Transportation Planner

Build Your Career with Ashley Furniture- Where Innovation Meets Comfort Who We Are: At Ashley, inspiring the love of home is at the heart of everything we do. As the world's largest manufacturer of home furnishings, we're more than a business - we're a family driven by innovation, competitiveness, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. We persevere through challenges, push beyond the status quo, and constantly seek better ways to deliver an exceptional customer experience. Our solutions-first mindset and dedication to growth are why Ashley remains #1 in our industry. If you're ready to grow, you've come to the right place. With a true "Growth Mindset," Ashley Furniture invests in developing future leaders and helps every team member learn from the best in the business. Summary: The Transportation Planner is responsible for coordinating freight movements, managing trailer assets, and optimizing carrier capacity across a designated region. This role plays a critical part in ensuring efficient transportation operations by balancing service, cost, and network performance. The Transportation Planner collaborates with internal teams and external partners to support on-time deliveries, maximize asset utilization, and drive operational efficiency. Responsibilities: Plan and coordinate inbound and outbound freight within a 24 to 72-hour planning window. Optimize trailer utilization and ensure on-time delivery across the transportation network. Monitor and manage trailer pool allocations to improve asset productivity and reduce idle equipment. Analyze freight demand and carrier capacity to make strategic routing and load planning decisions. Evaluate freight opportunities and determine when to accept, decline, or reroute shipments based on cost and service impacts. Collaborate with Customer Service, Sales, Operations, and Area Managers to align freight volumes with network capacity. Respond to changing transportation needs by securing additional capacity and adjusting freight plans as needed. Utilize Transportation Management Systems (TMS) to manage freight activity and maintain operational visibility. Maintain accurate transportation records, billing information, and freight planning data. Support cost control initiatives while maintaining high levels of customer service and operational performance. Qualifications Required: Previous experience in transportation planning, freight operations, carrier management, logistics, or supply chain operations. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret transportation and freight data. Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment. Strong organizational skills and attention to detail. Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel. Ability to make decisions quickly and effectively while balancing cost, service, and operational requirements. Additional Qualifications Preferred: Experience with Transportation Management Systems (TMS). Knowledge of trailer pool management and transportation network optimization. Experience with load planning, carrier procurement, or freight brokerage operations. Understanding of transportation cost analysis, routing strategies, and capacity planning. Experience working with third-party carriers and transportation service providers. Bachelor's degree in Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Transportation, Business, or a related field preferred. Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:00 AM - 4:30 PM. This position is located in an active industrial manufacturing and distribution center with moderate to high noise levels, temperature variations, and material handling equipment in operation. The role may require extended periods of standing or walking on concrete floors and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as safety glasses and steel-toed boots. The fast-paced environment involves time-sensitive and safety sensitive operations and may include various shift schedules to support production and distribution needs. Benefits We Offer: Health, Dental, Vision, Employee Assistance Program Paid Time Off; increases with years of service Generous Employee Discount on home furnishings Professional Development Opportunities Tuition Assistance Ashley Wellness Centers (location specific) 401(k) and Profit Sharing Life Insurance Our Core Values: Honesty & Integrity: Acts with transparency, discretion, and ethical judgment. Trusted to handle sensitive information and provide accurate, unbiased insights. (Dirty Fingernail: Takes full accountability for outcomes, not just tasks. Inspects details, ensures data accuracy, and follows through to completion. Continuous Improvement: Actively seeks better ways to improve templates, tools, and processes. Learns from prior initiatives and embeds lessons into standard work. Growth & Results Focus: Understands how transformation initiatives drive growth, cost reduction, and profitability. Keeps work aligned to enterprise priorities. Culture of Leadership : Leads through influence, reliability, and example. Builds trust across functions and supports leaders at every level. Customer-Centric & Boundaryless: Works across silos for the greater good of the organization. Ensures outputs meet the needs of executives, initiative owners, and teams. Operational Excellence: Demonstrates strong organizational discipline, attention to detail, and the ability to translate ambiguity into clear, executable tools. Corporate Social Responsibility We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and provide a drug-free working environment. While Ashley appreciates the interest of all candidates only those meeting specific position requirements may be contacted. This job description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment. The company reserves the right to revise or change job duties and responsibilities as the need arises. Notice to Search Firms: We are not seeking assistance or accepting unsolicited resumes from search firms. We will not pay any placement, referral or other fees to any search firms unless we have agreed otherwise in a valid, written agreement for the specific position posted and signed by an authorized representative of Ashley Furniture Industries. * Please note this position is not eligible for current or future employment sponsorship. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship now or at any time in the future. #J-18808-Ljbffr Ashley Furniture Industries