Director of Logistics

Reports To: Vice President of Operations Department: Operations Location: Navasota / Houston, Texas Employment Type: Full-Time Compensation: $110,000–$130,000 base salary, depending on experience Our client is an established manufacturer of premium ergonomic seating and workplace solutions seeking a hands‑on, innovative Director of Logistics to build, professionalise, and lead its evolving logistics operation. This is a newly created position with significant opportunity to shape how the company manages transportation, freight, warehousing, demo assets, internal logistics capabilities, and the customer delivery experience. The company has historically relied heavily on third‑party logistics providers to support the movement and delivery of its products. As the business continues to evolve, it is beginning to develop internal logistics capabilities and is looking for a leader who can help determine the right balance between internal resources, 3PL partnerships, and other strategic logistics solutions. A major priority for this role will be improving the management and visibility of approximately $500,000 in demo inventory currently deployed across the country. The Director of Logistics will establish stronger processes for tracking, shipping, recovering, maintaining, and managing these high‑value assets while improving inventory accuracy and utilisation. This role is ideal for a commercially minded logistics leader who enjoys solving problems, building processes, thinking outside the box, and getting directly involved in the operation. The successful candidate will bring strong transportation, warehouse, inventory, and multi‑site logistics experience while also recognising that logistics can play an important role in creating a differentiated customer experience. Key Responsibilities Build and Professionalize the Logistics Function Lead the development and professionalisation of the company’s logistics strategy, processes, systems, reporting, and operational standards. Evaluate the current logistics model and recommend improvements across transportation, warehousing, inventory management, delivery, returns, and asset utilisation. Develop scalable processes that support continued growth and future expansion of the logistics network. Help determine the appropriate balance between internal logistics capabilities, 3PL partners, freight providers, and other strategic partnerships. Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce complexity, and create a more scalable logistics infrastructure. Bring a hands‑on, entrepreneurial approach to identifying problems and implementing practical solutions. Financial Ownership and Cost Optimization Own assigned logistics‑related P&L accounts, including shipping, freight, warehousing, and related operating costs. Develop budgets, forecasts, reporting, and operating metrics that provide visibility into logistics spending, cost drivers, and savings opportunities. Lead initiatives to reduce inbound and outbound freight costs without compromising product quality, delivery reliability, or customer experience. Evaluate freight modes, carriers, routing strategies, consolidation opportunities, packaging, and operating models to reduce total logistics costs. Identify opportunities to reduce expedited shipping, accessorial charges, freight damage, inefficient routing, and other avoidable costs. Negotiate and manage relationships with carriers, freight brokers, warehouse providers, and other logistics partners. Measure and communicate realised savings and return on investment from logistics initiatives. Transportation and Freight Operations Oversee and continuously improve inbound and outbound transportation operations. Manage relationships and performance across 3PL providers, carriers, freight brokers, and other logistics partners. Develop standardised processes, service‑level expectations, escalation procedures, and performance metrics for freight operations. Monitor carrier performance, including on‑time pickup and delivery, damage rates, freight claims, cost per shipment, accessorial charges, and customer‑impacting service failures. Lead resolution of significant logistics disruptions, delivery issues, freight claims, and operational exceptions. Evaluate opportunities to improve freight utilisation, shipment planning, packaging, consolidation, and delivery efficiency. Demo Asset Inventory and Warehouse Management Take ownership of the logistics and operational management of approximately $500,000 in demo inventory. Improve visibility, accountability, and control over demo assets deployed across customer locations, warehouses, and other locations throughout the country. Establish processes for receiving, storage, inspection, maintenance, shipment preparation, returns, reconciliation, and asset recovery. Develop and implement an effective asset‑tracking strategy that provides clear visibility into the location, condition, assignment, shipment history, and availability of demo inventory. Evaluate technology and tracking solutions that improve real‑time or near‑real‑time visibility of high‑value assets. Establish cycle‑count, reconciliation, loss‑prevention, damage‑prevention, and inventory‑audit procedures. Improve reverse‑logistics processes to ensure demo assets are returned efficiently, cost‑effectively, and with appropriate documentation. Maximise utilisation and return on investment from demo inventory. Internal Logistics and Network Development Lead the continued development and expansion of the company’s internal logistics capabilities. Evaluate where internal logistics resources provide a financial, operational, or customer‑service advantage over third‑party providers. Develop reporting and metrics to measure the ROI of internal logistics capabilities compared with external alternatives. Optimise the utilisation of internal logistics resources through effective route planning, scheduling, staffing, asset utilisation, and process discipline. Identify opportunities for strategic logistics partnerships and alternative operating models. Support the development of future remote logistics hubs and multi‑site operations. Establish scalable standards for remote locations, including staffing, asset controls, inventory management, reporting, safety, security, and operational performance. Customer Experience and Premium Delivery Help position logistics as a differentiator in the overall customer experience. Develop a more proactive, personalised, and premium delivery experience for customers. Partner with Sales, Customer Experience, and Operations to improve communication before, during, and after deliveries. Establish standards for delivery communication, appointment coordination, site readiness, delivery confirmation, issue escalation, installation or placement coordination, and follow‑up. Identify opportunities to add a more personal touch to the delivery experience rather than relying solely on automated communication. Reduce delivery friction, missed expectations, damage, delays, and avoidable customer escalations. Ensure logistics decisions balance cost efficiency with the high‑quality customer experience expected from a premium product. Process Improvement and Innovation Continuously identify opportunities to improve logistics processes, packaging, transportation, inventory management, and asset utilisation. Evaluate creative solutions that improve efficiency and reduce cost, including opportunities to redesign packaging and shipping configurations. Challenge existing processes and bring new ideas that improve operational performance. Use data and operational analysis to identify inefficiencies and translate findings into practical improvements. Build a culture focused on accountability, continuous improvement, financial discipline, innovation, and customer service. Leadership and Team Development Lead, coach, and develop an initial team of approximately 5–6 logistics personnel. Support future team expansion as the logistics network and warehouse footprint grow. Build clear expectations, accountability, performance metrics, and operating discipline across the logistics organisation. Lead warehouse personnel, logistics coordinators, drivers, and external partners as appropriate. Partner cross‑functionally with Operations, Sales, Customer Experience, Finance, Procurement, and executive leadership. Qualifications 7+ years of progressive leadership experience in logistics, transportation, supply chain, warehousing, or operations. Demonstrated experience managing freight expenditures, logistics budgets, transportation P&Ls, and cost‑reduction initiatives. Strong experience managing inbound and outbound transportation operations. Experience managing 3PL providers, freight carriers, brokers, and other logistics partners. Experience with multiple transportation modes, including LTL, truckload, parcel, final‑mile, white‑glove, and reverse logistics. Experience managing warehousing, inventory control, asset tracking, and high‑value physical inventory. Multi‑site logistics or warehouse leadership experience strongly preferred. Demonstrated ability to build, improve, or scale logistics processes and operations. Strong financial and business acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, cost analysis, ROI evaluation, and P&L accountability. Experience developing operational reporting and using data to measure cost, service, utilisation, savings, and performance. Strong vendor‑management and negotiation skills. Experience leading and developing teams. Comfortable operating in a fast‑paced, evolving environment where the role requires both strategic thinking and direct operational involvement. Experience working with ERP, transportation management, warehouse management, inventory, and reporting systems. Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business, Operations, or a related field preferred; equivalent experience will be considered. #J-18808-Ljbffr