Carrier Sales Specialist

TMC Transportation; Des Moines (IA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

TMC Transportation, based in Des Moines, IA, seeks a Carrier Sales Specialist to source carrier capacity, manage relationships, and secure timely pickups and deliveries. You will coordinate with Sales and Customer Service to deliver flexible, cost-effective transportation solutions.

The role emphasizes proactive carrier outreach, data-driven decision making, and regional ownership to drive capacity and routing efficiency in a fast-paced, open-deck environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Logistics, Marketing or relevant work experience.
• Motivated and high energy attitude.
• Fluent in computer applications.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills.
• Detail-oriented with the ability to analyze and interpret data.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks and thrive in a fast-paced environment.
• Problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Customer-focused mindset with a commitment to meeting/exceeding expectations.
• Self-driven and motivated to achieve targets and goals.

Responsibilities

• Capacity sourcing and carrier relationships management.
• Initiate proactive calls to carriers to secure capacity and build relationships.
• Negotiate rates, address performance issues, and resolve capacity shortages.
• Cold call potential carriers to expand the network.
• Use data-driven insights to assess availability and identify capacity matches.
• Collaborate to secure capacity for time-sensitive shipments.
• Develop and maintain routing guides in the TMS for efficient operations.
• Monitor routing guides and ensure effective carrier communication.
• Own a designated region as primary contact for outbound shipments.
• Drive capacity development in the assigned region and cover regional loads.
• Negotiate market-based rate terms with carriers and stay informed on market trends.
• Monitor on-time pickup and delivery and enforce SLAs with carriers.
• Identify delays and mitigate impact; communicate with stakeholders.
• Implement in-transit tracking and monitor ETAs.

Skills

Communication skills

Negotiation

Detail-oriented

Data analysis

Multi-tasking

Problem solving

Customer focus

Self-motivated

Computer literacy

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business/Logistics/Marketing

Tools

TMS

Job description

TMC Transportation is the nation’s largest employee-owned, open deck transportation company. Founded in 1972, and headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, TMC provides expert transportation services and supply-chain management solutions throughout the 48 contiguous states. If you’re seeking a rewarding career at a dynamic company built on integrity, innovation and dedication to quality and customer service, then join us in our Destination of Excellence.

TMC Offers:

• Competitive Salary with uncapped commission
• 401(k) Plan
• Employee Ownership through ESOP
• In-depth training for your success
• Generous vacation package
• Growth opportunities

TMC Transportation has an immediate full-time opening for a Carrier Sales Specialist working out of our office in Des Moines, IA.

PRIMARY FUNCTION:

The primary function of a Carrier Sales Specialist involves sourcing carrier capacity, managing carrier relationships, arranging pick-up and delivery appointments with carriers and customers, working with Sales and Customer Service to provide transportation solutions for customers various needs.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Capacity Sourcing:
• Initiate proactive calls to carriers to secure capacity for loads and build relationships.
• Use outbound calls to resolve capacity shortages, negotiate rates, and address performance issues.
• Cold call potential carriers to expand the network and ensure regional coverage.
• Utilize data-driven insights to assess availability and identify potential capacity matches.
• Collaborate with team members to secure capacity for time-sensitive 'Hot' shipments.
• Routing Guide Development and Maintenance:
• Create and maintain routing guides in the Transportation Management System (TMS) for efficient coverage operations.
• Collaborate closely with carriers to define and communicate expectations related to routing guides.
• Monitor the execution and efficiency of routing guides within the Transportation Management System (TMS).
• Region Ownership:
• Take ownership of a designated region as the primary point of contact for all outbound shipments.
• Drive capacity development initiatives within the assigned region to ensure seamless logistics operations.
• Proactively cover loads originating from the region, optimizing service efficiency and reliability.
• Market-Driven Rate Negotiation:
• Negotiate rate terms with carriers based on current market conditions for competitive and mutually beneficial agreements.
• Stay informed about industry trends, pricing dynamics, and market fluctuations influencing transportation costs.
• Collaborate with carriers to establish flexible and responsive rate structures.
• Monitor and ensure on-time pickup and delivery of shipments as per established schedules.
• Communicate effectively with carriers to enforce service level expectations and address performance concerns.
• Proactively identify potential delays and communicate with internal and external stakeholders to mitigate impact.
• Implement in-transit tracking systems to monitor the real-time location of shipments.
• Monitor Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) to provide timely updates to stakeholders.
• Carrier Compliance and Fraud Prevention:
• Utilize various monitoring systems to confirm carriers' compliance with safety and regulatory standards.
• Ensure the acquisition of high-quality capacity while proactively preventing fraud and double brokering.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS/EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Logistics, Marketing or relevant work experience
• Possess a motivated and high energy attitude
• Fluent in computer applications
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills
• Detail-oriented with the ability to analyze and interpret data
• Ability to handle multiple tasks and thrive in a highly dynamic, fast-paced work environment.
• Problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Customer-focused mindset with a commitment to meeting and exceeding expectations.
• Self-driven and motivated to achieve targets and goals.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The physical requirements and work environment described is representative of those present while performing the essential functions of this job.

• Must be able to sit and use telephone and computer, simultaneously, for extended periods
• Must be able to speak and hear clearly in a high volume telephone environment.