Manager, Operational Key Account Management

Ascent On-Demand, Inc.; Belleville (MI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) matching

Life Insurance

Health, Dental, Vision Insurance

Paid Time Off

Job summary

Ascent On-Demand, Inc. is seeking an Operational Key Account Manager to own day-to-day service performance for top accounts. You will drive continuous improvement, lead root-cause analyses, and ensure consistent KPI delivery across global operations.

You will design and govern SOPs, onboard new lanes, and present performance insights via Power BI to senior stakeholders, working with Operations, IT, and Finance.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of progressive operational logistics experience.
• Proven SLA/KPI performance with multi-region accounts.
• Experience leading continuous improvement initiatives with measurable savings.
• Root-cause analysis (5 Whys, fishbone) and CAPA.
• Governing SOPs, playbooks, and onboarding docs.

Responsibilities

• Own day-to-day service performance across key accounts.
• Drive continuous improvement roadmap and cost-to-serve gains.
• Lead root-cause analysis and corrective actions with Ops.
• Maintain SOPs and onboarding for new lanes/scopes.
• Deliver KPI dashboards and narratives for reviews.
• Coordinate cross-functional execution with Ops, Control Tower, IT, Finance.

Skills

Power BI

Excel

SLA/KPI management

Root cause analysis

CAPA

SOP governance

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Bilingual (English/Spanish)

Education

Bachelor’s degree

MBA/MS in SCM or related (plus)

APICS/CSCP/Lean Six Sigma (Green/Black) or PMP (preferred)

Tools

CargoWise

PEAK Marketplace integrations

TMS

Job description

About AscentAscent Global Logistics, headquartered in Belleville, Michigan, is a leading global provider of expedited, time-critical logistics solutions and other direct transportation services. The company connects customers to its extensive carrier network, internal ground fleet and airline via its proprietary, digital PEAK freight marketplace, which provides robust carrier capacity and transparent pricing, backed by 24/7/365 logistics experts. Ascent’s offerings include air charter and ground expedited solutions as well as truckload, less-than-truckload, global forwarding, brokerage, and managed transportation services. The experienced Ascent team solves customers’ most challenging logistics needs by providing industry-leading service and top-tier satisfaction.Our Guiding PrinciplesAt the core of Ascent's culture is a strong commitment to excellence, driven by the passion and dedication of every team member. We're equally dedicated to going above and beyond for our customers, ensuring this commitment extends beyond our team and brings exceptional value to those we serve. We aim for perfect execution in everything we do and ‘play hard’ by creating an environment where tasks are performed with a can-do attitude from start to finish. We ‘play smart’ by delivering on our commitments in an honest, fair and ethical manner. We treat every person with whom we interface with the utmost dignity and respect. We understand that our teammates are our most valuable assets, so we ‘play together’ by making every effort to provide a professional and enjoyable experience, enabling careers to flourish and personal growth to be achieved.What You’ll DoThe Operational Key Account Manager (OKAM) is the performance owner of a portfolio of Ascent’s most important key account customers. The role is accountable for end-to-end service performance — SLAs, KPIs, continuous improvement, and cost-to-serve — across the assigned accounts. The OKAM runs the day-to-day operational cadence, owns issue resolution, and ensures Ascent delivers consistent, measurable execution on the commercial commitments made by the Growth KAM. Working closely with Operations, Control Tower, IT, and Finance, the OKAM turns performance data into customer-facing insight and continuous improvement — a hands-on, execution-focused role for a disciplined operational leader.Own Day-to-Day Service Performance — Accountable for SLA/KPI delivery (OTIF, TTFB, claims, win/capture) across the assigned account portfolio; run the weekly and monthly operational cadence with the customer.Drive Continuous Improvement & Savings — Lead the CI roadmap for each account — identify systemic issues, deliver measurable cost-to-serve and OTIF improvements, and convert performance trends into documented savings.Lead Root-Cause Analysis & CAPA — Own issue resolution, root-cause investigation, and corrective/preventive action for escalations; close the loop with Operations and the customer on sustainable fixes.Maintain SOPs & Operational Governance — Design, maintain, and govern the account SOPs; ensure cross-regional consistency and smooth onboarding of new lanes, modes, or scopes awarded by the Growth KAM.Deliver Performance Visibility via Power BI — Own the customer’s KPI dashboards and scorecards; turn Power BI data into structured performance narratives for internal reviews and customer QBRs.Coordinate Cross-Functional Execution — Act as the central bridge between the customer’s operational teams, Ascent Operations, Control Tower, IT, and Finance; ensure one coordinated service delivery for the customer.What You’ll BringWork Experience6+ years of progressive operational experience in logistics, supply chain, or freight forwarding — with a proven track record of managing complex, multi-modal customer accounts.Demonstrated success owning SLA/KPI performance (OTIF, claims, cost-to-serve) across global, multi-region customer footprints.Hands-on experience leading continuous improvement initiatives that delivered measurable savings and service-level uplift.Proven ability to run root-cause analysis (5 Whys, fishbone, CAPA) and drive systemic corrective actions with Operations.Experience authoring and governing SOPs, account playbooks, and onboarding documentation for complex customer flows.Qualifications & SkillsStrong operational mindset — disciplined, detail-oriented, and relentless about execution against the SLA.Analytical and data-driven — expert-level Power BI and Excel for KPI reporting, trend analysis, and customer scorecards.Excellent communication skills — confident presenting service performance to senior customer stakeholders in QBRs and issue reviews.Proven cross-functional collaboration with Operations, Control Tower, IT, and Finance without direct authority.Knowledge of CargoWise or equivalent TMS, PEAK Marketplace integrations, and shipment-level data flows a strong plus.Bilingual (English / Spanish) a plus, given cross-border US-MX account scope.Educational BackgroundBachelor’s degree required — preferably in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, or a related field.Advanced degree (MBA, MS in Supply Chain / Operations) a plus.Relevant professional certifications strongly preferred — APICS / CSCP, Lean Six Sigma (Green or Black Belt), PMP, or equivalent.Why This Role Matters:The OKAM is the execution engine of Ascent’s 2026 Key Account Operating Model. By owning day-to-day service performance, the OKAM frees the Growth KAM to focus on commercial strategy, protects customer trust through disciplined delivery, and turns operational data into value and measurable savings — the foundation of Ascent’s customer experience.savings — the foundatin of Ascent’s customer experiencAscent’s Competitive Benefits401(k) and employer matchingLife InsuranceHealth, Dental, Vision InsuranceShort- & Long-Term DisabilityPaid Time Off (PTO)Employee Assistance ProgramPaid Parental LeaveEmployee Wellness ProgramPaid HolidaysEmployee Recognition ProgramsFlexible Spending Account (FSA)Tuition ReimbursementHealth Savings Account (HSA)Overtime, Differential & Bonus Pay