Head of Freight
As logistics and supply operations grow bigger and travel further, it’s inevitable that they will also get more complex. And that’s when inefficiencies can start to creep in and the task can become overwhelmed with firefighting. That is, of course, unless there’s a good head of freight at the helm. Their job is to oversee the whole transport and logistics operation of a company, a region, a depot or a sector for a freight business.
Head of freight jobs come up regularly all over the world, and it’s no wonder why – a methodical, active philosophy to organising logistics, from the individual vehicle to the big strategic picture, keeps a logistics operation efficient and profitable. Look out for jobs called “Freight Forwarding Manager” or just “Freight Manager”, too, as they are usually similar roles, some of which are executive. In complex organisations the head of freight might well be overseeing a specific region, which can mean a county, a city, a country or a continent, depending on the nature of the business.
The skills required
The head of freight will have an excellent understanding of how supply chain interoperates, over sea, air, rail and road, and will understand how warehousing and fulfillment interact with last mile delivery and bulk logistics. Experience is key to filling this role at managerial level, so a proven track record in freight logistics is essential.
As head of freight, you’ll be occupying a position above the depot, driver and maintenance level, and possibly (but not necessarily) below board level, so you’ll need to be adept at communicating and understanding strategic instructions in both directions. You might be overseeing a small team of sub-managers, too, so high level managerial skills will come in handy.
Head of Freight Jobs in Kidderminster
With the huge conurbation of the Birmingham area four miles (7 km) of rural land away, Kidderminster is almost, but not quite, a part of it. With its next-door neighbour Stourport-on-Severn, however, it has an entirely different feel to it – definitely more of a town. The Worcestershire settlement is home to about 60,000 people is located 17 miles (27 km) to the south west of the centre of Birmingham, 14 miles (23 km) north or Worcester and 32 miles (50 km) south east of Shrewsbury. It has rail links to the north and south as well into Birmingham, and the M5 is 9 miles down the road.
Kidderminster’s most important single industry has traditionally been carpet making. The well known Brintons company set up in the town at the end of the eighteenth century, and to this day it has still not had the rug pulled from under its feet – it’s still a good local employer. Victoria Carpets is also based here, and again it is bucking the Industrial Revolution trend and staying in business. The town has a bustling town centre and a recently redeveloped shopping centre called Weaver’s Wharf, which is another key employer.
If you’re looking for Head of Freight work in Kidderminster, you could be in luck as it does still have something of an industrial base, even through the town itself is relatively comfortable – it’s also a handy commuter town for Birmingham and Worcester. The shopping centre and the good rail and road links also make it a likely place for logistics and supply chain operations to get started, so if you’re based in the town, do get in touch.
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Head of freight jobs at Cast UK
Head of freight is one of the commonest positions we fill at Cast UK, mainly because of our supply chain background and the relationships we have built up over the years in the industry.
If you’re at a business that’s looking for a head of freight right now, or you regularly need regional or sectoral heads of freight to oversee your supply chain operations, call 0333 121 3345 today so we can start filling your vacancies.
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