Senior Director, First & Middle Mile Transportation

Cardinal Health, Inc.; United States; Remote; USD 107,000 - 191,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus eligible

Job summary

Cardinal Health, Inc. is seeking a Director of Transportation – First/Middle Mile to lead U.S. transportation operations across manufacturing sites, cross docks, and replenishment centers.

You will manage a ~20-person team and a $200M budget to drive cost efficiency, service excellence, and on-time performance. You will shape the network strategy with cross-functional partners, oversee procurement and carrier relations, and implement TMS and routing optimizations to continually improve delivery

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business Administration, or a related field preferred.
• 12+ years of progressive experience in transportation and logistics, with at least 5 years in a leadership role overseeing transportation operations in a multi-site environment preferred.
• Proven track record of managing large transportation budgets (e.g., $100M+) and delivering on cost-saving and performance improvement targets.
• Demonstrated expertise in carrier management, contract negotiation, and relationship building.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to evaluate performance metrics, analyze data, and implement continuous improvements.
• Experience with route optimization technologies and transportation management systems (TMS).
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively across all levels of an organization and with external partners.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for all U.S. first and middle mile transportation operations across manufacturing sites, cross docks, and replenishment centers.
• Lead, develop, and mentor a high-performing team of approximately 20 transportation professionals.
• Own and manage a transportation budget of approximately $200M, driving cost efficiency, service excellence, and on-time performance.
• Drive transportation network optimization initiatives focused on routing efficiency, capacity planning, service improvements, and cost-to-serve reduction.
• Ensure transportation excellence and consistency across the national distribution and manufacturing network.
• Lead transportation procurement activities, including carrier sourcing, RFPs, contract negotiations, and vendor management.
• Manage relationships with 100+ commercial carrier partners, ensuring strong performance, compliance, and continuous improvement.
• Partner with Distribution, Inventory, Commercial, Marketing, Systems, and Network Design teams to optimize network flow and transportation strategy.
• Establish and enforce transportation policies, governance standards, and operational best practices.
• Oversee customer onboarding, network transitions, and carrier integration initiatives.
• Leverage transportation management systems (TMS), routing technologies, and analytics to improve network performance and decision-making.

Skills

Leadership

Budget management

Stakeholder management

Analytical skills

Negotiation

Communication

Strategic thinking

Change management

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management

Tools

TMS

Routing software

Analytics tools

Job description

Cardinal Health, Inc. is seeking a Director of Transportation – First/Middle Mile to lead U.S. transportation operations across manufacturing sites, cross docks, and replenishment centers.

You will manage a ~20-person team and a $200M budget to drive cost efficiency, service excellence, and on-time performance. You will shape the network strategy with cross-functional partners, oversee procurement and carrier relations, and implement TMS and routing optimizations to continually improve delivery