We are looking for a Senior Logistics Procurement professional to lead the development, negotiation, and management of a competitive network of transportation and logistics service providers across both international and domestic markets.
This is a highly strategic individual contributor role —no direct reports—requiring a hands‑on, analytical, commercially driven negotiator who can translate customer requirements and new business opportunities into competitive logistics solutions (cost, transit time, frequency, capacity, and service levels).
You will interact closely with ocean carriers, NVOCCs, airlines, freight forwarders, domestic trucking companies, and logistics partners, while collaborating strongly with Sales, Operations, and Finance.
Short-term focus: Given the implementation of our own warehouse operation, you will also support direct/indirect procurement initiatives for equipment, materials, services, and other categories required for the start‑up.
Key Responsibilities
1. International Freight Procurement
- Build and maintain strategic relationships with ocean carriers, NVOCCs, airlines, and freight forwarders.
- Negotiate freight rates, contracts, commercial terms, free time, transit times, frequencies, capacity, and other key conditions.
- Develop and maintain a competitive international freight rate database to support the Sales organization.
- Explore alternative routes, gateways, services, and suppliers to optimize cost and transit time.
- Evaluate consolidation, direct service, multimodal, and alternative routing opportunities.
- Monitor international freight markets for trends, opportunities, and risks.
2. Domestic Transportation Procurement
- Manage relationships with FTL and LTL road transportation providers.
- Negotiate freight rates, fuel surcharges, tolls, accessorial charges, payment terms, and lead times.
- Build a competitive regional carrier network based on cargo profile and service needs.
- Conduct RFQs and competitive bidding for new business and existing operations.
- Evaluate supplier performance, capacity, pricing, and service levels, and drive replacements or new developments as needed.
- Identify cost reduction opportunities via consolidation, route optimization, capacity utilization, and network design.
- Partner with Sales from early-stage opportunity assessment to translate customer needs into feasible, competitive logistics solutions.
- Develop transportation quotations, cost models, and scenarios for RFQs, RFPs, and tenders.
- Build alternative solutions balancing cost, transit time, frequency, capacity, service level, and operational risk.
- Support Sales in pricing and procurement strategy for new business.
- Participate in customer/commercial meetings as the technical logistics expert.
- Identify, qualify, onboard, and manage strategic transportation suppliers.
- Structure and lead RFQ/RFP tenders and competitive bidding processes.
- Negotiate commercial and contractual terms balancing cost, quality, capacity, and service.
- Establish supplier benchmarking and cost comparison methodologies.
- Monitor supplier performance via KPIs and drive corrective/improvement plans.
5. Warehouse Implementation Procurement (Project-Based)
During the warehouse start-up phase, support procurement for:
- Warehouse equipment and operational materials.
- Material handling and storage equipment.
- Packaging and consumables.
- Maintenance and facility services.
- Third‑party operational services.
- PPE and safety‑related materials.
- Infrastructure and implementation‑related services.
- Develop local suppliers, conduct RFQs, and lead commercial negotiations.
- Post‑implementation, continue to evolve procurement strategies for these categories based on operational needs.
What We’re Looking For
Technical Skills
- Solid experience in logistics procurement and transportation sourcing.
- Strong knowledge of international ocean and air freight.
- Proven track record negotiating with ocean carriers, NVOCCs, airlines, and freight forwarders.
- Knowledge of domestic road transportation (FTL & LTL).
- Experience with RFQs, RFPs, tenders, and competitive bidding.
- Strong ability to analyze freight structures, rates, surcharges, and cost components.
- Knowledge of Incoterms and international trade concepts.
- Advanced Excel skills (data modeling, not just spreadsheets).
- Advanced English – essential for communication and negotiations with global suppliers.
- Experience with procurement systems, TMS, ERP, or freight management platforms is a plus.
- Strong negotiation and influencing skills.
- Commercial mindset and results orientation.
- Ability to build and sustain long‑term supplier relationships.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management.
- Ability to translate business requirements into practical logistics solutions.
- Hands‑on, highly autonomous, and self‑driven.
- Thrives in a dynamic, multi‑priority environment.
- Analytical and data‑driven decision‑making.
- Strong presentation and argumentation capabilities.
Education
- Required: Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Logistics, International Trade, Engineering, Economics, Supply Chain, or related fields.
- Preferred: MBA or postgraduate degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Procurement, or International Trade.
Preferred Experience
- Relevant professional experience in Logistics, Supply Chain, Procurement, Freight Procurement, or Freight Forwarding.
- Direct negotiation experience with transportation and logistics service providers.
- International logistics and freight market experience is highly valued.
- Background in 3PL, 4PL, freight forwarding, logistics operators, shippers, or large companies with complex Supply Chain operations is a strong advantage.
Procurement Specialist (Logistics & Supply Chain) Indaiatuba, Federative Republic Of Brazil, BR