Yard Management Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

This role is an onsite position at our Bardstown Bottling facility. Schedule is Monday-Friday 7:00am-3:00pm.

What the Role Is

The Yard Management System (YMS) / Spotting Specialist is responsible for coordinating trailer movements, yard activity, dock assignments, and spotting operations to support safe, efficient, and timely warehouse and transportation operations. The Specialist serves as a key point of coordination between Heaven Hill’s warehouse, transportation, inventory control, carriers, drivers, and yard spotting operations. This position will actively manage the Yard Management System, maintain accurate trailer and yard inventory, prioritize trailer moves based on operational needs, and ensure equipment is positioned at the correct dock or yard location when required.

The Yard Management Specialist reports to the Manager of Logistics and Inventory Control and works primarily on first shift, supporting daily yard, warehouse, transportation, and inventory control activities. Some flexibility outside normal first-shift hours may be required based on business and operational needs.

How You Will Spend Your Time?

Yard Management & Trailer Control

• Maintain accurate, real-time trailer locations and statuses within the Yard Management System.
• Monitor inbound, outbound, loaded, empty, staged, and out-of-service trailers throughout the Heaven Hill facility.
• Conduct regular yard inventory reconciliation and resolve discrepancies between physical trailer locations and YMS records.
• Ensure trailers are properly assigned to designated yard locations, dock doors, staging areas, or parking locations.
• Track trailer dwell time and identify equipment that may require additional attention or escalation.
• Maintain visibility of available empty trailers to support shipping requirements.
• Coordinate trailer availability with transportation and warehouse teams to prevent operational delays.

Spotting Coordination

• Coordinate and prioritize trailer moves for yard spotters based on warehouse, shipping, receiving, inventory, and transportation requirements.
• Dispatch spotting moves through the YMS, radio, mobile device, or other approved communication method.
• Monitor outstanding spotter moves and adjust priorities as operational conditions change.
• Ensure trailers are moved to dock doors and staging locations according to scheduled loading and unloading requirements.
• Coordinate removal of completed trailers from dock doors to maintain dock availability.
• Communicate special handling instructions, equipment requirements, or priority movements to yard spotters.
• Escalate delays, equipment shortages, congestion, or other issues that could impact shipping or receiving operations.

Shipping & Receiving Coordination

• Communicate with shipping and receiving teams regarding trailer readiness, dock availability, and operational priorities.
• Coordinate inbound trailers to receiving doors based on appointment schedules and warehouse capacity.
• Coordinate outbound trailers to shipping doors based on production schedules, customer requirements, and carrier pickup times.
• Monitor scheduled carrier arrivals and departures and communicate exceptions to appropriate stakeholders.
• Help ensure trailers are available and positioned in advance of scheduled loading or unloading activities.

Carrier & Driver Coordination

• Assist with driver check-in and check-out processes as required.
• Provide drivers with accurate instructions regarding trailer locations, dock assignments, staging areas, and facility procedures.
• Verify trailer numbers, carrier information, shipment status, and equipment assignments.
• Communicate with carriers regarding trailer availability, drop-and-hook activity, and equipment requirements.
• Escalate late arrivals, missed pickups, equipment issues, or other carrier-related exceptions.

Safety & Compliance

• Support compliance with all Heaven Hill safety rules, policies, and yard operating procedures.
• Ensure trailer movements are coordinated in a manner that minimizes yard congestion and unnecessary movements.
• Report unsafe conditions, damaged trailers, equipment issues, seal discrepancies, or other concerns immediately.
• Maintain clear communication with spotters and drivers regarding pedestrian traffic, restricted areas, and yard safety requirements.
• Support compliance with company transportation, security, quality, food/beverage safety, and regulatory requirements where applicable.

Reporting & Continuous Improvement

• Monitor key yard performance indicators such as:
  • Trailer dwell time
  • Spotting move completion time
  • Dock utilization
  • Trailer inventory accuracy
  • Empty trailer availability
  • Carrier wait time
  • Yard congestion

• Identify recurring operational issues and recommend improvements to yard processes.
• Assist with development and maintenance of standard operating procedures for yard and spotting operations.
• Provide shift updates and communicate unresolved issues to the next shift or appropriate leadership.
• Support effective handoffs between first, second, and third shifts as needed.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives related to transportation, warehouse flow, trailer utilization, inventory control, and yard efficiency.