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 Nuneaton
The county of Warwickshire forms a kidney shape wrapping around the north, east and south of Birmingham, and up at its north-eastern edge is the town on Nuneaton. If the whole borough of Nuneaton and Bedworth is counted, its population of this mini conurbation is around 125,000, making it the most populous in Warwickshire (a county with no cities). Nuneaton is 9 miles (14 km) north of Coventry and 20 miles (32 km) east of Birmingham. It is well connected to the M6, M69 and A5 and, as any traveller from the North West to London will know, is a stop on the railway express route into and out of the capital.
The town was little more than a hamlet in the Middle Ages, but its population shot up during the 18th and 19th centuries as industrialisation reached the town. Nearby coal fields helped boost the population, although industrial Nuneaton became best known for its textiles, as well as brick-making, tile-making and brewing. During World War 2 the town was a prime target because it was the site of several munitions factories.
Nuneaton today does have a commercial sector but it is one of the main commuter towns for Birmingham, Coventry and Leicester. The town is the location of the headquarters of dried fruit and alternative medicine seller Holland and Barrett, and RS Components and Dairy Crest have national distribution centres at Bermuda Park, just outside the town. Many factors combine to make Nuneaton a promising place to look for Head of Freight work, so it’s always worth keeping an out on our pages or getting in touch for future vacancies.
Popular locations
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.
Are you an experienced head of freight? Please click the link below to register with us- from your profile you can set job alerts to send notifications when a new role goes live.
Contact us