Vice President - North America Surface Transportation Commercial Region

C.H. Robinson; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 200,000 - 350,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a leading logistics company as a Vice President for North America Surface Transportation. You will drive customer growth, operational excellence, and lead commercial performance across a vital region. This role demands extensive leadership experience and strategic vision to ensure success in a competitive marketplace.

Benefits

Medical plans

401(k) with company matching

Paid time off (PTO)

Flexible Spending Accounts

Health Savings Account

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in commercial leadership, logistics, or supply chain required.
• 8+ years of direct people leadership experience in driving business growth.
• Strong background in P&L responsibility and strategy deployment.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement regional strategies aligned with enterprise objectives.
• Optimize performance and drive profitability through operational excellence.
• Lead cross-functional teams and ensure alignment for commercial success.

Skills

Commercial leadership

Surface transportation

Logistics

Supply chain

P&L management

Strategic planning

Leadership development

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree (preferred)

Job description

Join to apply for the Vice President - North America Surface Transportation Commercial Region role at C.H. Robinson

Join to apply for the Vice President - North America Surface Transportation Commercial Region role at C.H. Robinson

Get AI-powered advice on this job and more exclusive features.

Vice President - North America Surface Transportation Commercial Region

Primary Location: Chicago, IL United States of America

Job ID: R44830

Vice President - North America Surface Transportation Commercial Region

Primary Location: Chicago, IL United States of America

Secondary Location(s) : Eden Prairie, MN United States of America

C.H. Robinson, a global Fortune 250 Third Party Logistics company, is seeking a Vice President, North America Surface Transportation (NAST) Commercial Region. Reporting to the Vice President of Customer Success, this role is critical in delivering commercial performance for a multi-billion dollar division. As the VP, you will be responsible for driving customer growth, volume and market share expansion, as well as operational excellence across a defined geographic region. This includes full accountability for a regional portfolio and direct leadership of cross-functional teams spanning commercial operations, revenue management, regional execution, and vertical strategy.

You will be accountable for achieving regional goals tied to customer growth, retention, and financial performance, in support of NAST's broader commercial strategy. Critical to your success will be establishing a close partnership with other regional vice presidents and shared service partners (e.g., product, finance, and technology) to ensure alignment, consistency, and scalability of priorities across the NAST division.

At C.H. Robinson, we believe that in-person collaboration is key to driving innovation and achieving success. This is a fulltime onsite role fostering creativity and producing impactful results through face-to-face interactions.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The duties and responsibilities of this position consists of, but are not limited to, the following:

Strategic Leadership & Execution

• Develop and implement regional strategies aligned with enterprise objectives
• Lead NAST regional strategy in collaboration with commercial, product, and capacity teams
• Optimize performance across transactional and contractual business models using data-driven insights
• Oversee vertical performance to drive profitability, customer retention, and market differentiation
• Partner with VP peers and shared services to scale best practices and ensure consistency
  
  

Operational & Commercial Excellence

• Oversee pricing and margin strategies to drive profitability
• Lead commercial operations strategy, improving seller effectiveness and execution
• Ensure internal systems and playbooks support performance consistency and scalability
• Advance process improvements, enablement programs, and technology solutions
• Drive adoption of scalable operational solutions to enhance customer delivery
  
  

Financial Management

• Own regional P&L, including revenue growth, gross margin expansion, and cost management
• Ensure accurate forecasting and financial performance monitoring in partnership with Finance
• Identify cost-reduction opportunities and optimize resource allocation
• Provide financial insights to support profitability and strategic investments
• Align financial goals with enterprise priorities using data-driven metrics
  
  

Talent & People Leadership

• Lead senior-level leaders and provide coaching, development, and succession planning
• Cultivate a high-performing, inclusive culture focused on accountability and improvement
• Identify and develop emerging talent to strengthen leadership capabilities
• Ensure HR and enterprise alignment in engagement and retention strategies
• Guide change initiatives and communication strategies for employee adoption
  
  

Customer Experience & Growth Enablement

• Align teams and processes to deliver exceptional customer experiences
• Support retention and growth through collaboration on expansion strategies
• Ensure tools and technologies enable consistent, value-driven customer engagement
• Monitor customer health and feedback to drive innovation and continuous improvement
  
  

