Freight Transportation Manager Jobs in Minnesota

Our client, a nationally recognized and industry-leading manufacturer, is seeking an Outbound Transportation Manager to drive outbound freight performance, reporting, accountability, and cost optimization across multiple plant locations nationwide. This role reports directly to the Director of Operations and offers high visibility and influence across the organization.

This position is ideal for a highly analytical transportation professional with experience negotiating bulk freight rates and improving transportation performance within a manufacturing or industrial environment. While this role will not directly negotiate freight, the individual will serve as the company's internal subject matter expert - training, coaching, and challenging plant transportation teams to improve freight execution, reduce costs, and close performance gaps across the network.

The Outbound Transportation Manager will use reporting, analytics, and operational oversight to identify opportunities for improvement, hold locations accountable to transportation metrics, and drive measurable cost-saving initiatives throughout the organization.

What You'll Do

• Own outbound freight performance analysis and reporting across multiple manufacturing locations nationwide

• Develop and maintain freight reporting tools, dashboards, and analytics using Excel and SQL-based systems

• Create reporting that measures target freight rates versus actual freight rates and identifies cost gaps and improvement opportunities across locations

• Monitor and evaluate transportation KPIs including cost per ton, cost per mile, cost per load, carrier utilization, and plant performance trends

• Train Dispatchers, Transportation Managers, and plant office personnel on freight negotiation strategies, transportation best practices, carrier sourcing tools, and market optimization techniques

• Share proven methods, market insights, and transportation strategies to help plants secure more favorable freight rates

• Use reporting and operational analysis to challenge locations on performance gaps and drive accountability for continuous improvement

• Follow up directly with plant transportation teams when freight performance metrics are not improving

• Escalate unresolved operational or cost concerns to leadership when necessary

• Partner with plant leadership to standardize transportation processes and improve outbound freight profitability

• Analyze freight markets, carrier trends, and transportation data to support network optimization initiatives

• Investigate freight billing discrepancies and resolve transportation cost variances

• Evaluate opportunities related to backhauls, carrier utilization, and freight network efficiency

What We're Looking For

• 5+ years of experience in bulk freight, transportation, logistics, or outbound transportation operations

• Experience negotiating bulk freight rates and working within bulk commodity transportation markets

• Strong understanding of freight market dynamics, carrier sourcing strategies, and transportation cost drivers

• Experience working with hopper bottoms, walking floors, belt trailers, end dumps, and other bulk freight equipment

• Strong analytical and reporting capabilities with advanced Excel skills and experience working with transportation or SQL-based systems

• Proven ability to use reporting, metrics, and operational analysis to drive accountability and performance improvement

• Comfortable challenging underperformance, asking difficult operational questions, and escalating concerns when necessary

• Experience influencing dispatchers, plant managers, transportation managers, or cross-functional operations teams

• Backgrounds focused primarily on small parcel or LTL transportation environments are less applicable to this role

• Finance, accounting, operational analytics, or manufacturing experience is a plus

Why Join

• High-impact role with visibility across a nationwide manufacturing operation

• Opportunity to influence transportation performance and operational strategy across multiple locations

• Strong leadership support and clear escalation structure to drive change and accountability

• Stable, growing organization with a strong industry reputation

• Competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits

Who You Are

• Analytical, detail-oriented, and operationally driven

• Comfortable using reporting and metrics to challenge performance gaps and drive improvement

• Confident holding teams accountable while maintaining strong working relationships

• Assertive, professional, and solutions-oriented

• A strong communicator who can influence without direct authority

• Motivated by operational efficiency, measurable results, and continuous improvement

• Comfortable being firm when necessary and escalating concerns appropriately when results are not improving