Transportation Operations Manager

Christensen Farms; Sleepy Eye (MN); On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental coverage

Vision coverage

FSA

Life insurance

401(k) plan

Paid holidays

Paid time off

Job summary

Christensen Farms in Sleepy Eye, MN seeks a Transportation Operations Manager to lead logistics for live animal movements and feed deliveries, developing carrier relationships and overseeing contracts to meet safety, capacity, and cost goals. You will manage driver and equipment capacity, ensure DOT/FMCSA, USDA, and TQA compliance, and drive performance through a comprehensive carrier scorecard.

A senior, strategic operations leader who can optimize network efficiency will thrive here.

Qualifications

• Associates degree preferred.
• 5–10 years of relevant transportation experience.
• Strong vendor relationships and negotiation skills.
• Deep knowledge of DOT/FMCSA, USDA, and TQA regulations.
• Strategic mindset with hands-on operations leadership.

Responsibilities

• Manage transportation budget, contracts, insurance, rate negotiations, and capacity.
• Plan driver and equipment capacity to meet demand while ensuring compliance.
• Track carrier performance with a scorecard on safety, welfare, schedule, billing, and compliance.
• Maintain carrier relationships through regular reviews and updates on regulations.
• Resolve service issues promptly and coordinate with stakeholders.
• Foster collaboration among carriers to improve efficiency.

Skills

Regulatory compliance

Vendor relationship management

Strategic transportation planning

Performance management

Education

Associate degree

Job description

Position Overview:

The Transportation Operations Manager plays a leadership role to ensure optimal performance of logistical needs for live animal movements and feed deliveries across the organization. This position is responsible for developing and leveraging best-in-class carrier relationship management practices. The Transportation Operations Manager will also manage Transportation contract carriers to ensure proper levels of safety, capability, capacity, and competitive cost are met to maintain current and future needs for the company.

What You Will Do:

• Manage transportation infrastructure and budget to support business needs, including contracts, insurance, rate negotiations, and driver/truck capacity. Ensure regulatory compliance with DOT/FMCSA, USDA, and TQA standards.


• Plan and maintain driver and equipment capacity to meet current and future demand, with a focus on balanced network distribution, regulatory compliance, and alignment with safety, animal welfare, and biosecurity standards.


• Oversee carrier performance through a comprehensive scorecard, tracking safety, animal welfare, biosecurity, schedule adherence, billing accuracy, and regulatory compliance.


• Maintain strong carrier relationships by conducting regular performance reviews and sharing relevant updates on industry regulations, equipment, and company expectations.


• Resolve carrier service issues promptly, ensuring all parties are involved in the resolution process and standards are upheld.


• Promote collaboration among carriers to drive consistent performance and improve operational efficiency.

What You Offer Us:

• Associates degree is preferred.


• Minimum of 5-10 years of prior job experience required.


• Proven ability to build strong vendor relationships, leading with confidence and a passion for achieving expectational results aligned with business goals.


• Strong organizational and administrative skills, with the ability to multi-task, solve problems efficiently, and consistently meet deadlines in a dynamic environment.


• Deep expertise in transportation regulations, including DOT/FMCSA, USDA, and TQA, ensuring full regulatory compliance and operational integrity.


• A strategic mindset and hands-on experience as a transportation operations expert, with a focus on enhancing capacity, reducing costs, and improving maintenance efficiency across the fleet.

What We Offer You:

• We offer a comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, vision, a flexible spending account (FSA), life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, a 401(k) plan, paid holidays, paid time off bank, an employee assistance program (EAP), and more.


• Be an active part of an organization that gives back to the community in many ways including feed programs that support local farms, food shelf programs, food support for veterans, agriculture education and promotion, FFA/4H support, charitable contributions, etc.


• A company that has a passionate purpose for food safety, animal welfare, and for living its core values every day respect, integrity, excellence, adaptability, and innovation.


• A culture that fosters employee growth, promotion from within, and a highly team-oriented workplace environment.


• The targeted base pay range for this role is $100,000 to $130,000 with this range reflecting differences in candidate knowledge, skills, and experience.

Reports To:

Director of Logistics

Christensen Farms promotes a culture of inclusion and strives to attract a diverse set of candidates for each of our open positions. We are an equal employment opportunity employer and proud to offer employment and growth opportunities to all candidates without regard to race, color, ancestry, religion, gender, national origin, pregnancy, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, or veteran status.