Procurement Manager - Lowell, AR

Watco; Lowell (AR); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Watco is seeking a Procurement Manager to lead strategic logistics sourcing and cost-saving initiatives across our network of rail, switching sites, terminals and hubs. You will drive route optimization, carrier partnerships, and bid management using data-driven insights to improve efficiency and margins.

In this role you will map lanes, rebid opportunities, collaborate with pricing, and implement technology to optimize procurement operations.

Qualifications

• Proven experience building and maintaining carrier relationships and negotiating pricing.
• Logistics professional with procurement and transportation management expertise.
• Strategic thinker who designs solutions to improve operational performance and procurement goals.
• Advanced knowledge of carrier management, route optimization, and yield analysis.
• Strong analytical skills with data-driven decision making.
• Experience with procurement technology and bid optimization tools.
• Expertise in carrier pricing negotiation.

Responsibilities

• Deliver measurable cost savings and margin improvement by reducing PT spend.
• Build and maintain strong carrier relationships to ensure capacity and service quality.
• Implement route optimization strategies to maximize carrier utilization.
• Expand carrier footprint to win spot bids and rebid lost opportunities.
• Launch and manage carrier recognition programs.
• Evaluate and implement carrier bid optimization technology.
• Archive and analyze historical bids for strategic insights.
• Map carrier density by lane and zip code to identify growth areas.
• Identify and improve low-yield lanes.
• Collaborate with pricing manager for decision making.
• Benchmark best practices for procurement operations.

Skills

Carrier relationships

Pricing negotiation

Route optimization

Yield analysis

Procurement technology

Data-driven decision making

Carrier management

Transportation management

Strategic procurement

Bid optimization tools

Tools

Bid optimization tools

Job description

Requisition ID34075-Posted10/30/2026-Logistics

Start a Watco Career and Discover the Difference

Keep the world's supply chain moving. That's what the Watco team does every day at our short line railroads, switching sites, terminals, ports, and logistics hubs. Whether you're at one of these locations or in a support-services role, there's one thread that ties everyone together. We're all on the same team. One Watco .

Here's what you can expect from Watco:

• Outstanding culture recognized by Forbes and Newsweek
• Competitive compensation and benefits
• Leadership and development programs offered through Watco University
• Career advancement opportunities

Job Summary

The Procurement Manager will lead strategic logistics procurement initiatives to position procurement as a competitive advantage. This role focuses on network development, optimization, and strategic management, leveraging data-driven insights and innovative tools to deliver measurable cost savings, operational efficiency, and strong carrier partnerships.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Deliver measurable cost savings and margin improvement by reducing PT spend
• Build and maintain strong carrier relationships to ensure capacity and service quality.
• Implement route optimization strategies to maximize carrier utilization.
• Expand carrier footprint to win spot bids and rebid lost opportunities.
• Launch and manage carrier recognition programs.
• Evaluate and implement carrier bid optimization technology.
• Archive and analyze historical bids for strategic insights.
• Map carrier density by lane and zip code to identify potential growth areas.
• Identify and improve low-yield lanes.
• Collaborate with pricing manager for decision making.
• Benchmark best practices for procurement operations.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in building and maintaining carrier relationships, pricing negotiation, optimizing routes, and conducting yield analysis.
• Logistics professional with comprehensive expertise in procurement and transportation management.
• Strategic and innovative thinker with a proven ability to design and implement solutions that enhance operational performance and align with procurement goals.
• Advanced knowledge of carrier management, route optimization and yield analysis.
• Strong analytical skills with proficiency in data-driven decision-making.
• Experience with procurement technology and bid optimization tools.
• Expertise in carrier pricing negotiation.