Operations Manager - Americas Control Tower

The Opportunity

The Manager, Americas Control Tower leads the execution strategy for ocean and air freight operations across North and Latin America, based out of Flexport’s Guadalajara office. This role is responsible for driving operational excellence through consistent process execution, quality management, and standardization across regions, panning Ocean (FCL/LCL) and Air, and Flexport’s growing Control Tower product suite. The Operations Manager oversees the daily performance of their team’s workflows, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and adherence to service standards. A key focus of this role is developing scalable, repeatable processes that enhance efficiency and consistency across pre-departure tasks, while also overseeing select post-arrival functions owned by the Control Tower. This position works closely with regional Gateway, Carrier Performance Management, and Demand teams to identify performance gaps, implement best practices, and align stakeholders around a shared goal: delivering a seamless, best-in-class experience for our clients.

Responsibilities:

Team Leadership & Control Tower Development

• Build, lead, and develop a team of Gateway Operators within the Americas Control Tower, able to execute across both ocean and air modes
• Serve as the primary leadership presence for the Americas Control Tower from day one; act as the bridge between Control Tower operators and regional Gateway leadership teams
• Establish clear escalation protocols, communication rhythms, and performance standards between the Control Tower and its regional counterparts
• Lead weekend and after-hours coverage planning for accounts requiring extended support

Operational Performance

• Oversee exception management workflows: dwelling cargo, document discrepancies, milestone gaps, line holds, and carrier SLA resolution
• Ensure flexibility is maintained across ocean and air modes; gateway operators flex between modes based on volume and account needs
• Act as a client-facing escalation point for high-priority issues, partnering with Account Management and Demand to ensure client expectations are met and communicated clearly
• Partner with Americas ops leaders on outbound forecasting, terminal dwell, milestone accuracy, and timely carrier communication

Process, Standards & Scalability

• Develop and maintain SOPs for all Control Tower-managed functions; ensure consistent, repeatable, and compliant execution across modes and accounts
• Generate SLAs for the Control Tower team aligned with regional and company-wide goals

Stakeholder Partnership & Reporting

• Develop dashboards and reporting to measure team performance; support regional leadership in data-driven decisions on carrier strategy and account management
• Collaborate with Carrier Performance Management and Demand teams to surface insights from Control Tower-managed shipments
• Partner with product leaders to develop product strategy that supports Control Tower execution needs

Hiring & Team Growth

• Plan for headcount, hire, grow, and manage a high-performing team as scope expands
• Identify and develop team leads from within the operator cohort as the Control Tower matures

Experience Needed:

• BA/BS degree and/or 5+ years of experience in relevant freight forwarding, transportation, or supply chain roles
• 3+ years of people management experience in a relevant freight forwarding, transportation, or supply chain role required
• English and Spanish language fluency required, as the role requires professional-level Spanish for team leadership and shipper/carrier coordination
• In-depth knowledge of freight forwarding technology and platforms; experience partnering with product teams to deliver operational improvements
• Analytical, metrics-driven approach to problem solving; strong working knowledge of analytical tools (Looker, BI dashboards, AI, Google Suite/Microsoft Suite, etc.)
• Experience developing and enforcing SOPs in a high-volume operational environment
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills, including the confidence to represent Flexport directly to clients and carriers; ability to manage effectively across time zones and cultural contexts

Preferred Qualifications:

• Portuguese language proficiency
• Ability and willingness to travel to the US as needed

Worried about not having any freight forwarding experience?

• Don’t be! We’re building the first Operating System for Global Trade. That’s why it’s incredibly important for us to bring people from diverse backgrounds and experiences together with our industry veterans to help move the freight forwarding industry forward.
• What’s freight forwarding and why does it matter? Listen to Ryan, our CEO explain what freight forwarding is and why improving global trade can help to connect the world and break down economic barriers in this Fast Company Freethink Original Series video.
• We know this industry is complex. That’s why we invest in education starting day one with Flexport Academy, a one week intensive onboarding program designed specifically to set every new Flexport employee up for success.

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