Assistant Terminal Manager - Savannah

Gulf Winds International, Inc.; Savannah (GA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Gulf Winds International, Inc. in Savannah, GA is seeking an Assistant Terminal Manager to lead the dispatch team, oversee daily scheduling, equipment utilization, and cost controls, and partner with the Terminal Manager to implement strategies.

The role requires 5 years in transportation, strong communication, and experience with payroll and margins; you will coach staff, manage cross‑department collaboration, and ensure on‑time delivery and driver retention.

Qualifications

• 5 years of transportation experience.
• MS Word, Excel and Outlook proficiency.
• Dependable and able to work independently.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Coach the dispatch team and execute the scheduling plan.
• Monitor port congestion and weather; pivot quickly.
• Ensure daily plan execution and escalate issues.
• Collaborate with Terminal Manager on process changes.
• Review dashboards and address missed opportunities.
• Participate in driver retention and advocate for operations.
• Oversee dispatch operations to meet customer commitments.
• Assist in hiring decisions and staffing.
• Complete weekly OKR check-ins and ensure team alignment.
• Fill in for dispatch when needed.

Skills

Dispatch leadership

Coaching

Communication

DOT regulations

Payroll margins

Team supervision

Cross-department collaboration

Tools

MS Word

Excel

Outlook

Job description

Purpose of Position

The Assistant Terminal Manager is accountable for the performance of the dispatch team and general operation. The position will supervise dispatch, the daily execution of the scheduling plan, equipment utilization, and operational costs, as well as identify areas of weakness and efficiencies within the team. In this position, you will work closely with the Terminal Manager to ensure the strategy is implemented and monitored and deliver proper feedback.

Primary Job Responsibilities

• Be the team's coach, translating insight and vision from TM into actionable items. Champion cross‑training initiatives to maintain the team's consistent evolution.
• Keep a pulse of the team, port congestion, and weather, and be able to pivot focus instantly to ensure success.
• Ensure the daily plan is executed, with constant follow‑up and proactively escalating at the first sign of peril.
• Work with the TM to implement process changes focused on service improvements and cost controls.
• Review the dashboard, call out issues, and follow up with dispatch to ensure we remain prescient, attempting to eliminate missed opportunities and reduce driver frustrations. Complete the end‑of‑shift checklist, following up with dispatch to ensure driver status and dispatches not started or completed are addressed.
• Actively participate in driver retention, and become an expert on issues that create driver turnover. Be an advocate for the operation and driver.
• Be an exponent for the operation, uniting with other departments to drive process improvements for dispatch and the fleet.
• Oversight of daily execution of dispatch processes to ensure contracted customers and critical account commitments are met, and ICs are handled.
• Supervise the company drivers and their productivity, manage costs, and can report and reprimand that fleet.
• Hold dispatch accountable to set expectations and support positive team culture and engagement goals.
• Assist in hiring decisions for the operation. Work with TM to ensure the proper team size with the correct personnel.
• Complete weekly check‑ins for quarterly OKRs and ensure the team is current.
• Fill in for dispatch when applicable.

Requirements: Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Prior dispatch experience, previous team supervisor, possess a coaching mentality.
• Exceptional communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Former scheduling, capacity, or OTR planning. Firm understanding of conceptual dispatch and how to convey it to new dispatchers.
• Self‑starter willing to work with minimal supervision and execute tasks at a high level.
• Knowledge of the transportation industry, logistics, and supply chain, including comprehension of DOT regulations.
• Sense of urgency, intrinsically motivated, detail oriented, and able to set the tone for a team.
• Experience with payrolls, driver pay, and margins.
• High degree of flexibility to seamlessly shift focus and maintain noteworthy execution of tasks.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Familiarity with working with independent contractors in the transportation industry.
• Ability to encourage, discipline, and evaluate the performance of team members.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to interact positively with other departments, supervisors, and management.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• 5 Years of transportation experience.
• Computer literate in MS Word, Excel, and Outlook.
• Dependable and able to work independently.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.