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 Suffok
Sharing borders with Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex, Suffolk is a county in East Anglia that is situated on the coast of the North Sea.
Although Suffolk does not have any cities within its boundaries, anyone seeking Head of Freight roles in the area will have a number of options to choose from in the larger towns of Lowestoff, Felixstowe and Bury St Edmunds, as well as the county town of Ipswich.
Primarily an agricultural region, Suffolk grows a number of crops including rapeseed, wheat, barley, sugar beet, linseed, oats, rye and various vegetables.
The Port of Felixstowe processes around 35 per cent of the UK's container cargo, making it the largest port of its kind in the country, and one of the busiest in Europe. There's also a port at Ipswich; it is home to a number of shipbuilders and Fairline Yachts has a testing facility here.
Other major employers in Suffolk include Birds Eye, Greene King brewing, Bernard Matthews Farms and Huntley & Palmers. In addition, Premier Foods manufactures Branston Pickle in the region.
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.
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