Director of Transportation

Cleveland-Cliffs; Detroit (MI); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. seeks a Director of Transportation at its Detroit, MI headquarters to lead trucking, freight, and rail operations, driving cost efficiency and service levels across the organization.

The role oversees inbound scrap and outbound finished metal, leveraging data and AI-driven tools to optimize routing, scheduling, and market responsiveness in a high-volume environment.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of transportation management experience in manufacturing, industrial, or logistics.
• Experience in scrap, recycling, bulk commodities, or rail logistics preferred.
• Strong data analysis and executive communication skills.
• Proven leadership in private or dedicated fleet operations and safety.

Responsibilities

• Plan, organize, direct, and control trucking, freight, and rail operations.
• Oversee day-to-day logistics of scrap material transport and outbound shipments.
• Optimize routing, load planning, railcar utilization, and backhaul opportunities.
• Negotiate contracts with carriers and railroads for preferred rates.
• Maintain budget and pursue cost savings and efficiencies.
• Ensure compliance with DOT, FMCSA, FRA, OSHA, and environmental rules.
• Coordinate with yard ops, procurement, and sales on production and schedules.
• Oversee fleet lifecycle, procurement, maintenance strategy, and vendor relations.
• Monitor key metrics like cost per ton, on-time delivery, and safety.

Skills

Transportation management

Data analysis

Fleet operations

Budget management

Regulatory compliance

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain/Logistics/Business Admin

Tools

MercuryGate

McLeod

SAP TM

Oracle TMS

Samsara

Geotab

Omnitracs

Job description

Location: Detroit, MI

Ferrous Processing & Trading has an immediate need for a Director of Transportation at the Detroit, Michigan headquarters. The Director will be responsible for spearheading freight and trucking, and rail transportation operations to drive efficiency, secure cost savings, and support the fulfillment of organizational objectives.

This role will oversee the transportation of inbound scrap materials and outbound finished products via truck and rail, ensuring safe, compliant, and cost-effective operations across the organization. This position will also leverage data, systems, and emerging technologies to improve decision-making, increase visibility, and better manage the dynamic nature of scrap and commodity markets.

Summary Of Responsibilities

• Plan, organize, direct, and control operations of trucking and freight, and rail transportation operations, overseeing the dispatch, maintenance, and service of the fleet while managing rail carrier relationships and performance.
• Oversee day-to-day logistics of scrap material transportation, including inbound raw scrap and outbound finished metal shipments across yards, mills, and customer locations and rail-served facilities.
• Manage and optimize routing, load planning, railcar utilization, and backhaul opportunities to maximize fleet utilization and minimize empty miles; leverage TMS, market data, and AI-driven tools to optimize routing, load matching, and carrier selection and mode decisions in a high-volume scrap environment.
• Negotiate contracts and pricing with carriers, railroads, transload providers, warehouse operators, and insurance company representatives for services, securing preferred rates.
• Maintain departmental budget, identifying and pursuing potential cost savings and operational efficiencies across truck and rail networks.
• Ensure compliance with all local, state, and federal regulations, including DOT, FMCSA, FRA, OSHA, and environmental requirements, maintaining proper documentation and records.
• Partner with yard operations, procurement, and sales teams to align transportation scheduling with production demands, inventory flow, and customer commitments and rail service schedules.
• Oversee fleet lifecycle management, including equipment procurement, maintenance strategy, and vendor relationships for specialized equipment.
• Monitor key transportation metrics, including cost per ton, on-time delivery, railcar cycle times, driver productivity, fuel efficiency, and safety performance, implementing improvements as needed.
• Manage rail transportation activities, including railcar procurement and leasing, railcar tracking, carrier performance monitoring, demurrage mitigation, and coordination with Class I and short-line railroads.
• Lead contingency planning efforts to address supply chain disruptions, rail service interruptions, seasonal fluctuations, and commodity-driven volume changes.

Minimum Qualifications

• 5 years of experience managing transportation within the manufacturing, industrial, or logistics industry, preferably within steel, scrap, or bulk commodities
• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business Administration, or related field preferred; equivalent experience will be considered
• Experience in scrap, recycling, heavy haul, or bulk commodity logistics and/or rail logistics
• Strong data analysis capability and ability to generate reports, communicating insights effectively to executive leadership
• Demonstrated experience managing private or dedicated fleet operations, including drivers, dispatch, and maintenance in a high-volume environment and/or rail transportation programs
• In-depth knowledge of DOT regulations, driver hours-of-service (HOS), ELD systems, and transportation compliance requirements with exposure to rail transportation regulations and operating practices
• Proven leadership in safety program development, regulatory compliance, and incident reduction within fleet operations
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment driven by commodity markets and operational variability

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree (MBA or related discipline) preferred
• Proficiency with Transportation Management Systems (TMS) such as MercuryGate, McLeod, SAP TM, or Oracle TMS
• Experience with fleet management and telematics platforms (e.g., Samsara, Geotab, Omnitracs) and maintenance management systems
• Familiarity with rail transportation management, railcar leasing, railcar tracking systems, transload operations, and railroad carrier relationships
• Familiarity with ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics) and integration with transportation workflows
• Experience with scrap industry systems (e.g., AMCS, Scrap Dragon) and scale/ticketing processes is a plus

Ferrous Processing and Trading is a subsidiary of Cleveland-Cliffs Inc., the largest flat-rolled steel company and the largest iron ore pellet producer in North America. Cleveland-Cliffs is vertically integrated from mined raw materials, direct reduced iron, and ferrous scrap to primary steelmaking and downstream finishing, stamping, tooling, and tubing. We offer an excellent total compensation package including competitive pay, health insurance, retirement plan, education assistance, paid time off, and more.

Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please send an e-mail to [e-mail] or call 1-[phone] and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Do not email your application materials to this email address. Application materials sent to this email address will not be considered. Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. is an equal opportunity employer — M/F/Veteran/Disability. We are a drug-free workplace and conduct pre-employment screening as a condition of employment.