Torchora
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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for a Freight Operations Analyst

💰 $55,000 - $85,000

LogisticsSupply ChainOperationsData Analysis

🎯 Role Definition

As a Freight Operations Analyst, you are the analytical engine of our logistics department. You will dive deep into our transportation data to uncover trends, identify inefficiencies, and pinpoint opportunities for significant cost savings and performance improvements. This role is pivotal in ensuring our products move seamlessly from origin to destination in the most efficient and cost-effective manner. You will be a key partner to our operations, finance, and carrier management teams, providing the critical insights that shape our freight strategy and drive day-to-day execution. If you are passionate about problem-solving and transforming data into actionable strategy, we want to hear from you.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Logistics Coordinator or Specialist
  • Operations Associate
  • Data Analyst (with interest in supply chain)

Advancement To:

  • Senior Freight Operations Analyst
  • Logistics Manager or Supervisor
  • Supply Chain Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Supply Chain Planner
  • Procurement or Sourcing Analyst
  • Business Intelligence Analyst

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Analyze freight costs, service levels, and carrier performance data to identify key trends, anomalies, and opportunities for optimization.
  • Develop, maintain, and distribute key performance indicator (KPI) reports and dashboards for freight operations, including on-time performance, cost-per-unit, and accessorial spend.
  • Proactively monitor and track inbound and outbound shipments across all modes (LTL, FTL, Parcel, Ocean) to ensure on-time delivery and communicate status updates to relevant stakeholders.
  • Conduct comprehensive root cause analysis on service failures, delays, and damages, implementing corrective action plans to prevent recurrence.
  • Perform regular freight invoice auditing to ensure accuracy of charges, dispute discrepancies with carriers, and manage the freight payment process.
  • Identify and execute cost-saving initiatives through network analysis, mode shifting, load consolidation, and route optimization.
  • Manage and maintain the Transportation Management System (TMS), ensuring data integrity for rates, routes, and carrier information.
  • Support carrier relationship management by preparing data and analysis for quarterly business reviews (QBRs) and performance discussions.
  • Create and manage carrier performance scorecards to hold partners accountable to service level agreements (SLAs) and contractual obligations.
  • Analyze the financial impact of accessorial charges (e.g., detention, fuel surcharges, layover) and develop strategies to minimize them.
  • Collaborate with warehouse, customer service, and procurement teams to streamline shipping processes and resolve operational bottlenecks.
  • Generate lane-level analysis to support procurement events and carrier negotiations, providing data-backed recommendations for carrier awards.
  • Model potential cost and service impacts of changes to the supply chain network, such as new distribution centers or suppliers.
  • Develop and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) for freight booking, tracking, and payment processes to ensure consistency and compliance.
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for day-to-day operational inquiries and escalations from internal teams and external partners.
  • Monitor industry trends, market capacity, and fuel price fluctuations to provide proactive insights and forecast potential impacts on the business.
  • Utilize SQL and business intelligence tools to extract and manipulate large datasets from various sources for complex analysis.
  • Build and present compelling data-driven stories and recommendations to senior leadership to gain buy-in for strategic initiatives.
  • Support monthly and quarterly financial close processes by providing accurate freight cost accruals and variance analysis.
  • Lead or participate in cross-functional projects aimed at improving supply chain efficiency, visibility, and resilience.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis for various business stakeholders.
  • Contribute to the organization's broader data strategy and the continuous improvement of our analytical capabilities.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements for our data warehouse and BI platforms.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data and analytics teams.
  • Assist in the development and documentation of best practices for data analysis and reporting within the logistics function.
  • Support contract negotiation processes by providing data-backed insights on carrier rates and performance benchmarks.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including PivotTables, VLOOKUPs, index/match, and complex conditional formulas.
  • Hands-on experience with a Transportation Management System (TMS) such as MercuryGate, Oracle OTM, Blue Yonder, or similar platforms.
  • Proficiency in using data visualization and business intelligence tools like Tableau, Microsoft Power BI, or Qlik Sense to build dashboards.
  • Working knowledge of SQL for querying relational databases and performing data extraction and manipulation.
  • Strong understanding of multiple transportation modes, including Less-Than-Truckload (LTL), Full-Truckload (FTL), Intermodal, and Parcel.
  • Familiarity with freight invoice auditing, general ledger coding, and freight payment processes.
  • Knowledge of carrier pricing structures, contracts, and the dynamics of the freight market.

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional analytical, critical thinking, and quantitative problem-solving skills with a keen attention to detail.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex data clearly to diverse audiences.
  • Excellent organizational and time-management skills, capable of managing multiple competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
  • A highly collaborative mindset with the ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams and external partners.
  • Proactive, self-motivated, and resourceful with a strong sense of ownership and a drive for continuous improvement.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's Degree from an accredited four-year college or university.

Preferred Education:

  • Master’s Degree or professional certifications (e.g., APICS, CSCMP).

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Supply Chain Management
  • Logistics & Transportation
  • Business Analytics or Data Science
  • Operations Management
  • Finance or Economics

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 2-5 years of experience in a logistics, transportation, or supply chain analysis role.

Preferred:

  • Experience in a high-volume shipping environment such as manufacturing, CPG, retail, or a 3PL/4PL provider.
  • Direct experience in carrier management, freight procurement, or TMS administration.
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