Role search
Get a transportation manager who can own freight auditing payment control.
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: A transportation manager focuses on the mechanical accuracy of moving product from origin to destination at the lowest viable cost. They replace guesswork with precise routing logic and load consolidation.
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
- transportation manager
The judgment call
What this hire really comes down to
A transportation manager focuses on the mechanical accuracy of moving product from origin to destination at the lowest viable cost. They replace guesswork with precise routing logic and load consolidation. You face freight spend that lacks visibility or carriers that ignore performance targets. This manager stops the practice of paying premium rates for standard service and ensures that every invoice aligns with negotiated contract terms.
Success requires an ability to manage the bridge between warehouse output and carrier schedules. Operations wants immediate capacity regardless of price. Procurement wants the lowest cost per mile. The transportation manager balances these by enforcing load planning discipline and holding carriers accountable to transit times. They create the reports that prove where shipping money goes and why certain routes consistently exceed the budget.
What we check
What we check before you see anyone
- We verify their history of managing carrier relationships through structured service level agreements. They must explain how they measure transit time adherence and how they handle disputes when a carrier fails to provide promised capacity. We look for concrete examples of how they used performance data to terminate non-performing carriers and replace them with reliable alternatives.
- We audit their competence in freight auditing and payment control within an ERP. They must describe how they configure freight spend accounts and how they identify duplicate or erroneous invoices before payment. We test their ability to integrate freight management modules with warehouse systems to ensure the ship-to addresses and weight classes are accurate to prevent accessorial charge creep.
- We examine their process for optimizing load planning and multi-modal selection. They must explain the logic they apply to determine when to use full truckload versus less-than-truckload based on volume density and urgency. We look for evidence that they have reduced empty miles or consolidation costs by adjusting the timing of orders to fill trailers more efficiently.
- We confirm their experience with regulatory compliance and documentation standards. They must demonstrate a thorough understanding of the paperwork required for various transport types, including hazmat or cross-border shipping. We check how they manage the risk of driver fatigue or safety violations that impact your company reputation and insurance premiums.
Sourcing
Where we find them
We find candidates within established logistics departments of manufacturing companies and national distribution centers. These professionals handle high volumes of shipments and deal with the daily volatility of carrier capacity constraints. They understand the urgency of meeting order deadlines and the direct financial impact of shipping delays on customer satisfaction and inventory turnover.
We also recruit from third-party logistics firms where managers have been exposed to multiple client networks and diverse freight challenges. These individuals bring a broader set of tools and a mindset focused on operational efficiency. They change roles to move from the service provider side back to the shipper side to regain control over their own internal logistics costs and supplier oversight.
Where searches go wrong
Mistakes we see
- Hiring a candidate whose experience is limited to logistics software administration rather than carrier negotiation. They might know how to click buttons in a system, but they lack the experience to push back when a carrier raises rates or fails to pick up on schedule.
- Selecting managers who treat freight spend as a fixed expense. They fail to audit invoices or optimize lane configurations, accepting high costs as a standard part of doing business. This mindset bleeds profit and prevents the company from capturing savings in freight spend.
- Overlooking the need for integration with warehouse and order management systems. A manager who treats transportation as a siloed island creates a disconnect. If the transport team does not know what is happening on the loading dock, the entire flow of goods stalls.
The search
How the transportation manager search runs
- First, we isolate your current freight spend volatility and your biggest lane risks. We identify the specific gaps in your P2P process that allow freight costs to spiral, such as a lack of centralized contract management or poor visibility into carrier performance scorecards.
- Second, we interview candidates specifically on their methods for cleaning up your existing carrier data and imposing fiscal discipline. We require them to explain how they will map your current logistics workflows and where they will implement the first layer of cost controls using your existing ERP infrastructure.
- Finally, we assess their communication with your warehouse and accounting teams. They must prove they can translate logistics metrics into financial reality that your finance team understands. We ensure the final candidates have the authority and the technical tools to execute these changes immediately.
Questions
Do I need a logistics expert or a general procurement manager?
Transportation requires specific knowledge of freight classifications, motor carrier law, and load optimization. A general procurement manager often lacks the carrier-level expertise to manage these specialized contracts.
Can this person fix my shipping delays?
This person can identify where delays occur and hold carriers accountable to transit contracts. They cannot force capacity into the market if your shipping processes or load planning are the true root cause.
Do you charge an upfront fee to begin this search?
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
What software should this person be able to use?
They must demonstrate proficiency in your existing ERP modules for logistics. They should also show experience using transportation management systems and freight audit platforms.
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.
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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.