Ocean Freight Transportation Manager

Job Description:

The Impact You’ll Make in this Role

As the EMEA Ocean Freight Transportation Manager, you will be responsible for leading ocean transportation operations, carrier performance management, network optimization, and strategic freight governance across the EMEA region. This role drives the execution of regional and global ocean transportation strategies, ensures operational excellence for inbound and outbound shipments, and delivers continuous improvements in service, cost, and compliance performance. 

Here, you will make an impact by:

Ocean Transportation Operations

• Lead end-to-end Ocean Transportation execution across EMEA.
• Manage transportation escalations, urgent deliveries, and carrier release issues.
• Ensure routing guide compliance and provide transportation guidance to regional and global stakeholders.
• Support deployment and operational stabilization of strategic transportation initiatives, including Ocean RFQs and RFPs.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on cost reduction, service reliability, and operational efficiency.

Carrier Performance & Governance

• Lead carrier performance reviews and governance programs.
• Establish and manage carrier scorecards, SLAs, and service expectations.
• Drive root cause analysis and corrective actions for underperforming carriers and lanes.
• Partner with Sourcing on carrier strategy, rate negotiations, and service optimization.

Performance Improvement & Analytics

• Improve Ocean Transit-on-Time (ToT) performance.
• Reduce end-to-end lead times through port and inland dwell optimization.
• Reduce demurrage and detention costs through proactive monitoring and corrective actions.
• Develop and maintain KPI dashboards to provide visibility, accountability, and actionable insights across the EMEA Ocean network.
• Translating regulatory requirements into clear, practical guidance and learning content, while promoting a strong culture of compliance through communications, awareness campaigns, and stakeholder engagement.

Your Skills and Expertise 

To set you up for success in this role from day one, 3M is looking for candidates who meet following minimum requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Business, Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Significant experience in transportation, logistics, supply chain, or ocean freight operations.
• Proven experience managing carriers, transportation performance, and regional logistics programs.
• Experience supporting sourcing activities, transportation bids, and carrier negotiations.

Additional knowledge / nice-to-have skills / preferred qualifications that could help you succeed even further in this role include:

• Ocean Freight Transportation Management
• Carrier Relationship & Performance Management
• Supply Chain and Logistics Operations
• Strategic Sourcing Collaboration
• Transportation Analytics & KPI Management
• Continuous Improvement & Root Cause Analysis
• Project & Change Management
• Stakeholder Management and Executive Communication
• Problem Solving and Escalation Management

Job specifics:

• Work location: Langenthal, Switzerland
• Travel: May include up to 30% travel across EMEA.

Does this opportunity and our innovative 3M culture align with your career aspirations? If so, we encourage you to apply and embark on a journey of creativity and growth with us.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Resources for You

• For more details on what happens before, during and after the interview process, check out the Insights for Candidates page at 3M.com/careers.If you have further questions please reach out to Max (our AI Virtual Assistant) via our Career Page.Max will be also your primary contact for interview scheduling if you are selected for that stage: please be prepared to interact with her.

Learn more about 3M’s creative solutions to the world’s problems at www.3M.com or on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @3M.Safety is a core value at 3M. All employees are expected to contribute to a strong Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) culture by following safety policies, identifying hazards, and engaging in continuous improvement.At 3M, we believe diversity & inclusion are essential to innovation. We seek and value differences in people! This Job ad is addressed to all potential candidates. As an equal opportunity employer 3M will not discriminate against any applicant for employment on the basis of race/ethnicity, nationality, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy/maternity-related matters, age or disability, or any other relevant characteristic protected under applicable local law.

Please note: your application may not be considered if you do not provide your education and work history, either by: 1) uploading a resume, or 2) entering the information into the application fields directly.

3M Global Terms of Use and Privacy Statement

Carefully read these Terms of Use before using this website. Your access to and use of this website and application for a job at 3M are conditioned on your acceptance and compliance with these terms.

Please click on the following links and select the country where you are applying for employment to review the applicable Terms of Use (link here) and Privacy Policy (link here). Before submitting your application, you will be asked to confirm your agreement with the terms.