Reverse Logistics Specialist
2 days ago
Chicago
Job DescriptionBe Part of Our Next Chapter For over almost 60 years, our solutions have enabled impactful connections between some of the world’s leading brands and their customers. And while we’ve already done a lot of work we’re proud of, we’re just getting started! We’re a global technology company focused on creating dynamic, smart, personalized and engaging customer experiences powered by our range of digital hardware, our proprietary content management system and our industry leading signage solutions. (For example: If you’ve ordered in-store or in the drive-thru at McDonald’s somewhere in the world in the last few years, chances are you’ve interacted with our digital solutions.) We work in over 50 global markets and have 9 offices around the world, with a global headquarters proudly located in our founding home of Sydney, Australia. Coates Group has the values of a family-owned business and the innovative spirit of a start-up, both which fuel our purpose – Creating Connections. Empowering Partnerships. Always Evolving. Through hard work, dedication and creativity, we’ve become industry leaders who have won awards and set records while remaining focused on continual growth and evolution. We are a 2x Australia Good Design Award winner and successfully completed the largest hardware deployment in Quick Service Restaurant history. We are curious, charismatic, authentic and we value and leverage the diversity of our crew. We are imaginers, kindness enthusiasts, experts, creators, thinkers, challengers, collaborators and over-achievers. And together, as a Crew, we are revolutionizing the way the world’s leading brands leverage technology to drive the best customer experiences. The NAM Reverse Logistics Specialist is responsible for designing, managing, and continuously improving processes that govern the return, recovery, and disposition of products, packaging, and materials within the NAM Supply Chain. This role ensures that returned and non-conforming goods are handled efficiently, compliantly, and sustainably, with a focus on reducing waste, recovering value, and minimizing financial and operational impact to the business. By driving operational excellence, cross-functional alignment, and 3PL partnership management, this role enables the company to improve cost efficiency, enhance service reliability, and advance sustainability commitments.Accountabilities: • Develop, standardize, and continuously improve reverse logistics processes across NAM (returns, recalls, non-conforming goods, excess inventory, and packaging recovery)., • Ensure effective material disposition pathways (reuse, rework, resale, recycle, or responsible disposal) that maximize value recovery and minimize waste., • Manage partnerships with third-party logistics providers (3PLs) to ensure timely, accurate, and cost-efficient handling of returned goods., • Partner with suppliers and distributors to align on reverse logistics protocols and inventory accountability., • Drive visibility into slow-moving, obsolete, and non-conforming inventory, providing actionable insights to reduce write-offs., • Identify cost-reduction opportunities through freight optimization, consolidation, and improved recovery processes., • Ensure all reverse logistics practices comply with regulatory, food safety, and environmental standards., • Support corporate sustainability goals through circular economy initiatives (reuse, recycling, and waste minimization)., • Lead task forces and working groups to address reverse logistics challenges and systemic issues., • Collaborate with finance, procurement, quality, and operations to ensure accurate reporting, alignment, and risk mitigation., • Establish KPIs and dashboards to measure the effectiveness of reverse logistics activities (cost savings, recovery rates, turnaround times, sustainability impact)., • Provide regular updates and insights to senior leadership, highlighting risks, opportunities, and performance against targets.Capabilities:, • Analytical, leadership, self-starter, ability to work independently and ability to influence others., • Both strategic (having a network view) and tactical (day to day execution) in approach., • Expertise in transportation sourcing, procurement, and contract management., • Drive process improvement initiatives to increase efficiency and reduce reverse logistics costs., • Collaborate effectively with 3PL partners, repair centers, recycling vendors, and internal teams., • Develop and monitor KPIs/metrics for returns, recovery rates, and cost efficiency., • Experience managing third party transportation providers., • Collaborative, mature, and motivating leadership with a natural drive for results within a complex supply chain model., • Analytical and strategic planning skills. Ability to work in a fast paced, innovative operating environment. Ability to simplify complexity. Excellent verbal and written communication skills., • Computer proficiency with all Microsoft applications.Qualifications:, • 5 - 7 years experience in logistics, supply chain operations, or reverse logistics roles., • Strong influential and interpersonal skills, a key focus on patience and meeting the expectation of multiple stakeholders every day, • Hands-on experience managing returns, RMA processes, and vendor/customer coordination., • Proven track record in process optimization and cost reduction within reverse logistics., • Experience collaborating with 3PLs, repair centers, and recycling vendors., • Exposure to sustainability initiatives related to product recovery and circular economy., • Cross-functional collaboration with customer service, sales, operations, and finance teams., • Must be highly computer literate with advanced skills in Microsoft suite – particularly Excel, • Extensive knowledge of Logistics & Transport providers across the North American region, • Proven experience at reporting on logistical outcomes, creation and management of KPI’s both internally and with external 3PL warehouses.