade Lane Service Manager ensures quality execution of day-to-day tasks, drives adherence to global standards, and interfaces with Global Solutions and to implement process improvements and lead overall productivity gain initiatives.

You will:

Establish and refine service delivery processes; drive efficiency, reduce cost-to-serve, and align with global standards 

• Standardize all processes - from procurement to bill audit - across regions and bring them into alignment with global standards; simultaneously, bring regional knowledge and expertise to develop those global standards
• Document all processes to serve as central references and training collateral
• Drive optimization and automation among tools
• Actively promote the exchange and adoption of best practices within the region and among other regions

Develop and implement new procurement and pricing processes and tools 

• Implement and test scalable operational infrastructure and procedures to ensure they are delivering the highest levels of efficiency and productivity for internal and external customers
• Actively seek ways to improve procurement and pricing processes 
• Contribute to product designs of new software tooling and following launch, ensure successful implementation and adoption
• Lead change management: ensure key company initiatives are adopted / implemented and that productive feedback is provided to other leaders

Oversee and ensure high quality execution of day-to-day tasks and adherence to SLAs

• Continually monitor and improve all internal performance metrics, such as quote response times, cost/sell database population and integrity, bill audits, dispute execution

Provide analytical insights into the overall health of the region; support (Sr.) Director in attaining growth and revenue targets

• Strategize with the (Sr.) Director of the region; collaborate and propose initiatives to achieve growth and revenue targets
• Analyze cargo flows, mix, cargo consolidation benefit, load factors, carrier shares, net-achieved costs, and pricing to identify areas for improvement
• Coordinate the data gathering, data analysis, and development of objectives and action plan to achieve OKRs

People management / leading the regional team of Trade Lane Associates

• Rostering
• Manage the roster of (Sr.) Trade Lane Associates and ensure size of team is suitable for scope of work
• Forecast and anticipate future staffing needs required to operate and scale; define short and long term headcount planning; in close consultation with TLMs, lead the recruitment process
• Training
• Train the team and ensure they have all required tools, knowledge, and skills to execute their duties
• Develop people into roles, while taking into account individual skills & interests and company need
• Ensure development goals are clear, formalised and aligned with  company job expectations for all team members
• Provide daily feedback to the team and regular formal review (monthly at least) to touch base on performance
• Support the team to develop on their goals by working with them on the job to progress
• Engagement
• Maintain awareness of individual development and goals; provide day to day feedback and coaching
• Ensure team engagement and commitment to Flexport’s long-term vision
• Create an environment where the team can voice new ideas; support outside-the-box thinking while ensuring SLAs are still met
• Model positivity and lead by example

You should have:

• BA/BS degree and 5+ years of experience at a freight consolidator or a freight forwarder
• Strong leadership skills and experience managing large teams
• Process and detail-oriented
• Able to balance competing priorities, particularly global alignment and standardization with regional specialization
• Market knowledge and expertise with respect to imports and/or exports from a sales, operational, and procurement perspective. 
• Inclination to think-outside-the-box to always find a better solution or alternative, while remaining grounded in numbers and metrics
• Desire to “build a better machine” and get irritated when things aren’t optimal
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and organizational skills

About Flexport:

We believe global trade can move the human race forward. That’s why it’s our mission to make global trade easier for everyone. We aim to do this by building the Operating System for Global trade - a strategic model combining advanced technology and data analytics, logistics infrastructure, and supply chain expertise. Flexport today connects almost 10,000 clients and suppliers across 109 countries, including established global brands like Georgia-Pacific as well as emerging innovators like Sonos. Started in 2013, we've raised over $1.3B in funding from SoftBank Vision Fund, Founders Fund, GV, First Round Capital and Y Combinator. We’re excited about the three big ways we’re moving forward after our recent $1B investment from SoftBank Vision Fund in February 2019.

Worried about not having any freight forwarding experience?

• Don’t be! We’re building the first Operating System for Global Trade. That’s why it’s incredibly important for us to bring people from diverse backgrounds and experiences together with our industry veterans to help move the freight forwarding industry forward.
• What’s freight forwarding and why does it matter? Freight forwarding is the coordination and shipment of goods from one place to another and it’s what makes global trade possible. Flexport is on a mission to make global trade easier for everyone because we believe it can help connect the world and break down economic barriers.
• We know this industry is complex. That’s why we invest in education starting day one with Flexport Academy, a one week intensive onboarding program designed specifically to set every new Flexport employee up for success.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.