Essential Responsibilities:

Assure efficient operations of daily shipping and distribution functions that support sales growth and a positive customer experience.

• Oversee the shipping and logistics of products to internal and external customers including plants, supplies, equipment, etc.
• Set benchmarks / KPI’s on both department & personnel performance that are in line with sales and expense goals.
• Oversee the routing and scheduling deliveries and pick-ups in an economic and efficient route.
  • Ensure shipping related fees are properly reflected and invoiced (ship fees, fuel surcharge, minimum order charges, cage charges, packing charges, etc.)
• Oversee transportation of transfers to ensure internal customers needs are met
• Support sales growth and develop the shipping customer experience.
  • Develop strategic logistic plans to develop sales territories with outside sales and sales managers.
  • Identify customer needs to develop shipping services to benefit the customer.
  • Resolve customer complaints together with sales and other managers.
  • Create services within the shipping department to make Midwest Groundcovers LLC stand out as the best supplier for our customers.

DOT Compliance

• Fully responsible for all DOT Compliance and reporting
• Understand current DOT regulations and ensure Midwest Groundcovers LLC is in compliance.  Attend seminars to remain current on DOT regulations.
• Oversee Driver Supervisor’s role of preforming DOT audit functions.
  • Monthly checks of logs, routes, time clock, etc.
• Oversee Maintenance of driver qualification files.
  • Random checks to make sure files are up to date.

Long Term Department Planning/ Growth

• With other Operations Managers, develop a system for multi-warehouse distribution.
• Responsible for long term planning for the Shipping Department to move forward.
  • Utilize equipment during the off months, find creative yet beneficial ways to employ more drivers FTYR
  • With upper management, review our distribution hub and research other options to become more profitable and efficient.
  • Fleet expansion with sales growth.
• Collaborate with Midwest Trading’s Shipping Department to identify efficiency and cost saving opportunities.
  • Understand Midwest Trading’s operational process as compared to Midwest Groundcovers.
  • Actively share shipping resources as needed to support sales for both companies.

Equipment and Vendor Relations

• Responsible for establishing and managing budgets relating to equipment, sub-contractors, long term, and seasonal leasing.
  • Build and manage relationships with vendors.
  • Actively negotiate competitive rates to give Midwest Groundcovers LLC the best value for dollars spent.
  • Manage lease contracts so the whole fleet is not being replaced at the same time.
    • Negotiate to have only 1 or 2 vehicles replaced each year.
• Coordinate quarterly (or more frequent as needed) shipping recap reports to senior management reporting on truck and driver productivity and department profitability; use the data to plan future equipment needs.
• Actively research new equipment options that support customer needs and operational efficiencies.
• Responsible for equipment maintenance for safe shipping fleet operations and clean professional presentation to customers.
• Responsible for managing emergency breakdown situations for all fleet vehicles.

Staffing, Leadership, and Department Management

• Recruit, select, hire, train and motivate staff:  drivers, transfer functions, seasonal support.
• Manage all staff to meet external and internal customer expectations and profitably reach sales goals.  Ensure staffing to cover deliveries and hours of operation.
• Set annual goals department and individuals.
• Responsible for establishing and managing efficient labor budgets to achieve department goals, meet customer expectations and company profit objectives.
• Responsible for establishing and managing extensive expense budgets. Continually look for ways to maintain or drive operational costs down.
• Responsible for ensuring the department sees a yearly profit.
• Provide quarterly (or more frequent) feedback and formal evaluation of direct reports. Support and enforce company policies.  Schedule regular meetings for training, operations objectives, problem solving, and decision making.
• Responsible for driver training–
  • Complete ride-a-longs with drivers to ensure safe driving and safe working habits exist and are being utilized.
  • Assist drivers in training to obtain a higher-class license if so desired
  • Manage the driver onboarding process & ensure drivers are trained properly to operate safely, deliver efficiently, and provide excellent customer service.
  • With HR, coordinate at least 3 driver training sessions annually; assure drivers are properly trained for job performance.
  • Lead Safe Driver Award Program. Report results to HR for insurance submittal.
• Maintain effective teamwork relations with all departments across the company to facilitate effective overall operations.
• Attend meetings to represent the department. Serve on the safety committee.
• Develop, improve, and ensure documentation of all shipping procedures.  Train backup individuals so that shipping and distribution functions can run smoothly.
• Increase knowledge of logistics systems through formal education outside of Midwest systems; bring new concepts on operations improvements to Midwest distribution.
• Cross train in other key areas such as router, yard, and sales in order to fully understand operations connections.  Be able to function in jobs in which cross training has been completed.  In off season, collaborate in non-shipping / distribution areas such as trade shows, customer visits, maintenance projects, etc.
• Responsible for determining and achieving individual goals, and working toward personal and professional growth, while supporting the department, company, and industry.