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 Tyne and Wear
Located in the north-east of England, Tyne and Wear is a county named after the two local rivers that flow into the North Sea. It is bordered by County Durham and Northumberland.
Tyne and Wear comprises a number of metropolitan boroughs: North and South Tyneside, Gateshead, Sunderland and Newcastle upon Tyne - all of which offer a range of options for those seeking Head of Freight positions.
During the Industrial Revolution, the region rose to prominence, with coal mining, shipbuilding and heavy industry all bringing wealth to the area. Flint glass was also produced here and a number of products were developed in the area, including safety lamps, self-raising flour, Joseph Swan's electric lightbulbs and the steam turbine.
These days, Tyne and Wear supports a number of business sectors, ranging from manufacturing and engineering through to services, retail and finance.
Just some of the many companies located in Tyne and Wear include Be-Ro Flour, the Go-Ahead Group, Greggs the baker, BAE Systems, Orange, T-Mobile, Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK, Npower, EDF Energy and Ubisoft.
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