Outbound Logistics Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

Keep Material Moving. Solve Problems. Find a Way.

At Beacon Recycling , our Outbound Logistics Specialist is the person who helps make sure sold material actually gets where it needs to go.

Operating from our Muskegon facility , you'll coordinate the movement of high volumes of recycled metal to steel mills, foundries, and industrial consumers. That means securing trucks and railcars, working with carriers, tracking inventory, solving transportation problems, and making sure our monthly sales plan turns into actual shipments.

This is not a position where you simply enter orders and wait for things to happen.

We're looking for someone who takes ownership, stays ahead of problems, communicates confidently, and brings ingenuity and flexibility to a logistics environment where the obvious solution is not always the best, or even available.

No two days will look exactly the same. You may find yourself:

• Coordinating outbound shipments by truck, rail, and other bulk transportation methods
• Turning the monthly sales plan into an actionable transportation schedule
• Sourcing trucks, railcars, and other transportation capacity needed to keep material moving
• Building relationships with carriers, brokers, and owner-operators
• Negotiating freight rates and identifying opportunities to reduce transportation costs
• Monitoring shipments and responding quickly when a truck is late, equipment is unavailable, or a shipment doesn't go according to plan
• Developing creative alternatives when normal transportation options, schedules, or resources aren't available
• Looking beyond the obvious solution and finding practical ways to move material while balancing cost, timing, customer expectations, and operational needs
• Using RIMAS, ShipCSX.com, Microsoft Office, and other logistics systems to plan, ship, trace, and audit loads
• Working closely with Sales, Yard Operations, and the Scale House to understand inventory levels and determine what needs to move next
• Communicating with carriers and mill buyers regarding schedules, shipment status, and changing transportation needs
• Helping prevent yard bottlenecks by making sure the right transportation capacity is available at the right time
• Keeping shipment schedules, freight information, documentation, and inventory data accurate and organized

• Naturally take ownership of problems instead of waiting for someone else to solve them
• Can manage multiple priorities without losing track of the details
• Think ahead and recognize potential transportation problems before they become emergencies
• Bring ingenuity to problem-solving and are willing to think outside the box when the standard approach isn't working
• Are adaptable and comfortable changing direction when new information, capacity limitations, or operational needs require a different plan
• Don't stop at "that won't work" ; you start asking "what else could work?"
• Are comfortable picking up the phone, negotiating with carriers, and pushing for solutions
• Communicate clearly and directly with people at all levels of the organization
• Stay organized even when schedules change throughout the day
• Can make decisions quickly when transportation capacity, inventory, or customer requirements change
• Enjoy working in a role where your decisions have an immediate impact on operations
• Have a strong sense of urgency without sacrificing accuracy
• Like finding better, faster, or more cost-effective ways to get something done

• College degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, or a related field
• Experience in logistics, transportation, third-party freight sourcing, heavy industry, or bulk material transportation preferred
• Strong Microsoft Office skills
• Ability to quickly learn specialized systems such as RIMAS and ShipCSX
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Strong organizational and problem-solving abilities
• Demonstrated ability to adapt, improvise, and develop practical solutions when established processes or normal transportation options aren't enough
• Attention to detail when working with schedules, documentation, freight information, and inventory data

You're the type of person who sees five trucks, three railcars, changing inventory levels, a customer deadline, and a carrier issue and thinks:

"Alright. Let's figure this out."

And when Plan A stops working, you don't freeze or keep forcing the same approach. You evaluate the situation, talk to the right people, consider alternatives, and develop Plan B, C, or D if that's what it takes to keep things moving.

You don't need someone constantly telling you what to do next. You gather the information, communicate with the right people, make a plan, and follow it through.

You understand that logistics is rarely perfect. Schedules change. Capacity disappears. Customers change priorities. Equipment becomes unavailable. Success in this role requires someone who can adjust quickly, challenge assumptions, and find workable solutions rather than becoming stuck because circumstances don't fit the original plan.

Beacon Recycling is a fast-paced, team-oriented industrial recycling operation . This position is based at our Muskegon facility and involves both indoor office work and interaction with our outdoor yard and operational teams.

You'll work closely with employees in Sales, Operations, the Scale House, and transportation, so success requires someone who is comfortable communicating across departments and being close to the day-to-day operation.

When outbound logistics works well, material moves, customers receive what they purchased, yard inventory stays under control, and Beacon avoids unnecessary freight costs.

When something goes wrong, you're one of the people everyone relies on to help solve it.

Sometimes the answer will be straightforward. Other times, success will depend on your ability to think differently, develop alternatives, and find a way forward when the usual solution isn't available.

If you enjoy transportation, negotiation, creative problem-solving, and coordinating complex logistics in a fast-moving industrial environment, we'd like to hear from you.