CTPAT & Security Compliance Lead

Forward Air Corp.; Des Plaines (IL); On-site; USD 70,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) retirement plan with employer

Paid time off

Life and disability benefits

Job summary

Forward Air Corp. is seeking a Security Compliance Specialist to implement and enforce security and regulatory programs across the enterprise.

You will serve as the subject matter expert for CTPAT compliance and support TSA/TAPA objectives, collaborating with Operations, Security, Legal, and Quality teams. The role requires 3+ years in security/compliance within logistics or regulated environments, bilingual English/Spanish preferred, and strong auditing and analytical skills.

Qualifications

• Education: High School Diploma or GED Equivalent required; Undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university preferred.
• Experience: 3+ years’ progressive experience in CTPAT, TSA compliance, air cargo operations, freight forwarding, LTL, or logistics within regulated environments.
• Knowledge: CTPAT, TSA, TAPA or similar security compliance programs; certifications such as CTPAT SCSS, ASIS, or Certified Quality Auditor preferred.
• Ability: Interpret regulatory requirements and apply across multi-site operations.
• Experience: Supporting audits, inspections, and interactions with government agencies or regulatory bodies.
• Skills: Analytical, organizational, and documentation management with an audit-focused mindset.
• Communication: Able to advise and influence stakeholders on compliance matters.
• Language: Bilingual (English and Spanish) preferred.
• Discretion: Protect sensitive information.
• Technical: Proficient with Windows, MS Office 365, and web conferencing.
• Environment: On-site work with travel.

Responsibilities

• Act as enterprise owner for CTPAT compliance strategy, execution, and oversight.
• Assess practices for compliance risks, perform gap analyses, and plan corrective actions.
• Lead internal audits and regulatory reviews, interpreting findings and responses.
• Verify facility-level CTPAT and TSA compliance including security controls and chain-of-custody.
• Provide guidance on compliant cargo handling, documentation, and incident responses.
• Analyze compliance data and trends to inform leadership on audit readiness and risk.
• Collaborate with Legal/Security/Quality/Operations to resolve issues.
• Maintain enterprise CTPAT documentation standards and audit readiness.
• Support cross-functional initiatives including TSA and TAPA alignment.
• Travel domestically and internationally for site assessments and improvements.
• Perform other duties as needed.

Skills

CTPAT compliance

TSA compliance

Regulatory compliance

Auditing

Data analysis

Documentation management

Bilingual (English/Spanish)

Communication

Independent judgement

Education

High School Diploma / GED

Bachelor’s degree preferred

Tools

Microsoft Office 365

Windows

Web conferencing (Teams/Zoom/Webex)

Job description

Forward Air Corp. is seeking a Security Compliance Specialist to implement and enforce security and regulatory programs across the enterprise.

You will serve as the subject matter expert for CTPAT compliance and support TSA/TAPA objectives, collaborating with Operations, Security, Legal, and Quality teams. The role requires 3+ years in security/compliance within logistics or regulated environments, bilingual English/Spanish preferred, and strong auditing and analytical skills.