Associate Account Executive

JR Recruiting; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 50,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Structured training program

Dedicated coach

Promotion path

Competitive base salary with quarterly

Medical, dental, vision, 401(k)

Hybrid schedule after ramp

Job summary

JR Recruiting is partnering with a Fortune 500 global logistics leader to hire an Associate Account Executive in Chicago, IL. This entry-level role blends sales, service, and operations with structured training and a clear promotion path.

You’ll start in a non-remote, on-site environment, supporting a pod of experienced account executives, then build your own portfolio as you progress toward an Account Executive role.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience; recent graduates are encouraged to apply.
• 0–2 years of professional experience. Prior sales, customer service, or transportation/logistics experience earns the higher end of the compensation range.
• Ability to work on-site at one of the listed office locations.

Responsibilities

• Convert warm and dormant leads into active customer relationships.
• Build trust with small and mid-size shippers and understand their transportation needs.
• Provide pricing using established tools, processes, and market knowledge.
• Respond to customer questions, shipment issues, and service exceptions.
• Execute customer-facing operations: quoting, load building, shipment activation, and escalations.
• Communicate proactively with customers, carriers, suppliers, and internal teams.
• Use reporting, data, and technology to spot opportunities for growth and better service.

Skills

Naturally curious

Self-starter

Comfortable on the phone

Competitive

Resilient

Clear communicator

Flexible

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Job description

Associate Account Executive — Logistics Sales & Operations (Entry-Level)

JR Recruiting is partnering with a Fortune 500 global logistics leader — one of the largest and most trusted names in freight, with a technology-forward approach to moving goods for customers around the world — to hire the next class of Associate Account Executives across seven offices.

This role sits where sales, service, and operations meet. You'll learn the freight business from the inside, support a team (a “pod”) of experienced account executives, and build toward a portfolio of customers that's yous to grow. It's a genuine feeder role into a senior sales career, and the company invests in it accordingly: structured training, a dedicated coach, and a clear promotion path.

What the first year actually looks like — the more you know

• Months 1–3: About 70% operational. After a three-week structured training program, you're paired with a coach and embedded in your pod — quoting, building loads, activating shipments, and supporting your team's customers. You'll begin warm outreach to a list of roughly 50 dormant accounts.
• Months 3–9: As you earn trust with customers and your team, your time shifts from supporting others to building your own portfolio.
• Beyond: Associate Account Executive â Account Executive â Lead. Advancement is tied to production milestones; most people take 18 to 24 months to reach full productivity.

Two things worth being clear about: this is not a remote role, and it is not a pure sales seat on day one. The people who thrive here are the ones who want to learn the business before they run their own.

What You'll Do

• Convert warm and dormant leads into active customer relationships
• Build trust with small and mid-size shippers and understand their transportation needs
• Provide pricing using established tools, processes, and market knowledge
• Respond to customer questions, shipment issues, and service exceptions
• Execute customer-facing operations: quoting, load building, shipment activation, and escalations
• Communicate proactively with customers, carriers, suppliers, and internal teams
• Use reporting, data, and technology to spot opportunities for growth and better service

Who does well here

• Naturally curious — you want to know how the clock works, not just the time.
• A self-starter — you look for the answer before you ask the question.
• Comfortable on the phone — with people you've never met, in the office and with customers. Email is a last resort, not a first move.
• Competitive and persistent — athletes, competitors, people who like a scoreboard and don't quit at the first no.
• Resilient — you can tell us about a failure and what you did next.
• A clear communicator — with a genuine personality that comes through on the phone. You don't have to be loud; you have to be real.
• Flexible — willing to do the mundane tasks that keep a team running, and to pivot when a customer's season changes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience; recent graduates are encouraged to apply
• 0–2 years of professional experience. Prior sales, customer service, or transportation/logistics experience earns the higher end of the compensation range
• Ability to work on-site at one of the listed office locations

What's Offered

• Structured training, a dedicated coach, and a defined promotion path
• Competitive base salary with commission eligibility as you progress
• Comprehensive benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and 401(k)
• Hybrid schedule after ramp

Interview process

• Step 1: 30-minute conversation with JR Recruiting — we'll walk you through the role honestly and answer your questions
• Step 2: 60 minute interview with the hiring team (video and in person)
• Step 3: Offer, with a start date in one of the monthly cohorts

Confidentiality And How To Apply

This is a confidential search conducted by JR Recruiting on behalf of our client. The company name and full details are shared with candidates during the initial conversation.

Our client is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

Locations

Chicago, IL · Oakbrook Terrace, IL · Milwaukee, WI · Minneapolis (North Loop), MN · Eden Prairie, MN · Kansas City, MO · Phoenix, AZ

Compensation

$50,000 base; up to $55,000 with prior customer service, sales, or transportation. Commission eligibility after a 90 day period.

Schedule

Full-time, Monday–Friday, roughly 8–5 with some flexibility. In-office five days a week during training and ramp up period, then hybrid (four days in office, Fridays remote).