Head of USA Ocean Operations

LX Pantos Americas; Teaneck Township (NJ); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401K Plan w/ Employer Match

Life Insurance Plan (100% Employerpaid

Generous PTO, Paid Holiday, Floating"

Job summary

LX Pantos Americas is seeking a Head of USA Ocean Operations to lead all ocean freight activities across the United States, including import and export operations. You will set strategic direction, drive performance, ensure regulatory compliance, and partner with Sales, Pricing, and executive leadership to deliver value to strategic accounts.

The ideal candidate has 15+ years in ocean freight, strong leadership, and a track record of building high-performing teams in fast-paced logistics

Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in ocean freight forwarding, international logistics, or supply chain operations.
• 5+ years of leadership experience managing ocean freight operations teams and organizational performance.
• Strong expertise in ocean import/export operations, carrier management, customs processes, TMS, and shipping documentation.
• Proven ability to lead teams, manage operational performance, and drive continuous improvement.
• Strong understanding of logistics financials including budgeting, cost control, productivity, and margin management.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee all USA ocean freight operations, including import and export activities across multiple branches and locations.
• Develop and execute operational strategies to drive service excellence, efficiency, customer satisfaction, and profitability.
• Mentor and develop Ocean Operations managers and staff, fostering a high-performance culture.
• Establish performance expectations, monitor KPIs, and drive accountability and continuous improvement.
• Partner with Sales, Pricing, and HQ teams to support growth initiatives, RFP/RFQ responses, and solution development.
• Build strong relationships with ocean carriers, transportation providers, customs brokers, and industry partners.
• Collaborate with HQ leadership on performance, strategic initiatives, and priorities.
• Drive standardization and knowledge sharing across the organization.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Communication

Negotiation

Strategic thinking

Change management

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Logistics

Job description

The Head of USA Ocean Operations is responsible for leading and overseeing all ocean freight operations across the United States, including both import and export activities. This role provides strategic direction and operational leadership to ensure service excellence, customer satisfaction, regulatory compliance, operational efficiency, and sustainable business growth.

As a senior leader, the Head of USA Ocean Operations will oversee nationwide operational teams, develop organizational capabilities, drive process improvements, and collaborate closely with Sales, Pricing, Customer Service, and executive leadership. The position also serves as a key customer‑facing leader, partnering with strategic accounts to deliver logistics solutions, support business growth opportunities, and resolve complex supply chain challenges.

The ideal candidate brings extensive ocean freight forwarding expertise, strong leadership capabilities, customer relationship management experience, and a proven ability to lead high-performing teams in a fast‑paced logistics environment.

• Lead and oversee all USA ocean freight operations, including import and export activities across multiple branches and locations.
• Develop and execute operational strategies to drive service excellence, operational efficiency, customer satisfaction, and profitability.
• Manage, mentor, and develop Ocean Operations managers and staff, fostering a high-performance and customer-focused culture.
• Establish performance expectations, monitor operational KPIs, and drive accountability and continuous improvement across the organization.
• Serve as the senior operational point of contact for strategic customer accounts, leading customer reviews, issue resolution, and operational discussions.
• Partner closely with Sales, Pricing and Quarterback teams to support customer growth initiatives, RFP/RFQ responses, and solution development.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with ocean carriers, transportation providers, customs brokers, and key industry partners.
• Collaborate regularly with HQ leadership on operational performance, strategic initiatives, process alignment, and business priorities.
• Act as a subject matter expert on ocean freight systems, processes, and operational best practices, driving standardization and knowledge sharing across the organization.
• Lead the adoption and continuous improvement of operational systems and ensure effective communication, training, and implementation across teams.
• Monitor operational and financial performance, including productivity, service quality, cost control, and margin improvement initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, customer requirements, customs regulations, and applicable transportation and trade regulations.
• Drive process optimization, automation, and digital transformation initiatives to enhance operational performance and scalability.
• Partner with executive leadership on organizational planning, talent development, and long‑term growth strategies for the USA Ocean business.

Required Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in ocean freight forwarding, international logistics, or supply chain operations.
• 5+ years of leadership experience managing ocean freight operations teams and organizational performance.
• Strong expertise in ocean import and export operations, carrier management, customs processes, transportation management, and shipping documentation.
• Proven ability to lead teams, manage operational performance, and drive continuous improvement initiatives.Experience managing key customer relationships and participating in customer-facing business discussions.
• Strong understanding of logistics financials, including budgeting, cost control, productivity measurement, and margin management.
• Excellent leadership, communication, presentation, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to make sound decisions and resolve complex operational issues in a fast‑paced environment.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.

Pay range and compensation package

• 401K Plan w/ Employer Match
• Life Insurance Plan (100% Employer paid)
• Generous PTO, Paid Holiday, Floating Holiday

Equal Opportunity Statement

We are committed to diversity and inclusivity.