Logistics Planner

See yourself at Odyssey.

Join the team as our new Logistics Planner!

Who We Are & Why We’re Hiring

Odyssey Enterprise Managed Services a division of Odyssey Logistics, provides integrated transportation and logistics services and solutions that streamline processes, optimize logistics operations and reduce costs. We partner with customers to raise visibility and operational knowledge, creating strategies that drive performance and improve bottom-line results. Our logistics and supply chain expertise and experience can identify opportunities and challenge the status quo, enabling customers to redefine operating procedures and business rules, that yield results across assets, inventory and resources, and create lean and competitive business processes. Using unparalleled analytical skills with robust and granular data, Odyssey-designed solutions consider opportunities and details that may have been previously overlooked, driving year-over-year accretive results.

Based in vibrant Charlotte, NC Odyssey is on a journey to constantly innovate logistics. We’re actively recruiting for this key, high profile role in the company because we have experienced tremendous growth and would love for you to join us!

Visit us at: www.OdysseyLogistics.com/careers

About the Job:

The Logistics Planner serves as the front line for customer load planning. This position will coordinate all orders to ship with the appropriate carrier base and at the least total delivered cost. This position is expected to demonstrate a continuous move mentality on all routings whenever possible to optimize the value proposition received from Odyssey by the customer and carrier. The Planner will concentrate on planning for maximum productivity and profitability by utilizing Logistics Support Specialists to assist with the administrative functionality required for shipments, including placement of orders, follow up, trouble shooting, scheduling appointments, and maintaining quality controls and metrics. The Logistics Planner is expected to be proactive rather than reactive to orders pending, thereby increasing Company profits through more effective carrier routings by way of using available carrier system capacity over origin-based units.

In This Role, You Will:

• Obtain accurate and complete load information from customers for order processing and ensure that all load templates have current requirements.
•  Solicit business referrals and contact information to generate new customer accounts and new business from existing customers.
• Prioritize spot requests for overflow coverage and emergency shipments to enhance the company’s position as a supplier, with the customer specifically and the market in general.
• Negotiate the best rate for services while meeting Company profit margin goals.
• Recognize that the carriers are critical to the company’s operation and foster and nurture a partner-like relationship during all negotiations with the carriers.
• Monitor customer order volumes and trends, initiating calls to customer and notifying management when routine order trends are interrupted or declining.
• Alert customers to additional charges and secure documented acknowledgement of these charges.
• Nurture continuous move mentality within carrier base to capture capacity and maximize service and value offerings to the company’s client base.
• Grow customer base through phone sales by understanding that growth from existing clientele is the optimum way to increase sales. The Logistics Planner will immediately forward prospects to the Operations Manager to enable rapid follow-up on the opportunity.
• Ensure carrier and customer database information is communicated to systems support staff for accurate data management.
• Process all orders in the TMS program.
• Cultivate customers by demonstrating cordiality and responsiveness to customer needs to assist in obtaining repeat orders and growing the account.
• Advise Logistics Support Specialists of non-conformances for documentation. Keep all Non-Conformance Reports current and timely.
• Use software tools for follow up reminders and minimize potential for human error.
• Obtain carrier pricing as needed for potential business.
• Learn the carrier base serving North America for the most cost-effective lane routing. Review all open orders combining all brokers to find and recommend carriers available to enable coverage of these orders.
• Carry after hours cell phone.
• Directly assist in reconciling billing issues.
• Assist Operations Manager with special projects as may be required.
• Stay current with changes and/or mergers of motor carrier base and understand how that may affect Company operations.

Qualifications:

We recognize not all applicants have every skill or qualification to match a job description exactly. Odyssey values diverse experiences in other industries, and we encourage everyone who meets most of the required qualifications to apply. While having “desired” qualifications make for a strong candidate, we encourage applicants with alternative experiences to also apply. We are always looking for people who will bring something new to the table.

Required:

• High School diploma required. Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• A minimum of three years of transportation experience is desired, especially in bulk truck operations.
• Professional telephone demeanor.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Exceptional knowledge of products handled, specialized equipment and carrier base used.
• Proficient in the Hours of Service (“HOS”) guidelines for efficient load planning.
• Ability to work in a team environment and share daily workload to find synergies between shipments handled among all the Logistics Planners.
• High level of proficiency in using office equipment and in Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office products including Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint. A working familiarity with Data Base applications and Transportation Management Systems is required.

Location:

This is an in-office role with a hybrid schedule in Charlotte, NC.

We offer a generous compensation and benefits package including:

• Choice of medical plans with FSA, HRA and HSA options
• Company-paid dental and life/disability Plans
• 401K with company match
• Preferred vendor discounts
• Competitive Paid Time Off