Strategic Capacity Brokerage Specialist - Flatbed

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

Job summary

Forward Air Corporation is seeking a Strategic Capacity Brokerage Specialist to build and manage a network of qualified carriers for flatbed and high-value freight. The role focuses on sourcing specialized capacity, negotiating rates, and coordinating end-to-end execution for demanding shipments.

The candidate will own carrier relationships, evaluate market conditions, and drive capacity strategies across lanes while ensuring service expectations and margins are maintained.

Qualifications

• Five (5)+ years of direct experience in freight brokerage and truckload transportation.
• Direct experience with high-value, specialized, or operationally complex freight preferred.
• Strong negotiation and sales ability to secure capacity in competitive markets.
• Persuasive communication and relationship-building skills to prospect new carriers and strengthen partnerships.
• Market awareness and ability to adapt to capacity, rate changes, and equipment availability.

Responsibilities

• Build strategic carrier networks with flatbed, specialized/open-deck and high-value transportation expertise.
• Source specialized capacity using internal tools, industry data, and direct carrier outreach.
• Negotiate competitive spot and contractual rates balancing service, carrier quality, customer requirements, and margins.
• Coordinate capacity for high-value shipments with carrier qualification and secure execution.
• Match freight with appropriate equipment considering dimensions, securement, permits, and special requirements.
• Coordinate carrier booking, dispatch, pickup, transit, and delivery with tracking/ops teams.
• Address capacity disruptions and last-minute shipment needs with practical transportation solutions.
• Develop long-term carrier partnerships and maintain clear communication and issue resolution.
• Collaborate with Customer Account Managers, Carrier Sales, and leadership to align capacity strategies with customer growth.

Skills

Negotiation

Sales experience

Carrier sales

Risk management

Analytical thinking

Relationship building

Strategic thinking

Team collaboration

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Undergraduate degree preferred

Tools

MS Office

TMS McLeod

AS400

World-trak

SMC3

Job description

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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-Onsite