Experience

15+ years of progressive experience in shipping, logistics, warehouse operations, distribution, global transportation, supply chain operations, or manufacturing logistics, including people leadership and management of logistics managers/supervisors.

Company Overview

Iron Systems is an innovative, customer-focused provider of custom-built computing infrastructure platforms, including network servers, storage, OEM/ODM appliances, and embedded systems. For more than 15 years, customers have trusted Iron Systems for innovative problem-solving, combined with holistic design, engineering, manufacturing, logistics, and global support services.

Role Summary

The Director, shipping & global logistics, will provide strategic and operational leadership for Iron Systems’ shipping, receiving, logistics, warehousing, distribution, material handling, transportation, inventory movement, and global logistics operations. This role will oversee the shipping & logistics manager and the broader shipping/receiving team, ensuring that logistics operations are cost-effective, compliant, scalable, customer-focused, and aligned with manufacturing and business requirements.

The Director will be responsible for logistics strategy, carrier and freight forwarder governance, global distribution performance, import/export coordination, logistics systems, operational KPIs, cost controls, risk mitigation, continuous improvement, and cross-functional alignment with manufacturing, Planning, Purchasing, Sales, Finance, Product Development, Import/Export Trade Compliance, and Corporate Transportation teams.

Key Responsibilities

Lead the overall shipping, receiving, warehousing, logistics, transportation, and distribution strategy for the organization.
Provide leadership and direction to the shipping & logistics manager, supervisors, leads, and shipping/receiving team members.
Own inbound and outbound logistics operations, including transportation planning, warehouse activities, inventory control, shipping quality, safety performance, and on-time delivery.
Develop and implement logistics plans, budgets, procedures, operating models, and performance standards to support customer commitments and business growth.
Oversee domestic and international transportation strategy, including carrier selection, routing, freight forwarder management, shipping frequency, cost optimization, and service-level performance.
Review and approve carrier strategy, freight agreements, logistics RFPs, service contracts, pricing proposals, and transportation service agreements.
Partner with import/export trade compliance and corporate transportation teams to ensure adherence to legal, regulatory, customs, and trade compliance requirements.
Monitor import/export processes and ensure logistics operations are aligned with applicable laws, regulations, internal controls, and customer requirements.
Direct worldwide distribution center operations to achieve targets related to cost, productivity, inventory accuracy, service quality, shipment accuracy, and on-time delivery.
Establish and monitor logistics KPIs, dashboards, customer service logs, safety metrics, productivity measures, overtime trends, freight spend, claims, and carrier performance.
Lead quarterly business reviews with logistics service providers, freight forwarders, carriers, 3PLs, and other transportation partners.
Drive total landed cost analysis, logistics cost reduction, freight optimization, and process improvement initiatives.
Develop and maintain global transportation SOPs, freight forwarder SOPs, escalation paths, compliance procedures, and logistics playbooks.
Ensure accurate shipping documentation, including bills of lading, shipping notices, invoices, export records, customer orders, and related logistics documents.
Oversee inventory movement processes, warehouse space planning, cycle count governance, shipment staging, material handling, and loading requirements.
Lead logistics audits related to storage, distribution, transportation, inventory movement, documentation, and process compliance.
Partner with IT and business systems teams to improve logistics tools, shipment visibility, tracking, reporting, ERP usage, and system integration.
Lead global logistics integration projects, including shipping validation, system enablement, trade compliance support, regulatory implementation, and operational standardization.
Build contingency plans and risk mitigation strategies for critical shipping lanes, supplier disruptions, freight delays, customs issues, and customer-impacting logistics risks.
Evaluate and implement supply chain improvement tools related to tracking visibility, freight optimization, cost savings, reporting, and market analysis.
Oversee the international shipment claims process in partnership with freight forwarders, Risk Management, Finance, and internal stakeholders.
Collaborate with Sales, Order Management, Accounting, Planning, Purchasing, Manufacturing, Product Development, and Customer Support teams to align logistics execution with business needs.
Ensure strong customer focus by analyzing customer needs, identifying logistics gaps, and implementing solutions that improve customer satisfaction and operational reliability.
Lead, mentor, coach, and develop logistics managers, supervisors, and team members to build a credible, reliable, accountable, and customer-focused logistics organization.

Leadership / Supervisory Responsibilities:

Directly manages the Shipping & Logistics Manager and may indirectly oversee supervisors, leads, shipping, receiving, warehouse, and logistics personnel.
Responsible for workforce planning, hiring, training, performance management, coaching, succession planning, accountability, and team development.
Ensures the department operates in accordance with company policies, applicable laws, safety standards, compliance requirements, and operational procedures.
Provides leadership in resolving escalations, performance issues, customer-impacting logistics delays, vendor concerns, employee issues, and cross-functional operational bottlenecks.

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Business, Operations, Engineering, Manufacturing, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
15+ years of progressive experience in shipping, logistics, warehouse operations, distribution, transportation, global logistics, or supply chain operations.
Experience leading logistics managers, supervisors, or multi-layered operations teams.
Strong background in manufacturing logistics, warehouse operations, shipping/receiving, inventory movement, carrier management, and distribution operations.
Experience managing domestic and international logistics, freight forwarders, transportation providers, 3PLs, and carrier relationships.
Strong understanding of import/export processes, trade compliance coordination, shipping documentation, customs requirements, and logistics risk management.
Experience managing logistics budgets, freight spend, cost-reduction initiatives, RFPs, carrier contracts, and service provider negotiations.
Ability to develop and monitor KPIs related to cost, productivity, overtime, accuracy, safety, service levels, on-time delivery, carrier performance, and customer satisfaction.
Experience with total landed cost analysis, freight optimization, logistics audits, SOP development, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Strong working knowledge of ERP, logistics, warehouse, transportation, reporting, and business systems.
Advanced Microsoft Office skills, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
Ability to interpret safety rules, operating instructions, maintenance instructions, procedures, manuals, contracts, and compliance documentation.
Strong written communication skills with the ability to prepare reports, executive updates, SOPs, business reviews, and stakeholder communications.
Strong analytical and numerical skills, including cost analysis, rate analysis, ratios, percentages, KPIs, productivity metrics, and performance dashboards.
Strong leadership, decision-making, problem-solving, negotiation, and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience in electronics, hardware, OEM/ODM, computing infrastructure, network/server/storage, or technology manufacturing environments.
Experience with Microsoft AX, Microsoft SharePoint, database tools, payroll/operations systems, or similar enterprise platforms.
APICS CPIM, CSCP, CLTD, or related supply chain/logistics certification preferred.
Compliance, traffic, transportation, customs, or trade compliance certification/training is a plus.
Valid driver’s license preferred.
Experience leading global logistics transformation, distribution center optimization, freight visibility, ERP/logistics system implementation, or logistics integration projects.

Iron Systems, Inc

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