Operations Agent

Forward Air Corp.; Des Plaines (IL); On-site; USD 65,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) retirement savings plan with employer match

Generous Paid Time Off (PTO)

Job summary

Forward Air Corp. is seeking a Customer Relations Specialist/Operations Agent to provide advanced customer service and operational coordination. You will manage escalated customer needs and oversee shipment coordination, ensuring accuracy and compliance.

The ideal candidate should have strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment. This position offers a competitive salary and a collaborative work culture.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED equivalent required; undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university preferred.
• Progressive experience in customer relations, logistics, transportation, or operational support roles with increasing responsibility.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills with the ability to manage competing priorities independently.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a senior point of contact for customers, carriers, drivers, and internal teams.
• Oversee and coordinate shipment activity from order entry through delivery.
• Review, validate, and approve shipping documentation.

Skills

Organizational skills

Analytical skills

Customer service

Communication

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Undergraduate degree preferred

Tools

Microsoft O365

Web conferencing tools

Job description

• Locations 1750-1759 SOUTH LINNEMAN RD, Arlington Heights, IL, 60005, US
• Job Category Operations: Individual Contributors

Job Description

Pay Rate: $65k - $70k per year

Schedule Mon - Fri 7am - 4pm (subject to change)

The Customer Relations Specialist/Operations Agent provides advanced customer service, operational coordination, and administrative oversight to support complex shipment activity within a multimodal transportation terminal, air/ocean branch, or contract logistics site. Serving as a senior point of contact, they manage escalated customer needs, oversee end ‑ to ‑ end shipment coordination, and resolve service issues and improve operational outcomes. They are responsible for overseeing scheduling, shipment tracking and tracing, documentation accuracy, and core financial processes including billing, accounts receivable, and accounts payable support. Working closely with customers, carriers, drivers, and internal operations teams, they proactively identify risks, recommend solutions, and ensure service commitments are met.

Responsibilities

Serve as a senior point of contact for customers, carriers, drivers, and internal teams, managing complex or escalated service inquiries.

Oversee and coordinate shipment activity from order entry through delivery, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with established procedures.

Exercise independent judgment to resolve shipment exceptions, service delays, and documentation issues; determine appropriate corrective actions.

Lead advanced tracking and tracing activities, proactively identifying potential disruptions and communicating mitigation plans to stakeholders.

Coordinate and optimize scheduling for pickups, deliveries, appointments, and operational workflows across multiple parties.

Review, validate, and approve shipping documentation including air waybills (AWBs), bills of lading, labels, and proof of delivery (POD).

Provide guidance and informal mentorship to Customer Relations Coordinators and support staff on procedures, systems, and customer interactions.

Oversee billing accuracy and financial documentation; analyze discrepancies and work cross ‑ functionally to resolve AR/AP issues.

Maintain oversight of organized, compliant electronic and physical files for shipment, financial, and administrative records.

Collaborate with operations, dispatch, and leadership teams to improve communication, service reliability, and process efficiency.

Identify recurring service issues or process gaps and recommend improvements aligned with operational goals.

Support terminal or site activities as needed, including freight acceptance and coordination of specialized shipment requirements.

Participate in cross ‑ functional meetings, training initiatives, and operational improvement projects.

All other duties as assigned to meet evolving business needs.

Qualifications

Education: High School Diploma or GED equivalent required; undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university preferred.

Progressive experience in customer relations, logistics, transportation, or operational support roles with increasing responsibility.

Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment and discretion in resolving complex customer and operational issues.

Strong organizational, analytical, and problem ‑ solving skills with the ability to manage competing priorities independently.

Clear, professional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to influence and collaborate across teams.

Ability to work effectively in a fast ‑ paced , team ‑ oriented , on ‑ site environment with minimal supervision.

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 ‑ site setting (listed in this posting), with travel for related meetings/events.

#Li-TW1

#Li-Onsite

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 .