Transportation Specialist

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Job Description:

Position Summary

The Transportation Specialist is responsible for managing day-to-day transportation operations, including oversight of third-party vendors and freight forwarders. This role ensures efficient, cost-effective, and compliant movement of goods while driving continuous improvement across transportation processes. The specialist will monitor performance, identify opportunities for optimization, and collaborate cross-functionally to enhance service levels and operational efficiency.

Key Responsibilities

• Responsible for onboarding all vendors to our new Control Tower 4PL partner
• Coordinate and oversee daily transportation activities
• Manage relationships with 3M vendors, carriers, freight forwarders, and logistics service providers.
• Ensure timely delivery performance and adherence to service level agreements (SLAs).
• Monitor shipment status, proactively resolving delays, disruptions, or service issues.

• Act as the primary point of contact for carriers/transportation vendors and freight forwarders locally.
• Serve as the key transportation contact for material vendors/suppliers to coordinate shipment readiness, collection planning, and issue resolution
• Evaluate vendor performance using KPIs such as on-time material readiness, cost, and service quality.
• Conduct regular business reviews and implement corrective actions as needed.

• Ensure compliance with transportation regulations, trade requirements, and company policies.
• Review shipping documentation for accuracy (e.g., bills of lading, customs paperwork, invoices).
• Maintain audit-ready records for all transportation activities.

• Identify inefficiencies in transportation processes and recommend improvements.
• Analyze shipping data to drive cost savings, route optimization, and performance enhancements.
• Lead or support projects related to network optimization, system improvements, and process standardization.
• Monitor continuous improvement using metrics, root cause analysis, and best practices.

• Monitor freight spend and identify cost-saving opportunities.
• Support budgeting, forecasting, and variance analysis for transportation expenses.
• Ensure cost-effective transportation solutions without compromising service quality.

• Work closely with supply chain, vendors, procurement, and customer service teams.
• Align transportation strategies with business needs and customer expectations.
• Communicate effectively with internal stakeholders and external partners.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Business, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• +5 to 7 years of experience in transportation, logistics, or supply chain operations.
• Experience managing carriers, freight forwarders, or 3PL providers.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
• Proficiency in transportation management systems (TMS), ERP systems, and Microsoft Excel.
• 10% of domestic travel to visit local suppliers.
• Ability to converse in Chinese, Japanese, and English (optional: Korean)

Preferred

• Experience with international shipping, Air, Ocean and LCL modes, customs processes, and trade compliance.
• Knowledge of continuous improvement methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma, etc.).
• Familiarity with KPI development and performance reporting.

Key Competencies

• Transportation management
• Data analysis and decision-making
• Process improvement mindset
• Strong communication and collaboration skills
• Attention to detail and operational discipline
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment

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