Freight Account Manager Jobs in Minnesota (NOW HIRING)

THE POSITION
Under the direction of the Senior Account Manager, the Account Manager serves as a primary point of contact and internal advocate for the assigned customer team. This role is responsible for understanding each customer's business, managing day-to-day transportation requirements, and coordinating with shippers, receivers, and cross-functional Evans teams to ensure complete and accurate shipment execution.
The Account Manager will proactively communicate shipment status and identify and resolve service risks. This position is accountable for building trusted customer relationships, retaining and growing assigned accounts, improving the customer experience, and delivering operational and financial results.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
• Customer Relationship - Build trusted, consultative customer relationships by understanding business objectives, delivering measurable value, and identifying opportunities to expand the partnership.
• Customer Advocacy and Ownership - Serve as the internal advocate for assigned customers and maintain end-to-end ownership of customer requests, service issues, and exceptions through final resolution.
• Proactive Communication - Anticipate customer needs and provide timely, accurate updates before the customer is required to request information. Communicate potential service risks, delays, and corrective actions as early as possible.
• Customer Expectations and Account Knowledge - Develop and maintain a thorough understanding of each customer's business, products, facilities, stakeholders, shipment patterns, service expectations, communication preferences, and contractual requirements.
• Internal Relationships - Build strong partnerships with internal teams and leaders who support assigned accounts. Clearly communicate customer requirements, priorities, and service expectations to all internal parties responsible for account execution, and verify alignment before implementation.
• Strategy - Measure KPI and financial performance; support customer-facing reporting, business reviews, strategic account plans, billing and accounting issue resolution, and contractual and spot pricing strategies.
• After-Hours Coverage - Provide ad hoc exception management outside standard business hours as required.
• Freight Claims and Service Recovery - Leverage internal Evans resources to process claims and lead service-recovery efforts following missed expectations, including timely acknowledgment, root-cause coordination, corrective-action communication, and follow-through with the customer.
ESSENTIAL ACCOUNT MANAGER FUNCTIONS
• Build strong, professional relationships with customers and internal partners.
• Execute day-to-day transportation requirements with accuracy, urgency, and attention to the customer experience.
• Accept loads, build loads, and schedule appointments for customers' shipments. Understand how each customer submits orders, acknowledge receipt, and enter shipment information accurately.
• Provide accurate, timely portal updates and shipment visibility. Learn each customer portal and comply with customer-specific status, milestone, and reporting expectations.
• Proactively communicate shipment status, service risks, delays, and corrective actions before the customer is required to request an update.
• Identify issues, engage the appropriate resources, determine the best course of action, and maintain ownership through final resolution.
• Set clear and realistic expectations regarding capacity, pricing, transit time, appointment requirements, and operational capabilities. Avoid commitments that cannot be consistently executed.
• Manage customer bid boards and portals.
• Understand customer and carrier rating requirements to provide accurate quotes based on specific freight criteria.
• Understand customer processes and identify opportunities to improve service, visibility, cost, and operational efficiency.
• Actively solicit customer feedback, identify recurring themes, and communicate the voice of the customer to the Senior Account Manager and leadership.
• Maintain the required daily reporting schedule using internal systems.
• Generate and maintain accurate, current customer records and shipment documentation.
• Communicate changes or adaptations affecting customers' shipments in a timely and effective manner.
• Process inbound, outbound, and return shipments using MercuryGate and other applicable tools to support accurate and timely delivery.
• Lead service-recovery follow-up after missed expectations and confirm that corrective actions have been implemented and communicated to the customer.
• Adhere to Evans' Five Guiding Principles and all departmental and company procedures, policies, and handbooks.
• Involve the Senior Account Manager when significant problem resolution, complex solutions, customer conference calls, or additional escalation is required.
• Perform other duties as assigned, including after-hours coverage.
Requirements
QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS
• Bachelor's Degree Preferred
• Additional years of education and experience may be substituted for each other, as determined by Management
• Excellent critical thinking and problem-solving skills
• Experience working in a Transportation Management Software (MercuryGate) is preferred, but not required
• Transportation experience and working knowledge of industry preferred, but not required
• Elevated level of organizational skills and ability to multi-task
• Ability to read, write, type and speak English fluently is a requirement of this position
PHYSICAL DEMANDS / WORK ENVIRONMENT
While performing the duties of this job, the employee must be able to use a keyboard, calculator, and telephone. Frequent sitting, talking, hearing, and occasionally stand, stoop, kneel, lift (up to 10 lbs.), and an ability to adjust vision for close vision work. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.