Logistics & Operations Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Our client located in Philadelphia works in defense logistics and shipping of explosive/hazardous materials for U.S. government, defense and commercial customers. They are seeking a Logistics & Operations Manager for Operations & Compliance. The Logistics & Operations Manager owns the end-to-end execution of hazardous-material shipments, with full accountability for both operational performance and regulatory compliance. This role is the final control point for shipment readiness and carries the authority to ensure all shipments are fully compliant and ready to move.

• Salary up to $100K with annual bonus of 15-25%
• Schedule – Based on Philadelphia with 20-25% travel to port locations in North America, Hybrid possible
• Benefits – 100% paid by employer (Medical, Dental and Vision)

Responsibilities
Shipment Execution & Coordination

• Plan and execute domestic and international shipments of hazardous and Class 1 materials.
• Coordinate routing, scheduling, and carrier/vessel booking across modes.
• Track shipments end-to-end and proactively resolve delays, exceptions, and disruptions.

Regulatory Compliance

• Ensure full compliance with applicable regulations, including: 49CFR (HMR), IMDG Code, IATA DGR, ATF requirements
• Interpret and apply regulations to: Classifications, packaging, marking, labeling, and segregation
• Maintain current knowledge of evolving dangerous-goods and export-control requirements.

Documentation & Trade Compliance

• Prepare and validate:
• • Dangerous-Goods Declarations (DGDs)
  • Bills of lading
  • AES/ACE filings
• Verify classification details, including:
• • UN numbers
  • Net Explosive Quantity (NEQ)
  • Compatibility groups
  • Packing groups
• Maintain complete, accurate, and audit-ready documentation.

Shipment Approval Authority

• Review every shipment for regulatory compliance and operational feasibility.
• Approve, hold, or reject shipments.
• Exercise stop-shipment authority where compliance or safety is in question.
• Escalate high-risk issues to leadership with a recommended course of action.

Carrier & Vendor Management

• Select and coordinate carriers, forwarders, and vendors.
• Verify that transport partners are qualified and compliant for the cargo being moved.

Warehouse & Site Coordination

• Coordinate inbound and outbound movements with warehouse and site operations.
• Ensure NEQ, compatibility, and segregation requirements are met.

Risk Management

• Identify, assess, and mitigate operational and compliance risks.
• Make sound, real-time decisions under time pressure.

Audit & Recordkeeping

• Maintain audit-ready records.
• Support internal, customer, and regulatory audits.

Process Improvement

• Develop and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Drive continuous improvement in operational efficiency, accuracy and compliance

Required Qualifications

• 5–10+ years of logistics/operations experience, including hazardous-materials shipping.
• Hands-on hazmat experience: Class 1 / explosives experience strongly preferred.
• Strong working knowledge of dangerous-goods regulations, including: 49 CFR, IMDG, IATA (preferred)
• Experience preparing and validating shipping and export documentation.
• Sound judgment and decisiveness under operational pressure.
• Explosives-logistics experience.
• Familiarity with ATF requirements, including 27 CFR Part 555
• AES/ACE filing experience.
• Exposure to ITAR/EAR export administration.
• Function-specific dangerous-goods training/certification. (NOTE: Prior certification preferred – training can be provided)