Director of Transportation and Distribution

Jostens; Minneapolis (MN); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work options

Healthcare & voluntary benefits

401(k) immediate vesting

Paid time off & holidays

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Jostens seeks a Director of Transportation and Distribution to shape and execute our enterprise transport strategy across a seasonal network. You will lead freight strategy, carrier/3PL management, and network optimization to improve margins and service reliability.

You will drive cost-to-serve models, budgets, and intercompany routing, while partnering with Finance, IT, SIOP, and Ops to deliver measurable improvements across global inbound/outbound logistics.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Transportation, Business, Operations, Engineering, or a related field.
• 12+ years of experience in transportation, logistics, distribution, and supply chain leadership.
• Strong working knowledge of parcel, LTL, truckload, intermodal, ocean, air, cross-border, and final-mile transportation.
• Proven experience developing transportation and distribution strategies, managing carrier and 3PL networks, and leading complex RFPs and negotiations.
• Demonstrated ability to build cost-to-serve models, freight budgets and forecasts, and mode/lane/site-level performance views.
• Experience implementing cost-reduction and service-improvement initiatives with measurable financial impact.
• Knowledge of carrier contracts, fuel and accessorial structures, routing guides, SLAs, claims, and contingency planning.
• Ability to lead cross-functional network design and implementation across Operations, Finance, SIOP, Sourcing, IT, Sales, and Customer Service.
• Strong analytical and executive communication skills, with the ability to convert complex network trade-offs into clear decisions and action plans.
• Experience operating in seasonal, demand-volatile, made-to-order, or custom-product environments.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement multi-year transportation and distribution strategies for inbound, outbound, intercompany, parcel, LTL, truckload, ocean, air, and cross-border transport.
• Translate growth, SIOP, sourcing, and service requirements into an executable network roadmap.
• Lead lane-level routing, mode selection, shipment consolidation, and zone-skipping analyses.
• Evaluate build, buy, or partner options and convert into implementation plans with cost, service, capital, and risk trade-offs.
• Evaluate network redesign opportunities including 3PL strategy and footprint optimization.
• Develop long-term roadmaps supporting growth, service, working capital, and margin objectives.
• Own freight budgeting, forecasting, monthly variance bridges, and savings delivery.
• Establish total-cost and cost-to-serve views by mode, lane, site, product, customer, and shipment type.
• Control fuel, accessorials, and other surcharge exposure with Finance alignment.
• Establish KPI governance for cost, on-time pickup/delivery, transit time, tender acceptance, claims, and forecast accuracy.
• Improve transportation data integrity and use analytics to identify root causes and prioritize action.
• Lead cross-functional collaboration with Compliance, Sourcing, Planning, IT, Finance, Sales, and Customer Service.
• Manage cross-border flows, vendor routing requirements, business continuity, peak execution, and regulatory obligations.
• Lead scenario planning and issue resolution for capacity, service disruption, tariffs, and network transitions.
• This role includes a 25% travel requirement and some international travel may be required.
• This role also has one direct report.

Skills

Analytical skills

Executive communication

Cross-functional leadership

Seasonal demand experience

Network design leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Transportation, Business, Operations, Engineering, or related field

Master’s degree or MBA (preferred)

Tools

Transportation management systems (TMS)

ERP platforms

Carrier data & freight audit tools

Business intelligence tools

Job description

DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION AND DISTRIBUTION

ABOUT YOU:

The Director of Transportation and Distribution is responsible for developing and executing the enterprise transportation and distribution strategy across a complex, highly seasonal network.

The role leads domestic and international freight strategy, carrier and third-party logistics provider

management, network optimization, freight visibility, and distribution operating-model improvement.

This leader balances cost-to-serve, service reliability, working capital, compliance, and execution risk while creating clear accountability for transportation performance and sustainable margin improvement.

YOU WILL:

Responsibilities of this role include:

Enterprise Transportation and Distribution Strategy

• Develop and implement multi-year strategies and operating policies for inbound, outbound, intercompany, parcel, LTL, truckload, ocean, air, and cross-border transportation.
• Translate business growth, SIOP, sourcing, and customer-service requirements into an executable network roadmap.

Network Optimization and Cost-to-Serve

• Lead lane-level routing, mode selection, shipment consolidation, zone-skipping/pool-point, inventory-positioning, and distribution-node analyses.
• Evaluate build, buy, or partner options and convert recommendations into implementation plans with clear cost, service, capital, and risk trade-offs.

Enterprise Network Strategy & Transformation

• Evaluate and implement network redesign opportunities including 3PL strategy, distribution footprint optimization, nearshore network development, cross-border flows, and automation initiatives.
• Develop the long-term transportation and distribution roadmap supporting growth, service, working capital, and margin objectives.

