Director, Transportation

Are you looking for a new challenge? Passionate about innovation? Want to work for a global company that values integrity, teamwork, and loyalty? At LATICRETE International, we aim to be the leading construction brand trusted globally for high‑performance tile and stone installation systems and building finishing solutions. We’ve been in business for 70 years, family‑owned for three generations, and can be found in over 100 countries. The Hartford Business Journal even named us one of Connecticut’s top family‑owned companies in 2017. We don't just make innovative, industry‑leading products. Our purpose is to improve the built world and the lives of those who build it. We strive to connect with, engage with and improve the lives of our employees, our customers, our partners, and the global communities in which we operate. We are seeking passionate and ambitious employees who want to make a difference not just within our organization, but within their communities, our industry, and the world. If that sounds like you, then what are you waiting for? Join the family and expand your horizons! Benefits Medical Dental Vision 401k Tuition reimbursement 13 paid holidays in addition to paid vacation and sick time Flexible spending Life Insurance, AD&D and Supplemental Insurance 1 week paid plant shutdown between the Christmas and New Year’s Day holidays Position Summary Accountable for transportation strategy, execution, and annual freight spend for LATICRETE International – North America, including inbound, interplant, and outbound movements across multiple modes (TL, LTL, parcel, rail, intermodal, ocean, air, and bulk tanker) and operating models. Provides strategic and operational leadership to ensure customer delivery commitments are met at the lowest total delivered cost, while maintaining compliance with applicable regulations and supporting corporate safety and sustainability objectives. Essential Duties And Responsibilities Additional duties and responsibilities may be assigned as needed. Transportation Strategy & Network Optimization (25%) Own multi‑mode transportation strategy and carrier alignment, including origin optimization across the manufacturing network, routing guide governance, and service recovery. Define and govern transportation service‑level commitments (delivery windows, mode‑by‑mode lead times, customer‑tier expectations) in partnership with Sales and Customer Service; ensure commitments are achievable, measurable, and aligned with cost‑to‑serve. Lead transportation risk management and business continuity planning for disruption scenarios (carrier financial distress, port and gateway disruptions, weather and climate events, geopolitical and trade‑policy shifts); maintain carrier redundancy, alternate routing, and escalation playbooks to safeguard customer service. Monitor transportation market trends and trade policy changes (tariffs, customs, import/export regulations); assess impact on total landed cost, capacity, lead times, and mode strategy; translate insights into routing guides, carrier strategies, forecasts, and contingency plans. Support network and facility investment decisions (dedicated/private fleet, distribution‑center location, cross‑dock) with transportation analytics, business cases, and recommendations. Carrier Management, Cost & Performance (30%) Carrier Strategy & Procurement Lead carrier and 3PL strategy, contract negotiation, and ongoing performance governance across all modes; ensure services are delivered at competitive total cost while adhering to routing guides. Define, publish, and govern transportation KPIs on a weekly/monthly cadence (on‑time pickup and delivery, cost per pound, tender acceptance, accessorial rate, claims rate, invoice accuracy), with corrective actions tracked to closure. Own governance for cargo claims prevention and resolution; analyze trends, recover costs, and implement corrective actions with carriers and internal partners. Financial & Audit Governance Develop and manage the transportation budget, freight PPV (price/plan variance), and related forecasting; deliver cost‑to‑serve analysis and executive‑ready recommendations. Lead freight audit and payment governance: validate rates and contracts, enforce accessorial controls, resolve disputes, ensure accrual accuracy, and deliver spend analytics. Partner with Sales and Finance to govern freight terms strategy (collect, prepaid‑add, prepaid, delivered) and customer‑pickup policy; ensure freight‑terms decisions reflect true cost‑to‑serve and align with commercial strategy. Customer & Retail Compliance Govern retailer compliance programs (OTIF, MABD, ASN accuracy, appointment scheduling); analyze chargeback trends, drive root‑cause corrective actions, and lead deduction recovery efforts in partnership with Customer Service and Finance. Govern reverse logistics processes (customer returns, damaged‑shipment recoveries, distributor stock balancing) in partnership with Customer Service and Quality; ensure cost recovery and root‑cause feedback into outbound execution. Represent transportation in strategic customer engagements (joint scorecard reviews, EDI/ASN governance, dock‑scheduling escalations) to strengthen service relationships and surface improvement opportunities. Compliance, Systems & Continuous Improvement (25%) Ensure shipping operations comply with DOT, OSHA, and other transportation regulatory requirements; maintain carrier safety qualification (FMCSA ratings, CSA scores, insurance, accident history) and audit cadence; maintain hazmat training, shipping paper accuracy, and lane qualification. Select and oversee customs brokers and forwarders. Oversee any future trade compliance consultant engagement or hire (HTS classification, EAR/BIS, import/export policy) until a more natural organizational home is established for that function. Own transportation systems strategy (TMS, ERP transportation module, visibility and analytics tools); evaluate emerging technologies (AI analytics, control towers, automation) and convert proven use cases into prioritized roadmap initiatives. Partner with the Continuous Improvement department on transportation process improvements; track and report sustainability indicators (fuel use, load capacity, mode mix, network efficiency) to support corporate disclosures and embed sustainability criteria into carrier scorecards. People Leadership & Cross‑Functional Influence (20%) Lead and develop the transportation team (Logistics Analyst, Specialist – Outbound, Specialist – Inbound) through hiring, coaching, performance management, and succession planning; build capability in analytics, carrier management, and compliance execution while Specialists own day‑to‑day execution. Serve as the transportation voice in the monthly IBP cycle: provide capacity, lead‑time, and cost inputs to the consensus plan; flag transportation constraints affecting demand fulfillment; and translate supply commitments into shipping feasibility. Influence cross‑functional leadership (Operations, Finance, Sales, Customer Service) by articulating trade‑offs, priorities, and decision impacts; align incentives, improve order‑to‑delivery coordination, and minimize total cost‑to‑serve without compromising customer focus. Prepare and deliver executive‑level reports (monthly business reviews, QBRs, strategic updates), translating transportation performance, risks, and cost drivers into clear, actionable business decisions. Required Skills & Qualifications To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Education and Experience: Required BS/BA degree in Logistics, Business, Engineering, or a related field. 10+ years of progressively responsible experience in transportation/logistics in a multi‑location environment, including carrier management, contract negotiation, and network planning. Comfortable managing $50M–$100M in annual freight spend across inbound, interplant, and outbound movements. Demonstrated multimodal transportation expertise (TL, LTL, parcel, rail, intermodal, ocean, air, and bulk tanker) and experience evaluating dedicated/private fleet operating models. Strong negotiation, influence, and stakeholder management skills; proven ability to lead RFPs, manage contracts, and drive performance governance. Strong analytical capabilities with experience defining KPIs, building dashboards, and establishing operating cadence; ability to translate data into decisions and sustain improvements; strong Excel‑based analytical skills. Preferred Working knowledge of import and customs operations, broker and forwarder management, and HTS classification support; familiarity with export documentation requirements. Working knowledge of DOT hazmat regulations and FMCSA carrier safety standards. Technology proficiency with transportation systems (TMS and visibility tools) and analytics/visualization tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau); ERP experience (e.g., JD Edwards) is a plus. Continuous improvement mindset and experience partnering with formal CI/OpEx functions (standard work, Kaizen, root‑cause analysis, value‑stream thinking).

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