Air Logistics Gateway Operations Supervisor

It's more than a job

As a member of the Freight Forwarding team Kuehne+Nagel, you will play a key role in transporting goods, optimising processes, and fulfilling our customers' promises. And by transporting medicines, toys and important machine parts, you are not only delivering goods, you are making small and big moments possible for people all around the world. At Kuehne+Nagel, our contribution counts in more ways than we imagine.

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The Gateway Operations Supervisor is responsible for leading and overseeing daily gateway operations to ensure the efficient movement of international air freight while meeting customer expectations, operational KPIs, and company standards. This role provides leadership to a team of Gateway Specialists, manages carrier and capacity relationships, drives operational performance, and ensures compliance with all regulatory and service requirements. The successful candidate will combine strong operational expertise with people leadership, stakeholder management, and continuous improvement capabilities.

How you create impact

• Supervise and coordinate daily gateway operations, including air export, air import, and transshipment activities.
• Lead, coach, and develop a team of Gateway Operations Specialists to ensure operational excellence and employee engagement.
• Manage workforce planning, staffing, scheduling, training, and performance management activities.
• Monitor shipment flows, service levels, and operational performance to ensure timely and accurate cargo movement.
• Oversee cargo consolidation planning and capacity utilization to maximize efficiency and profitability.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with airline carriers and transportation providers to secure capacity and resolve operational issues.
• Monitor carrier performance and ensure compliance with contractual service commitments.
• Drive operational KPI achievement, including on-time performance, service quality, productivity, and cost management.
• Identify operational risks, capacity constraints, and service disruptions, implementing corrective actions when necessary.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for complex operational, customer, and carrier-related issues.
• Ensure compliance with customs regulations, aviation security requirements, company SOPs, and industry standards.
• Analyze operational data and prepare reports to support decision-making and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Partner with customer service, sales, warehouse, transportation, and global gateway teams to ensure seamless execution of shipments.
• Lead process improvement projects focused on service enhancement, cost reduction, and operational efficiency.
• Foster a culture of safety, accountability, teamwork, and customer focus within the operation.

What we would like you to bring

• 5+ years of experience in Air Export, Air Import, Gateway Operations, or Air Freight Operations within the freight forwarding and logistics industry.
• 1-3 years of supervisory, team lead, or people management experience in a logistics, transportation, or supply chain environment.
• Strong knowledge of international air freight forwarding operations, gateway processes, airline requirements, cargo handling procedures, and customs compliance.
• Proven experience managing carrier relationships, negotiating capacity, monitoring carrier performance, and resolving operational challenges.
• Strong understanding of capacity planning, shipment forecasting, consolidation planning, and network optimization to maximize service and profitability.
• Demonstrated ability to lead high-volume, fast-paced operations while ensuring accuracy, compliance, and customer satisfaction.
• Proven track record of achieving operational KPIs, driving process improvements, improving productivity, and delivering service excellence.
• Strong leadership, coaching, mentoring, and employee development skills, with the ability to build and motivate high-performing teams.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills with the ability to collaborate effectively with airlines, customers, warehouse operations, transportation providers, customs brokers, and internal functional teams.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities with experience managing escalations, service disruptions, and operational risks.
• Effective negotiation, conflict resolution, and communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Strong organizational, planning, and workload management skills with the ability to prioritize multiple competing demands.
• Customer-focused mindset with a commitment to delivering exceptional service and operational excellence.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including Pivot Tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, reporting, data analysis, and performance tracking.
• Proficient in Microsoft Outlook, Word, and PowerPoint for communication, reporting, and business presentations.
• Experience using Transportation Management Systems (TMS), freight forwarding software, cargo management systems, and operational reporting tools.
• Ability to analyze operational trends, shipment volumes, capacity utilization, productivity metrics, and service performance data to support decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Accountable for achieving key operational performance metrics including on-time performance, capacity utilization, consolidation effectiveness, SLA achievement, productivity, shipment quality, cost control, customer satisfaction, and team performance.

What's in it for you

At Kuehne+Nagel we strive daily to inspire, empower, and deliver not only to our customers, but also to our colleagues. We offer a dynamic global work environment with opportunities for excellent training programs and career mobility. The hourly wage for this role is between 78,000 and 85,000. Base wage is part of a competitive total rewards package that includes health and welfare benefits, a 401k retirement savings plan, tuition reimbursement, and incentive compensation for eligible roles. Individual pay may vary from the target range and is determined by a number of factors including experience, skills, job location, internal pay equity, and other relevant business considerations. Kuehne+Nagel reviews pay ranges regularly to ensure competitive and fair pay based on industry market data. #LI-SB1

Kuehne+Nagel participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. Employers can only use E-Verify once you have accepted a job offer and completed the Form I-9.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used to assist in specific process [e.g., screening applications, interview scheduling]. These tools analyze information to support decision-making, but final decisions are made by human reviewers.

Who we are

Logistics shapes everyday life - from the goods we consume to the healthcare we rely on. At Kuehne+Nagel, your work goes beyond logistics; it enables both ordinary and special moments in the lives of people around the world.

As a global leader with a strong heritage and a vision to move the world forward, we offer a safe, stable environment where your career can make a real difference. Whether we help deliver life-saving medicines, develop sustainable transportation solutions or support our local communities, your career will contribute to more than you can imagine.

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