Freight Financial Management and Cost Optimization

• Own freight budgeting, forecasting, monthly variance bridges, and savings delivery.
• Establish total-cost and cost-to-serve views by mode, lane, site, product, customer, and shipment type.
• Control fuel, accessorial, residential, expedite, and other surcharge exposure and ensure savings are validated with Finance and reflected in operating results.

Data, Technology, and Performance Management

• Establish a standardized KPI and governance framework for cost, on-time pickup and delivery, transit time, tender acceptance, claims, damage, expedites, carrier compliance, and forecast accuracy.
• Improve transportation data integrity and use analytics to identify root causes and prioritize action.

Risk, Compliance, and Cross-Functional Leadership

• Partner with Global Trade Compliance, Sourcing, Planning, Operations, Finance, Sales, Product, Customer Service, and IT to manage cross-border flows, vendor routing requirements, business continuity, peak execution, and transportation-related regulatory obligations.
• Lead scenario planning and issue resolution for capacity, service disruption, tariffs, and network transitions.

This role does have a 25% travel requirement and some international travel may be required.

This role also has one direct report.

YOU HAVE:

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Transportation, Business, Operations, Engineering, or a related field.
• 12+ years of experience in transportation, logistics, distribution, and supply chain leadership.
• Strong working knowledge of parcel, LTL, truckload, intermodal, ocean, air, cross-border, and final-mile transportation.
• Proven experience developing transportation and distribution strategies, managing carrier and 3PL networks, and leading complex RFPs and commercial negotiations.
• Demonstrated ability to build cost-to-serve models, freight budgets and forecasts, and mode/lane/site-level performance views.
• Experience implementing transportation cost-reduction and service-improvement initiatives with measurable financial impact.
• Knowledge of carrier contracts, fuel and accessorial structures, routing guides, SLAs, claims, and contingency planning.
• Ability to lead cross-functional network design and implementation work across Operations, Finance, SIOP, Sourcing, IT, Sales, and Customer Service.
• Strong analytical and executive communication skills, with the ability to convert complex network trade-offs into clear decisions and action plans.
• Experience operating in seasonal, demand-volatile, made-to-order, or custom-product environments.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree or MBA.
• Experience with transportation management systems, ERP platforms, carrier data, freight audit and payment data, and business-intelligence tools.
• Experience with distribution network modeling, 3PL implementation, warehouse operating models, and build-buy-partner evaluations.
• Familiarity with customs, Incoterms, free-trade zones, USMCA, CTPAT, and other global trade requirements.
• Lean, Six Sigma, APICS/ASCM, or transportation/logistics certification.

LOVE WHERE YOU WORK:

• We care about your health. We offer competitive healthcare (health, dental, vision, coverage) in addition to voluntary benefits including home and car insurance, pet insurance, flexible spending account, amongst many more.
• We invest in your future. Our 401K plan has immediate vesting, so you can start saving for retirement right away.
• We believe in flexibility. We provide hybrid work options.
• We want you to unplug when needed. We believe in taking your time off without guilt and offer accrued paid time off and company paid holidays. *For Washington residents, you will receive 13 vacation days, 8 paid sick leave, 8 company paid holidays, and family paid leave.
• We care about your development. We support tuition reimbursement after 6 months of service.
• We believe in pay transparency. The salary range is $150,000 - $200,000 with annual bonus eligibility.

APPLICATION DEADLINE:

November 30, 2026

ABOUT US:

Jostens leads the student commemoration market and has been serving local communities for over 125 years. We work with thousands of K-12 schools, colleges and universities each year, and have the honor of partnering with beloved sports teams and esteemed organizations across the country. Our iconic products — like yearbooks, letter jackets, class jewelry and championship rings — keep meaningful traditions alive and inspire millions of people to celebrate their unique stories, milestone moments and biggest accomplishments every year. We have 13 first-class facilities across the globe, from North America to the Caribbean. Watch a short video about us here .

ALL ABOUT SUPPLY CHAIN:

Jostens provides products, programs and services that help our customers celebrate moments that matter. Our mission is Capture. Celebrate. Inspire. We extend our mission to working with our valued suppliers to partner with us to provide keepsakes designed to help consumers capture and celebrate moments that matter, and inspire them for a lifetime.

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA):

Jostens is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. If reasonable accommodation is required to fully participate in the job application or interview process, or to perform the essential functions of the position, please reach out to our HR team at [e-mail] or [phone].

Jostens is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with applicable employment laws. EOE/M/F/Vet/Disabled are encouraged to apply.

Every member of the Jostens team is accountable to customers and suppliers to act with integrity and responsibility, to respect and recognize and to embrace change. We believe that living our values is required to earn customer loyalty and meet the expectations of all our stakeholders.

It is through our mission and values that Jostens conducts all business with respect to the customers we serve and the communities in which we work.