Manager, Transportation
6 days ago
Minneapolis
Job Description ABOUT BAY STATE MILLING: Bay State Milling is a family-owned company with a strategic intent to support the growth of the next generation of grain-based foods in North America by providing the leading array of plant-based ingredients. Since 1899, we have proudly provided exceptional quality flour and grain products, and we continue to build on our legacy as we bring new supply chains and technologies into our realm of capabilities. Our Core purpose is to provide food ingredients to promote the growth of healthful and affordable food choices for the consumer. We recognize that the universe of grain-based foods is constantly changing and responding to consumers’ desire for variety, healthfulness, great taste and affordability in their food choices. We are not afraid of change; in fact, we believe that change cultivates opportunity. Our goal is to stay a step ahead of our customer’s needs, while always maintaining the trust they have placed in us for generations. We are committed to maintaining our Core Values of INTEGRITY, QUALITY, CREATIVITY, CARING, and COLLABORATION in pursuit of achieving this goal. SUMMARY The Transportation Manager plays a critical leadership role within Bay State Milling’s Corporate Transportation function, supporting both day-to-day execution and long-term strategic development across truckload, rail, international logistics, and warehousing interfaces. This position provides essential leadership capacity to manage the growing scope and complexity of Transportation operations, strengthen cost and service performance, support regulatory compliance, and advance process and systems improvements. The role serves as a key partner to the Sr. Manager of Corporate Transportation and acts as a central resource for plants, Supply Chain, Sales, Customer Support, and external transportation service partners. This position is also an important element of succession planning for the Transportation function. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned. Strategic & Functional Leadership • Partner with the Sr. Manager to develop and implement transportation strategies that align with company goals., • Provide leadership across multimodal transportation activities, ensuring alignment with plant operations, customer expectations, and internal service standards., • Lead or support strategic initiatives across functions and business units such as network and distribution optimization, sustainability efforts, and digital transformation., • Analyze and communicate transportation performance, market trends, risks, and opportunities to key stakeholders. Operational Execution & Support • Oversee daily execution of transportation activities across truckload, rail, ocean, intermodal, and warehousing connections, balancing cost, service, and capacity requirements., • Act as an escalation point for service issues, plant capacity challenges, or urgent customer-facing transportation needs., • Collaborate with internal stakeholders and external partners to resolve service issues, warehouse and transportation capacity constraints, and shipment delays promptly and effectively., • Provide cross‑functional backup support for key transportation roles, demonstrating flexibility to shift between strategic and tactical work as needed., • Provide oversight for transportation compliance, documentation accuracy, regulatory requirements, and the timely resolution of freight claims and accessorial issues. Transportation Service Provider Management • Manage relationships with transportation service providers and logistics partners to ensure alignment with business needs., • Support contract negotiations, rate discussions, and commercial evaluations with transportation service providers, • Support carrier performance management through KPIs, scorecards, quarterly reviews, and corrective action plans Cross-Functional Support & Collaboration • Act as a key liaison between Corporate Transportation and internal stakeholders including Supply Chain, Sales, Customer Support, Operations, Quality Assurance., • Represent Corporate Transportation on cross-functional teams and support leadership in business unit communications. Process, Systems & Continuous Improvement • Drive continuous improvement through data-based decision making, KPIs, and root cause analysis., • Support enhancements to transportation systems such as D365, TMS functionality, freight AP/EDI workflows, visibility platforms, and carrier integrations. People Leadership & Development • Provide day-to-day guidance, development, and support to team members across transportation functions., • Serve as a decision-maker in the absence of the Sr. Manager and contribute to organizational planning and development., • Contribute to building team capability through cross-training, coaching, and supporting skill development. QUALIFICATIONS To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. • Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Business, or related field., • Minimum 7 years of progressive, multi-modal experience in transportation or logistics, preferably within food manufacturing, agriculture, or CPG., • Demonstrated leadership ability through initiative ownership, cross-functional influence, and decision-making., • Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills, with the ability to translate data into operational and strategic insights., • Experience with transportation management systems, ERP environments (e.g., AX/D365), carrier portals, and data/analytics tools., • Proven ability to interpret and apply domestic and international freight regulations, including documentation requirements, compliance standards, and industry best practices., • Ability to manage multiple priorities, respond effectively to operational challenges, and support tactical and strategic needs in a fast-paced, hybrid environment. OTHER REQUIREMENTS· Ability to build trust-based relationships and demonstrate strong interpersonal communication skills.· High standards of accuracy, organization, and precision in reporting.· Strong ethical standards and integrity in handling financial data.· Ability to adapt to changing business needs and support continuous improvement initiatives. LANGUAGE SKILLS English fluency is essential. Must have strong verbal and written communication skills, with ability to respond to either common and sensitive inquiries or complaints from internal and external customers. High attention to detail and a keen eye for esthetics. MATHEMATICAL AND COMPUTER SKILLS Competency in Spreadsheet and Word Processing software required (Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint windows applications preferred). The ability to adopt emerging technology resources is a plus. The ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations is essential. REASONING ABILITY Must possess acumen and judgment in business situations, with ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. OTHER SKILLS & ABILITIES PHYSICAL DEMANDS the physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or listen. The employee frequently is required to sit or stand. The Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. WORK ENVIRONMENT The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is generally exposed to a nonmanufacturing, office type environment and minimal exposure to noise, dust, and industrial type machinery.