Transportation Manager in Eugene, Oregon at Pacific Recycling Inc

Transportation Manager

Department: Transportation
Reports To: President
Status: Full-Time

Position Summary

The Transportation Manager is responsible for the overall performance, safety, and coordination of Pacific Recycling's transportation operations. This is a hands-on management position that combines daily transportation and dispatch responsibilities with leadership, carrier management, cost control, compliance, and process improvement.

The ideal candidate is proactive, organized, and comfortable taking ownership of problems, managing people, and working directly in the day-to-day operation.

Essential Responsibilities

Transportation Operations

· Manage and coordinate daily transportation activities, including trucking, drop boxes, non-ferrous transportation, railcars, containers, outside jobs, and other transportation needs.

· Participate directly in dispatching and transportation activities while coordinating workload and resources among dispatchers.

· Coordinate railcar orders, track railcar activity, and ensure cars are released when loading or unloading is complete.

· Oversee container transportation, including booking status, port appointments, truck scheduling, and timely return of loaded containers.

· Serve as the primary escalation point for transportation issues and ensure problems are identified and resolved promptly.

· Coordinate with Maintenance to schedule preventative maintenance and repairs, communicate equipment needs and downtime, and ensure transportation equipment is available when needed.

· Monitor transportation equipment and follow up on outstanding maintenance or repair issues.

Carrier & Cost Management

· Develop and maintain relationships with trucking companies, owner-operators, and other transportation vendors.

· Monitor carrier performance and transportation rates; identify and address significant rate changes, service issues, and opportunities to reduce costs.

· Oversee carrier agreements, insurance documentation, and other required vendor records.

· Monitor transportation invoices and ensure discrepancies and outstanding issues are resolved timely.

· Track transportation activity and costs and provide meaningful information to management.

Safety & Compliance

· Promote and maintain a strong safety culture within the Transportation department.

· Ensure drivers and transportation employees follow company safety policies, applicable regulations, and required inspection procedures.

· Ensure out-of-service equipment and safety concerns are properly documented, communicated, and addressed before returning equipment to service.

· Maintain required transportation and carrier records and ensure compliance requirements are met.

· Address unsafe conditions or behavior promptly and work with Safety and Maintenance on transportation-related issues.

Leadership & Process Improvement

· Lead, train, and hold transportation employees accountable for performance and completion of assigned responsibilities.

· Establish clear responsibilities and communication practices among dispatch personnel to ensure work is coordinated and nothing falls through the cracks.

· Develop and improve transportation procedures, systems, and workflows.

· Identify opportunities to improve transportation efficiency, service, safety, and cost.

· Work collaboratively with Operations, Sales, Accounting, Maintenance, and other departments to support company objectives.

· Take ownership of transportation-related problems and develop solutions without waiting for direction.

Qualifications

· 3+ years of experience in transportation, trucking, dispatch, fleet operations, logistics, or a related field.

· Prior supervisory or management experience preferred.

· Strong understanding of trucking operations, dispatching, carrier relationships, and transportation scheduling.

· Strong organizational, communication, and follow-through skills.

· Ability to identify problems, make decisions, and take action independently.

· Comfortable working in a hands-on operational environment.

· Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.

· Ability to work collaboratively while maintaining clear ownership and accountability.