Strategic Capacity Brokerage Specialist - Flatbed

Forward; Des Plaines (IL); On-site; USD 80,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) retirement plan with employer-m

Paid time off

Job summary

Forward Air Corp. seeks a Strategic Capacity Brokerage Specialist (Flatbed) in Des Plaines, IL. You will build and manage a strategic network of flatbed and high-value carriers, source specialized capacity, and negotiate rates to support our specialized freight growth.

You will own carrier relationships, ensure secure execution, and collaborate across Brokerage to deliver reliable, complex transportation solutions. This is an on-site, full-time role with growth opportunities.

Qualifications

• Education: High School Diploma or GED required; Undergraduate degree preferred.
• 5+ years of direct freight brokerage and truckload experience required.
• Specialized freight experience with flatbed/open-deck or high-value shipments preferred.
• Strong negotiation, pricing, and carrier relationship-building skills.
• Rigorous risk awareness and ability to address complex capacity challenges.

Responsibilities

• Build Strategic Carrier Networks with flatbed, step deck, and high-value transportation carriers.
• Source specialized capacity using internal tools, market data, and direct outreach.
• Negotiate spot and contractual rates while balancing service and margins.
• Coordinate capacity for high-value shipments with qualification and secure execution.
• Match freight with equipment, considering dimensions, weight, and security requirements.
• Oversee the load lifecycle from booking to delivery and address service exceptions.
• Develop long-term carrier partnerships and repeatable capacity for key customers.
• Collaborate with Customer Account Managers, Tracking, and leadership on capacity strategies.
• All other duties as assigned.

Skills

Carrier sales

Specialized freight

Negotiation

Risk awareness

Market agility

Ownership & accountability

Team mentality

Strategic thinking

Persuasive communication

Problem solving

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Undergraduate degree preferred

Tools

Transportation Management Systems

McLeod

AS400

World-trak

SMC3

MS Office (Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint)

Job description

Strategic Capacity Brokerage Specialist - Flatbed

Des Plaines, IL, United States

Job Info

• Job Identification 42375


• Job Schedule Full time


• Locations 150 FAIRWAY DRVE, Vernon Hills, IL, 60061, US


• Job Category Operations: Individual Contributors


• Job Category Logistics and Transportation


• Job Function Brokerage

Job Description

Compensation: 80,000-90,000

The Strategic Capacity Brokerage Specialist plays a critical role in supporting the organization’s specialized brokerage growth by developing reliable capacity solutions for flatbed, open-deck, high-value, and complex freight. This specialized role is responsible for building and managing a strategic network of qualified carriers, sourcing the right equipment for challenging shipments, negotiating competitive rates, and coordinating execution from initial capacity sourcing through final delivery. They have direct ownership of carrier relationships and capacity strategy to deliver reliable solutions for the most demanding freight opportunities.

What Success Looks Like:

• Comfortably combining expertise in carrier sales, specialized freight expertise, negotiation, risk awareness, and operational execution.


• Going beyond finding a truck for a load. Building a dependable capacity network that allows the organization to confidently pursue and execute specialized freight.


• Developing strong carrier partnerships, understanding the nuances of flatbed and high-value transportation, securing competitive capacity, protecting service expectations, and becoming a trusted resource for complex opportunities.

Responsibilities:

• Build Strategic Carrier Networks: Develop and maintain strong relationships with carriers specializing in flatbed, step deck, specialized/open-deck, and high-value transportation. Understand carrier equipment, preferred lanes, capabilities, service expectations, and capacity.


• Source Specialized Capacity: Proactively identify, qualify, and develop new carrier partners capable of handling specialized and high-value shipments. Utilize internal tools, industry databases, market intelligence, and direct carrier outreach to secure dependable capacity.


• Negotiate & Secure Capacity: Evaluate market conditions and shipment requirements to negotiate competitive spot and contractual rates while balancing service, carrier quality, customer requirements, and margin performance.


• Support High-Value Freight: Coordinate capacity for high-value and sensitive shipments with heightened attention to carrier qualification, shipment requirements, secure execution, and customer expectations.


• Manage Flatbed & Open-Deck Requirements: Match freight with appropriate equipment while considering shipment dimensions, weight, securement requirements, tarp requirements, permits, escorts, and other specialized transportation needs when applicable.


• Manage the Load Lifecycle: Coordinate carrier booking, dispatch, pickup, transit, and delivery while partnering with tracking and operational teams to quickly address service exceptions.


• Solve Complex Capacity Challenges: Respond quickly to capacity disruptions, changing market conditions, equipment constraints, and last-minute shipment requirements to develop practical transportation solutions.


• Drive Carrier Performance & Relationships: Build long‑term partnerships with strategic carriers by providing consistent opportunities, clear communication, and professional issue resolution.


• Collaborate Across Brokerage: Partner closely with Customer Account Managers, Carrier Sales, Tracking Specialists, and leadership to develop capacity strategies that support customer growth and service expectations.


• All other duties as assigned to meet evolving business needs.
  

Qualifications:

• Education: High School Diploma or GED equivalent required; Undergraduate degree preferred.


• Experience: Five (5)+ years of direct experience in freight brokerage and truckload transportation required.


• Specialized Freight Experience: Direct experience working with high-value, specialized, or operationally complex freight (flatbed, open-deck, etc.) preferred.


• Negotiation & Sales Ability: Confident building carrier relationships, managing pricing conversations, and securing capacity in competitive markets.


• Persuasive Communication: Strong phone and relationship-building skills with the confidence to prospect new carriers and strengthen existing partnerships.


• Risk Awareness: Ability to recognize when a shipment requires additional carrier qualification, security considerations, equipment validation, or planning.


• Market Agility: Comfortable making quick, data-informed decisions based on changing capacity, rates, equipment availability, and customer requirements.


• Ownership & Accountability: Takes responsibility for freight from capacity sourcing through successful execution and proactively addresses potential problems.


• Team Mentality: Works effectively across carrier sales, customer management, tracking, operations, and leadership to deliver solutions.


• Strategic Thinking: Looks beyond an individual booking to develop repeatable capacity for key customers, lanes, equipment types, and specialized opportunities.


• 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.), Transportation Management Systems and related Freight operations platforms (e.g., McLeod, AS400, World-trak, SMC3, 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.

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#LI -Onsite

#LI-DR1

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 .