Import & Fleet Operations Manager-Mandarin Required

Creative Innovation Inc; Ontario (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Dental insurance

Health insurance

Paid time off

Vision insurance

Job summary

Creative Innovation Inc. is seeking an Import & Fleet Operations Manager to oversee import transportation, fleet operations, and relationships with trucking and drayage providers.

This role manages dispatch, driver assignments, container pickups and deliveries, empty returns, and operational exceptions. You will drive cost efficiency and profitability through fleet utilization analyses, vendor negotiations, and process improvements, while leading a team and coordinating with terminals, brokers,

Qualifications

• 3–5 years in import logistics or fleet operations.
• Strong understanding of import container transport and drayage.
• Proficiency with Excel for data analysis.
• Experience with TMS or ERP systems.
• English and Mandarin language skills.

Responsibilities

• Oversee import container transport from arrival to empty container return.
• Coordinate with terminals, customs brokers, freight forwarders, warehouses, customers.
• Manage dispatch team, allocations, routes, shifts and capacity.
• Develop relationships with trucking and drayage providers; negotiate rates.
• Analyze shipment costs, gross margin, and profitability by lane.
• Improve routing, backhaul planning, and cost-reduction initiatives.
• Monitor demurrage, detention, and other accessorial charges.
• Review vendor invoices; ensure accurate billings and resolve disputes.
• Prepare fleet performance reports and lead the team.

Skills

Import logistics

Fleet management

Vendor management

Excel

TMS / ERP systems

English & Mandarin

Tools

TMS

ERP systems

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Position Overview

The Import & Fleet Operations Manager oversees import transportation, company fleet operations, and relationships with trucking and drayage providers. This role manages dispatch, driver assignments, container pickups and deliveries, empty returns, and operational exceptions.

The manager is responsible for improving fleet utilization, service quality, and profitability through cost analysis, resource planning, vendor negotiations, and process improvements.

Key Responsibilities

Import Transportation Operations

• Oversee the import container transportation process, from arrival and release coordination through pickup, delivery, and empty container return.
• Coordinate with terminals, customs brokers, freight forwarders, warehouses, and customers to ensure timely execution.

Daily Fleet Operations

• Manage vehicles, drivers, and the dispatch team, allocating assignments, routes, shifts, and capacity efficiently.
• Monitor departures, shipment progress, deliveries, and empty returns to improve load completion and vehicle turnaround.

Driver and Vehicle Management

• Oversee driver assignments, performance evaluations, and safety training.
• Coordinate preventive maintenance, repairs, inspections, and required vehicle documentation to minimize downtime and support safe, compliant operations.

Trucking Providers and Outsourced Capacity

• Develop and maintain relationships with trucking and drayage providers, negotiate rates, coordinate capacity, and evaluate service performance.
• Allocate shipments between the company fleet and outsourced providers based on cost, service requirements, and available capacity.

Cost and Profitability Analysis

• Analyze revenue, costs, gross profit, and gross margins by shipment, vehicle, driver, customer, and lane.
• Track fuel, driver compensation, maintenance, insurance, vehicle leasing or depreciation, chassis, and outsourced transportation costs.
• Identify operational inefficiencies and unprofitable business, and recommend corrective actions.

Operational and Profit Improvement

• Improve routing, load sequencing, backhaul planning, and capacity allocation to reduce empty miles, waiting time, and transportation costs.
• Develop and implement cost-reduction and profit-improvement initiatives, and measure results.

Accessorial Costs and Pricing Support

• Monitor and control demurrage, detention, storage, chassis, waiting time, and other accessorial charges.
• Compare quoted costs with actual expenses and provide recommendations for customer pricing, rate adjustments, and business acceptance.

Invoice Review and Cost Recovery

• Review trucking, maintenance, and other vendor invoices; verify driver-related expenses and resolve billing disputes.
• Ensure all billable charges are accurately recorded and invoiced, and coordinate with accounting on settlement and collections.

Reporting and Team Leadership

• Prepare regular reports on fleet performance, costs, profitability, and vendor performance to support management decisions.
• Establish operating procedures, train and evaluate team members, and resolve major operational issues and escalated customer complaints.

Qualifications

• Experience: At least 3–5 years of relevant experience in import logistics, container drayage, or fleet operations, including team management experience.
• Industry Knowledge: Strong understanding of import container transportation, terminal procedures, pickup and empty return requirements, and trucking cost structures.
• Fleet Management: Experience in dispatch, driver management, vehicle maintenance coordination, and outsourced capacity management.
• Financial Analysis: Ability to independently analyze fleet costs and profitability by vehicle and shipment, and implement measurable improvements.
• Vendor Management: Experience sourcing trucking providers, managing supplier relationships, and negotiating rates.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency in Microsoft Excel for data analysis; experience with TMS, fleet management, or ERP systems preferred.
• Core Competencies: Strong communication, coordination, execution, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage time-sensitive operations.
• Language Requirements: English & Mandarin