Shipping Office Supervisor

POSITION SUMMARY

The Shipping Office Supervisor is responsible for leading and overseeing the daily operations of the shipping office and serving as the primary control tower for the Farmington warehouse operation. Reporting directly to the Warehouse Manager, this role ensures efficient coordination of inbound and outbound transportation activities, provides visibility and communication to internal stakeholders, and drives operational excellence through process discipline, accountability, and continuous improvement.

This is a hands-on role that combines staff supervision with active participation in daily operations. The incumbent will lead the shipping office team, manage transportation-related activities, monitor key performance indicators, and serve as the primary escalation point for Sales, Customer Relations, Production Planning, and other commercial stakeholders. Success in this role requires a proactive, results-driven leader who thrives in a fast-paced environment and can quickly identify issues, determine root causes, and drive effective solutions.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership and Performance Management

• Supervise, coach, and develop personnel.
• Establish performance expectations and hold team members accountable for achieving operational goals and service standards.
• Ensure appropriate staffing coverage to support business needs.
• Provide training, cross-training, and ongoing development for team members.
• Foster a culture of safety, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Own and monitor all Shipping Office and transportation-related KPIs.
• Analyze operational performance and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Develop and implement corrective actions when service levels or operational standards are not met.
• Conduct root cause analysis on service failures and recurring operational issues.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on service, quality, productivity, and cost reduction.

Transportation Management

• Oversee day-to-day inbound and outbound transportation activities including coordination of shipment planning and execution with third-party logistics providers (3PLs), freight carriers, and freight forwarders.
• Manage transportation scheduling to support customer deliveries and intercompany transfers.
• Monitor carrier performance and transportation costs.

Shipping Administration

• Ensure accuracy and completeness of all shipping documentation.
• Oversee preparation and processing of packing slips, transfer orders, bills of lading (BOL), commercial invoices and other required shipping documents.
• Ensure compliance with company procedures and customer requirements.
• Maintain accurate shipment records and system transactions.

Control Tower Operations

• Serve as the central communication hub between Sales, Customer Relations, Production Planning, and Warehouse Operations.
• Provide visibility to shipment schedules, priorities, delays, and potential service risks.
• Coordinate expedited shipments, hot orders, and changing business priorities.
• Manage escalations related to shipment timing, transportation disruptions, and customer service concerns.
• Facilitate communication between Farmington and Telford operations to ensure alignment on priorities and execution.

Continuous Improvement

• Promote and support Lean principles, 5S practices, and operational discipline throughout the shipping office.
• Standardize processes and implement best practices to improve efficiency and accuracy.
• Identify opportunities to enhance workflows, reporting, and system utilization.
• Participate in warehouse and cross-functional improvement projects.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Associate's degree or equivalent experience in Supply Chain, Logistics, Business, or a related field.
• 3+ years of experience in logistics, transportation, warehousing, or shipping operations.
• Previous experience leading or supervising employees.
• Strong understanding of transportation planning and carrier management.
• Excellent organizational, prioritization, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated ability to identify issues, determine root causes, and drive corrective action.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.

Preferred

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Business, or related field.
• Experience working with ERP systems (SAP preferred).
• Experience working with third-party logistics providers (3PLs).
• Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Lean Warehousing, and 5S methodologies.
• Experience supporting customer-facing logistics operations and service functions.

KEY COMPETENCIES

• Ensures Accountability
• Drives Results
• Action Oriented
• Optimizes Work Processes
• Communicates Effectively
• Manages Complexity
• Customer Focus