Manager, Operational Key Account Manager

Ascent Global Logistics

United States

On-site

USD 140,000 - 145,000

Full time

2 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

401(k) matching

Health, Dental, Vision Insurance

Paid Time Off (PTO)

Short- & Long-Term Disability

Paid Holidays

Employee Wellness Program

Job summary

Ascent Global Logistics, a Belleville, Michigan–headquartered freight solutions provider, seeks an Operational Key Account Manager to lead end-to-end performance for major accounts. You will own SLA/KPI delivery, drive continuous improvement, and partner with Operations, IT and Finance to ensure best-in-class service and cost-to-serve.

The role emphasizes proactive issue resolution, governance of SOPs, and the ability to present performance insights in QBRs, with a strong data and analytics

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Logistics or related field.
MBA or advanced degree is a plus.
Professional certifications (APICS/CSCP, Lean Six Sigma, PMP) preferred.

Responsibilities

Own day-to-day service performance, SLA/KPI delivery and cadence with the customer.
Lead continuous improvement and cost-to-serve savings for accounts.
Perform root-cause analysis and drive corrective actions with Operations.
Govern SOPs, account playbooks, and onboarding documentation.
Deliver performance visibility via Power BI dashboards and scorecards.
Coordinate cross-functional execution across Operations, IT, Finance and Control Tower.

Skills

Operational mindset

Analytical/data-driven

Excellent communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Bilingual (EN/ES)

Education

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain/Logistics/Operations

MBA/MS preferred

APICS/CSCP / Lean Six Sigma / PMP preferred

Tools

Power BI

Excel

CargoWise

PEAK Marketplace

TMS data flows

Job description

About Ascent

Ascent 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 Principles

At 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.

Role Summary

The 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.

KEY ACTIVITIES

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 Will Bring

The successful candidate brings the following qualifications, experience, and education:

Work Experience

6+ 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 & Skills

Strong 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 Background

Bachelor’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.

Ascent’s Competitive Benefits