Director of Transportation at Harbor Foodservice – Kent, Washington

The Harbor Foodservice Director of Transportation works with both our unionized environment and non-union team members and departments and the role is responsible for the strategic direction, profitability, and daily management of transportation, and with the critical addition of managing complex labor relations. This role requires maintaining high productivity and efficiency while adhering to Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs), managing grievances, and fostering constructive relationships with union leadership as well as non-union departments across the company.

Compensation: $100K - $130K + bonus program

Benefits Summary: Benefits for Harbor Team Members include vacation, sick time, personal floating holiday, paid holidays, medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, 401(k) retirement plan with a generous employer match and some great Harbor perks.

Key Competencies

• Transportation Leadership: Builds and maintains a strong, people first culture by leading with integrity, accountability, and respect. Sets the standard for leadership behavior, develops leaders at all levels, and ensures operational decisions reflect company values, team member safety, and fair labor practices with acumen and astute capabilities in people management.
• Labor Relations Management: Establish strong, productive relationships with union stewards and leadership, participating in or overseeing contract negotiations and grievance procedures.
• Contract Compliance: Ensure all operational decisions, including staffing, discipline, and changes in working conditions, comply with the negotiated Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
• Operational Execution: Plan, direct, and coordinate, day-to-day operations to ensure efficiency and cost-effectiveness, particularly in foodservice delivery logistics, or field services paramount to customer-first sales and revenue production.
• Performance & Productivity: performance standards, monitor key performance indicators (KPIs), and implement continuous improvement coaching to drive profitability.
• Budgeting & Resource Management: Develop operating and capital budgets, manage staffing requirements, and oversee procurement to optimize resources.
• Safety & Compliance: develop, enforce, and monitor workplace safety standards and procedures to ensure compliance with OSHA and company policies.
• Change Management: Navigate operational changes, such as new technology implementation or process improvements, while managing the labor impact.

• Direct Transportation functions to achieve budgeted results and other financial criteria and to preserve capital funds invested in fleet and equipment.
• Appraise and evaluate results of overall transportation regularly and systematically and report these results to the Vice President of Operations and company leadership.
• Prepare and recommend annual Transportation budget. Monitor actual expenses and manage transportation within established budget goals.
• Select, train, evaluate and develop subordinate managers and supervisors to ensure achievement of individual and transportation center performance goals.
• Prepare long-range plans by reviewing current and future customer needs and matching department projects and focus on meeting those needs.
• Ensure sound working relationships within the department and with other departments through effective communication with team members, managers and supervisors. Set priorities and requirements to help develop plans of action. Communicate resolutions of plans, plans of action, priorities, and deadlines. Monitor and follow up on results.
• Perform employee relations functions by meeting with Transportation team members and union representation to resolve any problems as they occur and to help prevent future problems.
• Knowledge of customer service principles and processes for providing excellent customer service. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Knowledge of governing food regulations including HACCP and FSMA.
• Hold period meetings for high engagement and communication with the team.
• Plan, negotiate and ensure consistent implementation of Collective Bargaining Agreements as needed.
• Oversee procurement of equipment by meeting with suppliers and Operations managers to establish specifications, product design, price, scheduling to maximize investment in capital goods and minimize expenses.
• Oversee daily movement of products to ensure effective selection and loading of customer orders and timely delivery.
• Review organization and staffing plans to ensure that they are consistent and adequate for attainment of transportation department objectives.
• Other duties as assigned.

• Bachelor or Associate degree in Business Administration or Logistics or relevant field of study or experience equivalent to this education preferred.
• Ten (10) years of warehouse distribution, facilities or transportation experience with an emphasis on facilities, transportation or warehousing in a high-volume, highly competitive customer-first environment; foodservice/institutional/chain eatery/restaurant strongly preferred.
• Experience within a unionized transportation/delivery environment.
• Strong skills in Microsoft Office suite programs required.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills; ability to work well with all levels of team members essential.
• Labor relations, computer networking systems, financial management, with budgetary oversight required.
• Ability to pass a background screening and drug test.
• Must have the ability to organize, prioritize, negotiate, manage and solve problems.

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer M/F/Vets/Disabled