General Manager, Contract Logistics

Forward Air Corp.; Union City (CA); On-site; USD 170,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) with employer match

Paid time off 10–25 days

Employee stock purchase program

Job summary

Forward Air Corp. is seeking a General Manager, Contract Logistics to oversee a large contract logistics site or group of sites. You will drive safety, service quality, financial performance, and employee engagement while coaching site leaders and sustaining growth.

You will own site-level P&L, lead capacity planning, and direct continuous improvement initiatives using LEAN and Six Sigma to optimize productivity and customer value. This role requires heavy onsite leadership and travel.

Qualifications

• 7+ years leading 3PL/contract logistics for large enterprise clients.
• Experience guiding large, distributed teams across multi-site operations.
• Strong knowledge of WMS/ERP and data reporting tools.
• Proven ability to engage customers in business reviews and renewals.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership for site operations to meet contractual, financial, safety, and service goals.
• Lead site leadership teams to ensure consistent execution and discipline.
• Translate strategic objectives into actionable site plans.
• Drive 5S, safety, and regulatory compliance at facilities.
• Own P&L and lead cost optimization initiatives.
• Lead workforce planning and capacity management.
• Lead executive-level customer reviews and strategic planning.

Skills

Leadership

LEAN/Six Sigma

Data analysis

Strategic planning

People development

Customer relationship management

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Undergraduate degree in Supply Chain Management or Business

Tools

WMS

ERP

Data reporting tools

Job description

• Locations 33215 DOWE AVE, Union City, CA, 94587, US
• Job Category Operations: Leadership
• Job Category Logistics and Transportation
• Job Function Operations

Job Description

Position: General Manager, Contract Logistics

Compensation: $170,000 - 190,000 Annually

TheGeneralManager, Contract Logisticsis responsible for operational oversight of a large/complex contract logistics site, or group of closely related sites, with full accountability for safety, service, financial performance, and employee engagement. They ensure delivery of contractual obligations while driving operational excellence scalability, and sustained performance. They coach site leaders and frontline teams, execute operational strategies, and lead continuous improvement initiatives that drive productivity, quality, cost, and service outcomes. They build strong relationships with customers, employees, and internal partners to support stability, growth, and long-term value creation.

Responsibilities:

Provide overall leadership for site operations, ensuring contractual, financial, safety, and service commitments are achieved.

Lead and align site leadership teams to drive consistent execution and operational discipline.

Translate strategic objectives into executable site-level operating plans.

Ensure facilities operate in a clean, organized, safe, and compliant manner, including adherence to 5S principles.

Own site-level Profit and Loss (P&L) responsibility, including labor, operating expenses, and cost optimization initiatives.

Lead workforce planning, volume forecasting, and capacity management to align resources with demand.

Monitor financial and operational performance, identify trends and variances, and implement corrective actions.

Sponsor and govern site-level capital investment and improvement initiatives.

Establish and govern site performance management systems aligned to safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity.

Lead data-driven operational reviews and ensure consistent use of dashboards and KPIs.

Sponsor and prioritize continuous improvement initiatives using LEAN, Six Sigma, and structured problem-solving methodologies.

Ensure improvements are sustained through standard work, training, and operating discipline.

Serve as the senior operational leader for customer relationships at the site level.

Lead executive-level customer reviews, performance discussions, and strategic planning sessions.

Partner with customers to identify operational enhancements, scalability opportunities, and long-term improvements.

Lead, coach, and develop site leadership teams and high-potential talent.

Establish succession plans and leadership development pathways.

Drive a culture of accountability, engagement, and continuous improvement.

Ensure consistent application of performance management, coaching, and employee relations practices.

Champion a strong safety culture and ensure compliance with all regulatory and company requirements. Maintain accountability for safety performance, quality standards, and risk mitigation.

Ensure audits, corrective actions, and compliance activities are executed and sustained.

All other duties as assigned to meet evolving business needs.

Qualifications:

• Education: High School Diploma or General Education Development (GED)/equivalent required; Undergraduate degree (or higher) in Supply Chain Management, Business, or a related field from an accredited college or university preferred.
• Certification / Licensure: Lean/Kaizen/Six Sigma certifications preferred.
• Experience: 7+ years’ progressive experience leading third-party logistics (3PL) or contract logistics operations for large/enterprise customers.
• Proven ability to lead large, diverse, and distributed teams and manage complex logistics operations in a high-volume, preferably multi-site environment.
• Prior experience engaging with customers directly to conduct business reviews, resolve escalations/conflicts, and participate in the contract renewal/negotiation process.
• Strong functional knowledge of Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), and reporting/data tools.
• Excellent team leadership, development, and coaching/performance management skills.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• 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-sitesetting (listed in this posting), with travel for related meetings, events, and client engagements (up to 30%).

WHAT WE OFFER

• Compensation: Competitive base pay based on experience, industry/geographic benchmarks and internal equity. Some positions may be eligible for incentive pay programs and/or equity-based incentives. Pay ranges published on job boards are not provided nor verified by the Company.
• Health: Medical and Pharmacy insurance; Health Savings Account (HSA); Vision; Dental; Life and Disability; Critical Illness; Accident Indemnity; Hospital Indemnity; On-demand telehealth via Teladoc; Employee Assistance Program (counseling and financial/lifestyle coaching).
• Wealth: 401(k) retirement savings plan with employer match; Employee stock purchase program; Flexible Spending Account (FSA); Commuter Benefits; LegalEASE legal coverage.
• Time: 7 paid holidays and generous Paid Time Off (PTO) tiers ranging from 10–25 days annually.
• Culture: A collaborative, transformation-driven, solutions-first environment full of "can do" attitude and "will do" work ethic.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Agencies: The Company does not accept unsolicited outreach from third parties. Absent an agreement signed by internal Talent Acquisition and Procurement, and a documented request from Talent Acquisition to submit candidates for a specified requisition, we will not approve payments to any third party.
• Work Authorization: Within the United States, the Company is an E-Verify employer. Unless otherwise indicated, U.S.-based workers must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. without sponsorship, including but not limited to F-1, H-1, H-2, L, J, and TN visas, etc.
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI): The Company is proud to be an equal opportunity employer . Applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or veteran status.
• Reasonable Accommodations: Physical/mental requirements are listed only to identify where potential accommodations may be needed, not as qualification standards. In compliance with applicable laws and regulations (including ADA, ADEA, and FMLA), accommodations may be available to qualified individuals unable to perform essential duties without them. Additional requirements may apply to meet legal, regulatory, and Company standards.
• Recruitment Fraud: We will only contact you from @forwardair.com or @omnilogistics.com emails (system messages may come from @workflow.email.us-phoenix-1.ocs.oraclecloud.com). If reached via Indeed or LinkedIn, verify recruiters by reviewing their LinkedIn profiles. We will never request sensitive personal information outside secure systems, nor ask for purchases. Report suspected scams to the Federal Trade Commission and your state Attorney General .