Role search
Get an Interim Head of Logistics who can own tactical freight bill reconciliation and routing.
No postings. No stacks of resumes. No chasing. You choose from a short list of people who have done this before.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you engage someone we present.
Interim Headhunters starts with the work behind this request: The interim head of logistics focuses on immediate, high-impact changes to your supply chain cost structure and service reliability. Unlike a director who plans long-term network strategy, this head of logistics executes tactical shifts in daily carrier management and warehouse throughput.
This is what we do all day: place interim executives, interim managers and contract professionals.
Need someone now? Call 305-306-4829.
- No upfront fee
- 2 to 3 vetted consultants per assignment
- Matched to your industry
- You choose
- Interim plus permanent search
- Interim Head of Logistics
The judgment call
What this hire really comes down to
The interim head of logistics focuses on immediate, high-impact changes to your supply chain cost structure and service reliability. Unlike a director who plans long-term network strategy, this head of logistics executes tactical shifts in daily carrier management and warehouse throughput. You are solving for a period of instability or transition where the current freight spend deviates from your projected margin requirements. This hire arrives with a mandate to isolate inefficiency in your current routing and modal selections before those costs compound further.
Success requires a leader who operates with direct authority over warehouse managers and 3PL account representatives. You need someone who converts raw data from your warehouse management system into specific, actionable freight lane adjustments. They determine if your current service agreements provide value or simply mask poor performance with complex surcharges. This individual manages the intersection of your physical inventory flow and the financial impact of your transportation decisions, resetting your operational baseline for a permanent replacement.
What we check
What we check before you see anyone
- We audit their specific methods for freight bill reconciliation and lane cost validation. We require proof that they identify and eliminate non-contractual surcharges while securing better terms from existing regional carriers, prioritizing the immediate reduction of dead weight in your invoices.
- We verify their experience in direct management of third-party logistics partners. They must explain exactly how they audited vendor service level agreements and forced correction of inventory inaccuracies that increased your total fulfillment costs through mispicks or delayed staging.
- We test their proficiency in your specific logistics software modules. We ensure they extract data to drive immediate changes in picking logic or dispatch scheduling rather than merely presenting historical dashboards to your leadership team, focusing on granular configuration changes that improve daily velocity.
- We evaluate their capacity to handle operational reporting that spans the executive suite and the warehouse floor. They must demonstrate how they communicate urgent logistics adjustments to your stakeholders while ensuring their directives are applied accurately at the loading dock level to prevent process decay.
Sourcing
Where we find them
We identify leaders within high-volume, multi-site networks who possess a history of managing regional distribution nodes. These professionals understand the immediate financial repercussions of a stalled warehouse or a mismanaged carrier relationship. They thrive in environments requiring rapid diagnostic work and frequently transition between roles precisely because they enjoy the intensity of an operational turnaround. They hold the technical expertise to walk onto your floor and identify the specific point where your process breaks down without requiring weeks of orientation.
We focus on practitioners in industries with high transportation complexity, such as consumer goods and heavy manufacturing. These individuals prioritize the immediate application of their knowledge over long-term organizational tenure. They move to your firm when they see a specific logistics hurdle that matches their expertise, seeking the chance to prove their methodologies in a new, urgent environment. They view these assignments as practical applications of their specialized carrier management knowledge, allowing them to fix broken lanes while you focus on core business operations.
Where searches go wrong
Mistakes we see
- Hiring someone who spends the first month performing a general audit instead of addressing known pain points. You need immediate execution on high-cost freight lanes and clear instruction to your 3PL providers.
- Selecting a candidate based on broad executive experience who lacks granular knowledge of your specific warehouse management platform. This gap forces a long learning curve when you need results in weeks.
- Assigning this person to design a future distribution strategy instead of focusing on the current operational backlog. An interim head of logistics is a tool for present-day fixes, not a consultant for your three-year network expansion project.
The search
How the Interim Head of Logistics search runs
- We start by isolating your most significant freight cost drivers and 3PL performance gaps. We identify professionals who have held responsibility for those specific metrics in similar operational environments, focusing on their history of enforcing contract compliance and reducing cost per unit.
- We present candidates who have documented experience managing the transition of logistics functions during periods of internal volatility. We verify their recent project history to ensure they are prepared to exert the direct authority needed to stabilize your warehouse workflows immediately upon arrival.
- We facilitate interviews focused on your current logistical bottlenecks. We ask candidates to describe their specific approach to renegotiating a failing carrier contract or correcting systemic warehouse inaccuracies. We finalize the selection based on their technical readiness to act as your interim head of logistics.
Questions
How does an interim head differ from a director?
A director focuses on long-term strategy, network design, and internal team development. An interim head of logistics focuses on immediate tactical execution and specific cost-reduction initiatives.
Do I need to change my software for this hire?
No. We source candidates who already possess experience in your current systems to avoid downtime. They act to extract better data and performance from what is already in place.
How do you ensure confidentiality during this search?
We manage the entire process through private channels to protect your internal operations. We do not use public boards or notify current staff until you are ready.
What is the fee structure?
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire. We prioritize the speed and quality of the match to ensure the candidate hits the ground running.
What replacement terms apply?
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
How are recruiting fees agreed?
No upfront fee. You pay only if you engage someone we present. We scope the assignment before quoting; the fee page explains our model.
How soon can we see options?
Availability depends on the assignment and the people who fit it. We qualify interest and commitments rather than promising a shortlist date before the search is scoped.
What if the scope grows?
Discuss new responsibilities before adding them to the engagement. Agree the priorities and record any change to the brief and terms.
Can we extend an engagement?
Discuss what remains unfinished and whether the same responsibility is still needed. Extensions depend on the person's commitments and the agreed engagement terms.
Can the appointment become permanent?
A permanent move can be discussed if both sides want it. Review the future role and the applicable agreement instead of assuming that temporary coverage automatically converts.
How is a confidential search handled?
Tell us what can be disclosed and whom we must not contact. We agree those boundaries before approaching people; do not send sensitive records with an initial brief.
What are the replacement terms?
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
What do you not do?
We do not sell job-board reposting as a search or bill hourly for recruiting work. We do not take a retainer unless expressly agreed, and an introduction does not authorize an engagement.
Tell us the seat
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire. Share the title, the situation and the timing. A person reads it.
Interim Head of Logistics by industry and related roles
Need the team under this role?
All industries
- Manufacturing & Industrial
- Distribution, Logistics & Supply Chain
- Consumer, Retail & E-commerce
- Energy, Utilities & Infrastructure
- Government Contractors
More Supply Chain & Procurement roles
The Six-Step Search
What do you get at each step of the search?
We agree what the person must own before contacting anyone. You see how the search is scoped and which backgrounds we pursue. We speak with candidates about the work before presenting them. The Six-Step Search gives you useful written notes and support through interviews, rather than a pile of applications.
- 01
Scope call
We talk through the seat, the business and what has to change.
You get: A one-page role brief you approve before we search.
- 02
Market map
We work out where people who have done this job actually sit.
You get: A short note on the pool and how we plan to reach it.
- 03
Direct outreach
We approach people who are not looking at job boards.
You get: Progress updates so you are never chasing us.
- 04
Screening
We interview every candidate on the work, not the resume.
You get: Written notes on fit, availability and terms for each person.
- 05
Shortlist and interviews
You meet a short list. We handle the scheduling.
You get: Several vetted options and a debrief after each interview.
- 06
Offer and start
You choose. We help settle terms and the start date.
You get: Confirmed terms, a start date and check-ins after day one.
Tell us who you need.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you engage someone we present.
Send us the seat. We will take it from there.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you engage someone we present.