Logistics Specialist

Logistics Specialist

The Logistics Specialist is the single owner of project freight from vendor to site accountable both financially and physically for every leg of the shipment chain. The role qualifies and manages freight suppliers, plans routes, negotiates rates, manages budgets and DOA approvals, resolves claims, oversees warehousing and staging, and gives Project Managers total visibility into what material is where, in what condition, and at what cost. The role combines hands-on execution with technical mastery of international freight HTS codes, tariff exposure, hazmat protocols, and customs documentation.

Primary responsibilities include owning end-to-end shipments from vendor to site including risk and ownership transfer; planning routes, scheduling shipments, and obtaining spot quotes to meet project timelines while optimizing cost, transit time, and risk; monitoring supplier readiness dates to align transportation with procurement and project schedules; confirming project freight/logistics/brokerage budgets at kickoff and actively managing to beat them; reconciling freight estimates, POs, and contract rates against carrier invoices to support accurate, on-time payment; administering the formal freight approval process; negotiating freight contracts, lane rates, and service-level agreements; leading contract rate reviews and renewals; identifying opportunities to consolidate shipments and reduce transportation costs; managing freight claims end-to-end damage, loss, delay, shortage, and demurrage/detention disputes including documentation, carrier/insurer negotiation, and recovery tracking; coordinating import and export clearance with freight forwarders and customs brokers; maintaining and applying country of origin and harmonized tariff (HTS) codes; monitoring tariff/duty exposure and mitigation options; reviewing commercial invoices, packing lists, bills of lading, air waybills, certificates of origin, export documentation, and customs entries for accuracy; confirming Incoterms and documentation requirements with suppliers and internal teams; coordinating oversized, hazardous, high-value, and temperature-sensitive shipments; ensuring hazmat shipments follow proper classification, packaging, and carrier protocols, and that consolidations (in-house or third-party) are properly packaged, labeled, and documented to box-level contents; coordinating receiving at all site and Seven Seas warehouse locations, including inbound scheduling, unloading, inspection, and documented transfer of custody; overseeing warehousing, staging, and material flow across all Seven Seas locations by maintaining inventory accuracy through cycle counts and system reconciliation; identifying storage utilization improvements; providing real-time shipment visibility to Project Managers and site teams; maintaining trackers, delivery schedules; communicating proactively on delays, exceptions, and risks with recommended mitigation; analyzing and reporting logistics KPIs (cost vs. budget, on-time delivery, damage/claims, dwell time, carrier performance, expedited freight); supporting continuous improvement of logistics procedures, systems, and document retention; ensuring logistics activities comply with company policies, contractual requirements, trade regulations, safety requirements, and applicable import/export laws.

Qualifications include an associate or bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business, International Trade, or a related field; equivalent professional experience may be considered; 3+ years of hands-on logistics experience, including international freight across air, ocean, and ground modes; working knowledge of Incoterms, HTS classification, country of origin, and customs documentation; experience qualifying and onboarding freight forwarders, carriers, and customs brokers; proven ability to negotiate freight contracts and spot rates; familiarity with hazardous materials classification, packaging, and documentation requirements; experience managing freight claims (damage, loss, delay, demurrage/detention); experience coordinating receiving, warehousing, and material staging at multiple locations; proficiency reconciling estimates, POs, and contract rates against carrier invoices; proficiency with Microsoft programs and ERP systems; strong organizational, negotiation, communication, and problem-solving skills; high attention to detail; ownership mindset with a bias toward cross-functional collaboration.