Carrier Sales Representative

Forward Air Corp.; Des Plaines (IL); On-site; USD 60,000 - 72,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) retirement plan

Paid time off and holidays

Culture of collaboration

Job summary

Forward Air Corp. is seeking a Carrier Sales Representative for an on-site role in Des Plaines, IL. You will develop and manage relationships with motor carriers to secure capacity and support freight movements across the brokerage network.

The role emphasizes sourcing capacity, negotiating competitive rates, and ensuring on-time service execution, with immediate ownership and strong earnings potential through commissions.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required; college degree preferred.
• Experience in freight brokerage, 3PL, transportation sales or related fields encouraged.
• Strong negotiation and relationship-building skills with a results-driven mindset.
• Excellent verbal and written communication; able to handle high-volume outreach.
• Analytical mindset with ability to use market data for pricing decisions.

Responsibilities

• Develop and grow a network of carrier partners to support freight needs across multiple modes.
• Build strong carrier relationships understanding capacity, equipment, lanes and objectives.
• Prospect and onboard new carrier partners to expand capacity.
• Negotiate spot and contractual rates while supporting profitability.
• Coordinate load coverage and dispatch to ensure on-time delivery.
• Monitor status and address service issues and delays.

Skills

Negotiation

Relationship building

Communication

Multitasking

Analytical thinking

Self-motivation

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Bachelor's degree preferred

Tools

Microsoft 365

Windows

Teams/Zoom/Webex

Job description

• Job Category Operations: Individual Contributors
• Job Category Logistics and Transportation
• Job Function Brokerage

Job Description

Compensation: $60,000 - 72,000 Annually + Commission

The Carrier Sales Representative is responsible for developing and managing relationships with motor carriers to secure transportation capacity and support the successful movement of freight across the company’s brokerage network. They serve as a key contributor to revenue growth by sourcing carrier capacity, negotiating competitive rates, and ensuring on-time service execution. This role offers immediate ownership, high earnings potential, and clear pathways for long-term career advancement within an industry-leading logistics provider.

Responsibilities

• Develop, maintain, and grow a network of qualified carrier partners to support customer freight needs across multiple transportation modes.
• Build strong carrier relationships by understanding carrier capacity, equipment availability, preferred lanes, and business objectives.
• Prospect, cold call, and onboard new carrier partners to expand available transportation capacity.
• Negotiate competitive spot and contractual transportation rates while supporting profitability goals.
• Utilize market intelligence, freight trends, and capacity data to make informed pricing and sourcing decisions.
• Secure carrier capacity through high-volume outbound communication and relationship management activities.
• Coordinate load coverage, dispatch carriers, and ensure successful execution from pickup through final delivery.
• Monitor load status and proactively address service issues, delays, or operational challenges.
• Maintain accurate carrier records, pricing information, and shipment documentation within transportation management systems.
• Collaborate closely with Customer Account Managers, Tracking Specialists, and Operations teams to deliver exceptional customer service.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, transportation regulations, and carrier qualification requirements.
• Contribute to team performance goals by meeting or exceeding productivity, revenue, and margin expectations.
• Continuously develop industry knowledge and stay informed of changing transportation market conditions.
• Support process improvement initiatives designed to enhance operational efficiency and carrier engagement.
• All other duties as assigned to meet evolving business needs.

Qualifications

• Education: High School Diploma or GED Equivalent required; Undergraduate degree in a related field from an accredited college or university preferred.
• Experience: Prior experience in freight brokerage, third-party logistics (3PL), transportation, sales, customer service, or a related industry preferred.
• Strong negotiation, persuasion, and relationship-building skills with the ability to influence outcomes in a dynamic market environment.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with confidence conducting high-volume phone outreach.
• Demonstrated ability to multitask, prioritize competing demands, and perform effectively in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to make sound business decisions using market and operational data.
• Self-motivated, results-oriented, and highly coachable with a strong desire to meet and exceed performance goals.
• Ability to work collaboratively across departments while maintaining a customer-focused mindset.
• Demonstrated discretion and confidentiality in handling and protecting sensitive information.
• Technical: Proficient with common office technologies, including Windows PCs, Microsoft O365 (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) and web conferencing (Teams, Zoom, Webex, etc.)
• Environment: Comfort commuting to/from and working in a 100% on-site setting (listed in this posting), with travel for related meetings/events.

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#LI-Onsite #LI-DR1

WHAT WE OFFER

• Compensation: Competitive base pay based on experience, industry/geographic benchmarks and internal equity. Some positions may be eligible for incentive pay programs and/or equity-based incentives. Pay ranges published on job boards are not provided nor verified by the Company.
• Health: Medical and Pharmacy insurance; Health Savings Account (HSA); Vision; Dental; Life and Disability; Critical Illness; Accident Indemnity; Hospital Indemnity; On-demand telehealth via Teladoc; Employee Assistance Program (counseling and financial/lifestyle coaching).
• Wealth: 401(k) retirement savings plan with employer match; Employee stock purchase program; Flexible Spending Account (FSA); Commuter Benefits; LegalEASE legal coverage.
• Time: 7 paid holidays and generous Paid Time Off (PTO) tiers ranging from 10–25 days annually.
• Culture: A collaborative, transformation-driven, solutions-first environment full of "can do" attitude and "will do" work ethic.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Agencies: The Company does not accept unsolicited outreach from third parties. Absent an agreement signed by internal Talent Acquisition and Procurement, and a documented request from Talent Acquisition to submit candidates for a specified requisition, we will not approve payments to any third party.
• Work Authorization: Within the United States, the Company is an E-Verify employer. Unless otherwise indicated, U.S.-based workers must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. without sponsorship, including but not limited to F-1, H-1, H-2, L, J, and TN visas, etc.
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI): The Company is proud to be an equal opportunity employer . Applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or veteran status.
• Reasonable Accommodations: Physical/mental requirements are listed only to identify where potential accommodations may be needed, not as qualification standards. In compliance with applicable laws and regulations (including ADA, ADEA, and FMLA), accommodations may be available to qualified individuals unable to perform essential duties without them. Additional requirements may apply to meet legal, regulatory, and Company standards.
• Recruitment Fraud: We will only contact you from @forwardair.com or @omnilogistics.com emails (system messages may come from @workflow.email.us-phoenix-1.ocs.oraclecloud.com). If reached via Indeed or LinkedIn, verify recruiters by reviewing their LinkedIn profiles. We will never request sensitive personal information outside secure systems, nor ask for purchases. Report suspected scams to the Federal Trade Commission and your state Attorney General .