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with shared service teams to align tools, strategies, and priorities
• Collaborate with VP peers to standardize best practices and customer delivery
• Provide regional insights to shape scalable enterprise solutions
• Engage in planning forums and transformation efforts to address regional needs
• Foster transparency and collective ownership in decision-making
  
  

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
• Minimum 10 years of experience in commercial leadership, surface transportation, logistics, or supply chain
• Minimum 8 years of experience direct people leadership driving business growth
• Demonstrated experience leading P&L accountability and driving transformation
• Proven success in strategy deployment, pricing optimization, and commercial execution
• Ability to travel up to 25% (domestically and internationally)
  
  

Preferred:

• Master's degree from an accredited college or university
• Ability to collaborate across multiple shared services and internal teams
• Excellent formal and informal presentation skills; written and verbal
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills
• Strategic thinker with the ability to execute and deliver results in a fast-paced environment
• Develops and maintains an environment of continuous improvement
• Broad industry perspective and understanding of competitive threats and competitive positioning
• Deep understanding of CHR services, systems, network, and customer-facing value propositions
• Engagement in industry leadership positions and associations
• Demonstrates a strong sense of urgency & accountability
• Values a diverse and inclusive work environment
  
  

We will review applications for this role on an ongoing basis and encourage all interested candidates to apply at their earliest convenience.

Questioning if you meet the mark? Studies have shown that some individuals may be less likely to apply unless they match the job description exactly. Here at C.H. Robinson, we're building an inclusive workplace where all employees feel they belong. If this position excites you, we welcome you to apply whether you check all the preferred qualifications or just a few. You may just be our next great fit!

Equal Opportunity

C.H. Robinson is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to a workplace and performance culture that reflects the strengths of our worldwide marketplace. We value unique experiences and diverse backgrounds of our people within our company, our business relationships, and our communities. We're committed to providing an inclusive environment, free from harassment and discrimination, where all employees feel welcomed, valued and respected.

EOE//Disabled/Veteran

Benefits

Your Health, Wealth and Self

Your total wellbeing is the foundation of our business, and our benefits support your financial, family and personal goals. We provide the top-tier benefits that matter to you most, including:

• Two medical plans (including a High Deductible Health Plan)
• Prescription drug coverage
• Enhanced Fertility benefits
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Health Savings Account (including employer contribution)
• Dental and Vision
• Basic and Supplemental Life Insurance
• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability
• Paid and floating holidays
• Paid time off (PTO)
• Paid parental leave
• Paid time off to volunteer in your community
• Charitable Giving Match Program
• 401(k) with 6% company matching
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Plus a broad range of career development, networking, and team-building opportunities
  
  

Learn more about our benefit offerings on our BENEFITS & WELLBEING page.

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Executive

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Management and Manufacturing

• Industries

  Transportation, Logistics, Supply Chain and Storage and Truck Transportation

Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at C.H. Robinson by 2x

Sign in to set job alerts for “Vice President Transportation” roles.

AVP, Auto/Transportation Commercial Claims

Greater Chicago Area $166,900.00-$180,000.00 6 days ago

Chicago, IL $170,000.00-$190,000.00 16 hours ago

Chicago, IL $290,000.00-$350,000.00 2 weeks ago

Vice President, Freight Forwarding Operations - U.S.

Cicero, IL $193,200.00-$241,500.00 3 days ago

Chicago, IL $100,000.00-$155,000.00 4 weeks ago

Vice President, Operations - Data Integrity Group

Chicago, IL $125,000.00-$150,000.00 1 week ago

Commercial Claims Director, Auto/Transportation

Greater Chicago Area $145,700.00-$165,000.00 6 days ago

Downers Grove, IL $200,000.00-$220,000.00 1 week ago

Morton Grove, IL $120,000.00-$150,000.00 1 week ago

Director of Business Operations - Transportation

Evanston, IL $165,000.00-$185,000.00 1 week ago

Vice President, Contact Center Operations

Vice President, Clean Energy Deployment Operations

Chicago, IL $200,000.00-$230,000.00 2 weeks ago

Director of Business Development - North America

Downers Grove, IL $200,000.00-$230,000.00 2 weeks ago

Elk Grove Village, IL $80,000.00-$130,000.00 1 week ago

Lisle, IL $160,000.00-$190,000.00 1 week ago

We’re unlocking community knowledge in a new way. Experts add insights directly into each article, started with the help of AI.