Carrier Sales Representative - Intermodal

Forward Air Corp.; Chicago, Northern (IL, KY); Hybrid; USD 55,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

On-site work environment

Job summary

Forward Air Corp. in Chicago is seeking a Carrier Sales Representative - Intermodal to develop and manage relationships with carrier partners across multiple modes, secure capacity, negotiate rates, and support on-time service across the network.

The role offers immediate ownership and high earnings potential, with compensation of $55,000 to $65,000 annually plus commission, and a 100% on-site work environment, plus opportunities for career advancement.

Qualifications

• Education: High School Diploma or GED; college degree preferred.
• Experience: freight brokerage/3PL/transportation, sales, customer service, or related industry preferred.
• Strong negotiation, persuasion, and relationship-building skills to influence outcomes in a dynamic market.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills for high-volume outreach.
• Ability to multitask and perform in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills using market and operational data.

Responsibilities

• Develop, maintain, and grow a network of qualified carrier partners across multiple transportation modes.
• Build strong carrier relationships by understanding capacity, equipment, lanes, and objectives.
• Prospect, cold call, and onboard new carriers to expand capacity.
• Negotiate competitive spot and contractual rates while supporting profitability goals.
• Use market intelligence and capacity data to make pricing and sourcing decisions.
• Coordinate load coverage, dispatch carriers, and ensure on-time delivery.
• Monitor load status and address service issues or delays.
• Maintain carrier records, pricing information, and shipment docs in TMS.
• Collaborate with Customer Account Managers, Tracking Specialists, and Operations to deliver excellent service.
• Ensure compliance with policies and carrier qualifications.
• Contribute to team performance by meeting revenue and margin targets.
• Continually develop industry knowledge and stay informed on market trends.

Skills

Negotiation

Communication

Relationship-building

Multitasking

Analytical thinking

Self-motivated

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Bachelor's degree preferred

Tools

MS Office

Outlook

Excel

PowerPoint

Teams

Zoom

Webex

Job description

Compensation: $55,000 - 65,000 Annually + Commission

Schedule: Mon - Fri 8am - 5pm

The Carrier Sales Representative - Intermodal is responsible for developing and managing relationships with carriers to secure multimodal transportation capacity and support the successful movement of freight across the company’s 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.