Director of Transportation
Job ID 2023-01563
Description
Position Summary:
The Director of Transportation – Americas is accountable for end‑to‑end domestic transportation strategy, execution, and financial performance across Conair’s U.S., Canada, and Mexico operations. This role owns all prepaid and collect freight across Truckload (TL), Less‑Than‑Truckload (LTL), and Parcel modes supporting Conair’s consumer and professional product portfolios.
This leader serves as the enterprise owner of Conair’s Americas regions transportation operating model, including carrier strategy, rate management, service performance, and continuous improvement, while partnering with strategic 3PLs that provide Transportation Management System (TMS) capabilities in the US and Canada. The role is critical to delivering Conair’s freight‑out savings targets, service KPIs, and shipper‑of‑choice strategy, while supporting growth, peak readiness, and network scalability.
Key Responsibilities
Transportation Strategy & Network Optimization
- Own and optimize Conair’s domestic transportation network across the Americas, ensuring cost‑effective, reliable service aligned to customer and channel requirements.
- Lead mode‑mix optimization across TL, LTL, and Parcel to reduce cost‑to‑serve while protecting service.
- Align transportation strategy with distribution center operations, inventory positioning, and demand planning to support OTIF and fill‑rate targets.
- Support East/West optimization initiatives and network design changes as volumes, channels, and customer mix evolve.
Prepaid & Collect Freight Governance
- Establish and enforce clear governance for prepaid and collect freight, including routing guides, carrier compliance, and execution standards.
- Ensure collect shipments are executed in full compliance with customer routing instructions to minimize chargebacks and penalties.
- Identify and execute opportunities to reduce freight leakage, accessorial exposure, and preventable charges.
3PL & TMS Ownership
- Serve as the executive owner of Conair’s transportation 3PL partnership, with clear accountability for service, cost, data quality, and continuous improvement.
- Own the Transportation Management System (TMS) operating model, including configuration, reporting, compliance, and user adoption.
- Drive improved tender acceptance, visibility, automation, freight audit accuracy, and exception management through the TMS.
- Lead governance routines, scorecards, and escalation paths with the 3PL.
Carrier Strategy, Procurement & Performance
- Lead domestic transportation bids and RFPs across all modes, including carrier selection, rate negotiation, and contract strategy. Partnering with Procurement Team.
- Own carrier performance management, including tender acceptance, on‑time pickup/delivery, claims, and accessorial control.
- Ensure peak season readiness and capacity coverage across all regions and modes.
Financial Ownership & KPI Delivery
- Own Conair’s domestic transportation budget and multi‑year cost strategy.
- Deliver against freight‑out savings targets and budget commitments.
- Partner with Finance to ensure accurate accruals, clean freight audit, and transparent reporting.
- Drive corrective actions for cost or service variance.
Core KPIs include (but are not limited to):
- Freight‑out cost vs. Budget
- Freight out as a % of Sales
- On‑time pickup and delivery (PPD / OTD)
- Tender acceptance rate
- Parcel cost per shipment
- Accessorial and claims spend
- Preventable chargebacks and penalties
Continuous Improvement & Risk Management
- Lead root‑cause analysis and RCCAs for transportation service failures and cost overruns.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives with carriers, the 3PL, and internal partners.
- Serve as escalation owner for critical transportation disruptions impacting service, cost, or customer experience.
Leadership & Cross‑Functional Partnership
- Lead and develop a high‑performing transportation team (direct or matrixed).
- Partner closely with Distribution, Customer Service, Sales, Finance, and IT.
- Promote a “One Team” mindset across Operations & Logistics and external partners.
- Influence without authority in a complex, matrixed environment.
Qualifications/skills:
- 10+ years of progressive transportation or supply chain leadership experience, preferably in consumer goods or retail.
- Demonstrated experience managing domestic transportation across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
- Strong hands‑on experience with prepaid and collect freight models.
- Deep understanding of TL, LTL, and Parcel transportation.
- Proven success partnering with 3PLs providing TMS solutions.
- Strong proficiency with Transportation Management Systems (TMS) and transportation analytics.
- Financial acumen with experience managing large transportation budgets.
- Ability to translate data into actionable insights and decisions.
- Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Business, or related field required.
- MBA or professional certifications (CSCP, CTL, Lean Six Sigma) preferred.
- Strategic, results‑oriented, and execution‑focused.
- Comfortable leading through change and holding partners accountable.
- Strong communicator with the ability to influence senior stakeholders.
Environmental Factors:
- Working conditions are normal for an office environment.
- Travel (currently and subject to change: US, Canada, Mexico) estimated at 30%
- Must be able to sit for extended periods of time.
- Must be able to use a computer keyboard and view a monitor for extended periods of time.
- When not traveling, the role is eligible for our hybrid model of Monday through Thursday in office and Friday remote.
What we offer:
- Comprehensive Medical/Dental/Vision plans
- Generous Paid Time Off Programs
- Life & Disability Insurance
- FSA/HSA/Dependent Care FSA
- Paid Parental Leave
- 401k and company match
- EAP & Employee Wellness Program
- Volunteer Days Paid Time Off
- Free breakfast and lunch in the Stamford office
About Us:
Conair is a leading international designer, manufacturer, and marketer of branded personal care and small kitchen appliances, cookware, hairbrushes & accessories, cosmetic bags, and travel accessories.
Conair has always been driven by a passion for innovation; it’s part of the Company’s DNA. Trendsetting products have been invented by Conair since its inception in 1959, keeping the Company always a step ahead of the competition. The company's domestic and international divisions offer a diversified mix of consumer and professional products sold in over 120 countries. The Family of Conair brands includes CONAIR, Cuisinart, BabylissPRO, Scünci , TRAVELSMART by CONAIR, and Waring.
Conair’s passion for innovation gets stronger with each decade, as evidenced by the over 1,000 patents the Company has obtained worldwide. Today, Conair and its brands are names known throughout the world. Conair continues to introduce its brands to new and emerging markets, year after year. By the 1990s, most households in America owned at least one Conair product. Today many have more than one, and the Company’s goal is to ensure that every household in the world eventually owns one of our products.
At Conair, we inspire our customers with innovative high-quality products and
iconic brands that enhance their lives.
Are you passionate about this opportunity but worried that you don’t have 100% of the experience we’re looking for? We still want to hear from you! Apply online and let us know why you would make a great addition to Conair!