Associate Category Manager

The Role

This position supports transportation category management activities across assigned transportation modes. The role contributes to carrier sourcing, supplier performance management, reporting, forecasting, and continuous improvement initiatives while partnering with Logistics Leadership, Operations, Finance, and transportation providers to support freight cost, service, and compliance objectives.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

• Supports commercial activities within assigned transportation modes, including carrier selection, rate negotiations, contract administration, annual RFQs, and carrier relationship management.
• Maintains carrier route guides to optimize rates, service performance, capacity availability, and operational execution.
• Coordinates carrier and service provider contracting activities, including drafting support, redlining, approval workflows, and contract execution.
• Develops and maintains transportation KPIs, scorecards, dashboards, and reporting to support management reviews and category performance analysis.
• Coordinates quarterly business reviews (QBRs) with carriers and internal stakeholders and tracks follow-up actions.
• Supports freight budget planning and forecasting activities by monitoring inflation, deflation, market trends, and carrier cost impacts across assigned transportation modes while partnering with Finance to understand impacts across each line of business.
• Monitors carrier performance and service-level metrics and works with carriers and internal stakeholders to identify and implement continuous improvement opportunities.
• Supports identification, analysis, and implementation of annual cost savings and productivity initiatives that contribute to freight cost reduction and support broader logistics strategy objectives.
• Ability to effectively collaborate with Operations, Finance, Procurement, and external transportation providers.
• Partners with JELD-WEN Logistics Operations and managed transportation partners to resolve escalated carrier and service issues.
• Assists with the development, maintenance, and communication of transportation policies, procedures, and carrier requirements.
• Monitors transportation market trends and communicates relevant risks, opportunities, and potential business impacts to internal stakeholders.
• Supports carrier onboarding activities and ongoing supplier relationship management.
• Partners with the Freight Administration Team to maintain high levels of carrier invoice accuracy and support freight payment issue resolution.
• Participates in cross-functional projects related to transportation optimization, carrier performance improvement, network initiatives, and process standardization efforts. 

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Strong project management, communication, collaboration, and organizational skills.
• Ability to identify opportunities, develop business cases, and support implementation of continuous improvement and cost savings initiatives.
• Experience with transportation management systems or managed transportation.
• Financial modeling and data analytics skills, strategic thinking and the ability to influence multiple levels of the organization.
• Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret transportation data and identify improvement opportunities.
• Ability to build effective working relationships with carriers, internal stakeholders, and cross-functional teams.
• Communication and collaboration skills with the proven ability to influence.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and issues with exceptional attention to detail.
• Job requires ability to work in an office environment, primarily on a computer.
• Travel 10-15%.

Education and Experience

• BA/BS required.
• 3-5 years of experience in transportation procurement, carrier management, logistics, or supply chain roles with a working knowledge of transportation operations.
• Experience with transportation management systems (TMS), preferably 3G TMS or similar platforms, or within managed transportation environments.
• Experience supporting transportation sourcing events and bid optimization tools such as Coupa.

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