Position Summary
Riverstone Logistics is a technology-enabled 3PL that moves big and bulky freight across a large North American network, with a Middle Mile operation that feeds our Final Mile delivery network. The Carrier Operations Manager owns and manages RLX's active Middle Mile carrier base.
This role will build out and manage a portfolio of carriers providing two aspects of service in support of our strategic objectives. The first is our network of LTL carriers; the second is our contract full truckload (FTL) carriers providing multi-stop deliveries. This is an opportunity to help shape the future of our carrier network from an early point of development - an opportunity to leverage your creativity and experience being on the ground floor.
The goal of this role is to make RLX the 3PL of Choice among Middle Mile carriers. You get there by managing carrier performance and relationships, negotiating and governing rates, and resolving the day-to-day operational issues, from billing to claims to service exceptions, that would otherwise cost RLX capacity and margin.
What This Role Owns
LTL Carrier Management
- Own the relationships with RLX's regional and national LTL carriers, and serve as the primary point of contact for each account once active.
- Manage LTL carrier pricing programs, including negotiated rate agreements, tariff base rates and discounts, freight class (NMFC), fuel surcharges, and accessorial terms.
- Monitor LTL service performance through carrier scorecards and business reviews, tracking on-time pickup and delivery, missed pickups, billing accuracy, and claims and exceptions.
- Own LTL freight claims and accounts receivable disputes, driving fair and timely resolution.
- Manage high-volume day-to-day LTL execution, resolving service exceptions and coverage gaps quickly.
Multi-Stop Full Truck Load Carrier Management
- Own the relationships with RLX's contract carriers who move non-traditional full truckload (FTL) freight by nature of multi-stop delivery.
- Negotiate and govern contracted lane rates and committed capacity across new lanes, new business, and active lanes, including RFPs, mini-bids, and routing guide placement.
- Manage FTL carrier performance against committed service levels, including tender acceptance, on-time performance, and equipment availability.
- Support dedicated and contracted freight programs, coordinating committed capacity, including drop trailer and power-only where applicable, to keep lanes covered.
- Resolve FTL billing questions, claims, and disputes tied to carrier moves.
Daily Operations and Coordination
- Stay close to daily execution across both portfolios. Monitor active lanes, get ahead of coverage risk, and keep freight moving.
- Coordinate with the Account Manager so carrier decisions and customer commitments stay aligned.
- Escalate to leadership and Compliance as needed.
Process and Scale
- Turn recurring issues into documented process, SOPs, and carrier scorecards that scale across the full network, not just one lane or region.
- Feed insight back to Capacity Solutions on where the network needs deeper LTL or FTL capacity.
What This Role Is Not
- Not customer-facing or client-facing. The customer relationship is owned by the Account Manager.
- Not a sourcing or recruiting role. New carrier sourcing and vetting is owned by Capacity Solutions. This role takes over once a carrier is active.
Qualifications
- Working knowledge of both LTL and FTL Middle Mile freight and how large national carrier relationships operate.
- Experience managing carrier relationships and carrier performance in a 3PL, brokerage, or asset-based environment.
- Experience with dedicated and contracted freight programs.
- Strong rate and contract negotiation skills, with the ability to resolve operational issues under time pressure.
- Familiarity with a transportation management system, and market rate tools.
- Strong communication, relationship management, and organizational skills across a large active carrier base.
Preferred Experience:
- Prior experience managing national LTL carrier pricing programs.
- Working knowledge of LTL pricing structures (tariffs, freight class and NMFC, accessorials).
- Working knowledge of FTL lane and RFP pricing.
- Working awareness of DOT and FMCSA requirements as they affect carrier relationships.
What Success Looks Like:
- Both our national LTL carriers and our contract (FTL) carriers perform to committed service levels and choose to keep contracting with RLX as their 3PL of Choice.
- Carrier performance metrics move the right way, including on-time delivery, tender acceptance, and claims resolution.
- LTL pricing and FTL lane rates hold margin without losing capacity.
- Day-to-day billing, claims, and service exceptions achieve established thresholds.
