PTL Brokerage Specialist: Optimize Shipments & Carrier Capacity

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

Job summary

Forward Air Corp. in Des Plaines, IL is seeking a Brokerage Specialist - Partial Truckload to optimize PTL planning, procurement, and execution by connecting shipper demand with carrier capacity.

You will maximize trailer utilization and margins, collaborating with Customer Sales, Carrier Sales, and Operations to align opportunities with capacity strategies and network priorities for service excellence and efficient freight movement.

Qualifications

• Education: HS diploma or GED required; degree preferred from an accredited college or university.
• 2+ years in carrier sales, freight brokerage, dispatch, or logistics operations.
• Strong understanding of LTL, PTL, and FTL operations.
• Experience using TMS and load tracking tools; McLeod preferred.
• Strong communication and relationship management with attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Identify, plan, and execute PTL opportunities to maximize trailer utilization.
• Design and manage multi-stop and multi-pick routes for service and cost targets.
• Balance customer service with margin optimization and cost control.
• Develop and maintain relationships with partial truckload carriers.
• Understand carrier capabilities and lanes to align capacity with demand.
• Serve as primary contact for carriers; manage communications and issues.
• Negotiate competitive carrier rates based on market conditions.
• Secure capacity in stable and constrained markets.
• Collaborate with Sales, Carrier Sales, and Operations to align opportunities with capacity strategies.
• Identify and incorporate brokerage freight into shipments.
• Communicate load requirements to carriers and internal teams.
• Monitor shipments from pickup to delivery and resolve delays.
• Maintain updates in TMS and tracking platforms.
• Analyze performance metrics and identify improvements.
• Collaborate on process improvements and network optimization.
• All other duties as assigned.

Skills

Carrier Sales

Negotiation

Relationship management

Communication

Problem solving

Attention to detail

Multitasking

Load planning

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Undergraduate degree in Supply Chain/Logistics/Business

Tools

McLeod TMS

Microsoft Office 365

Job description

Forward Air Corp. in Des Plaines, IL is seeking a Brokerage Specialist - Partial Truckload to optimize PTL planning, procurement, and execution by connecting shipper demand with carrier capacity.

You will maximize trailer utilization and margins, collaborating with Customer Sales, Carrier Sales, and Operations to align opportunities with capacity strategies and network priorities for service excellence and efficient freight movement.