VP of Freight Forwarding & International Services
(CA, WA, SC, NC, MN, OH)
About Odyssey Logistics
Odyssey Logistics is a global logistics and supply chain partner helping businesses optimize performance through fully integrated, end-to-end solutions. We connect transportation, technology, and expertise across a broad network of services including 3PL and 4PL managed services, multimodal and intermodal transport, warehousing, trucking, Jones Act Ocean, and customs brokerage, ensuring goods move reliably, efficiently, and intelligently around the world.
Today, Odyssey supports more than 6,000 customers globally, delivering scalable, data driven solutions across complex supply chains. What started with a single client has grown into a dynamic, evolving organization focused on performance, precision, and long term partnership.
What Sets Us Apart:
Our work is complex, fast moving, and highly collaborative. Success here requires people who think strategically, operate with urgency, and navigate across functions to solve real business challenges. We value individuals who take ownership, challenge the status quo, and turn insight into action.
Our culture is grounded in five core values: Win Together, Innovate Boldly, Drive Results, Customer Centric, and Guide with Care. These are not just principles; they shape how we make decisions, partner with customers, and show up for each other.
At Odyssey, you are not just part of a company; you are part of building what comes next.
The Role:
- Work Model: Onsite
- Work Schedule: Monday – Friday, regular business hours
- Travel Requirements: Up to 50% travel, especially during the first year, to support branch operations, business transformation, and customer growth
- Salary Range: $220,000.00 - $250,000.00 annually
(Final offer will be based on experience, qualifications, geographic location, and internal equity)
- Bonus Eligible: Yes
- Supervisory Responsibilities: Yes, this role will lead multi-location teams
- Location: This is a U.S. based role. Preferred candidates will reside near an Odyssey footprint location, such as Fullerton/Los Angeles, CA; Fife/Seattle, WA; Charleston, SC; Saint Paul, MN; Columbus, OH; or Charlotte, NC.
- Reports to: Division President
Summary / Primary Role:
The Vice President of Freight Forwarding & International Services will lead the transformation and growth of Odyssey’s international freight forwarding organization, driving strategy, operational excellence, and scalable processes. This role is responsible for developing and executing freight forwarding strategies across import/export, ocean, air, customs brokerage, and cross-border trade, while evaluating and onboarding profitable clients to support strong commercial performance. The VP will oversee operations and customer service functions to ensure high-quality, compliant, and efficient service, rebuild and optimize processes from the ground up, and lead, inspire, and develop high-performing teams to deliver best-in-class results.
Rebuild & Reshape Operations
- Redesign and standardize all operational processes to deliver efficiency, scalability, and exceptional customer service.
- Build a best-in-class freight forwarding platform covering import, export, ocean, air, and customs brokerage services.
- Develop robust cross-border solutions (Mexico-USA) that differentiate Odyssey in the market.
- Drive operational excellence across all functions including vendor management, customs compliance, technology, and process improvement.
Lead Transformation and scale offshore operations
- Assess the current organization and reshape the team structure, roles, and capabilities to support growth and innovation.
- Drive cultural change to foster accountability, customer focus, and continuous improvement.
- Oversee Odyssey’s existing offshore teams, ensuring alignment with global operations and customer expectations.
- Expand offshore team headcount strategically to meet growing business demands, balancing cost efficiencies with service quality.
- Design and implement performance measurement frameworks to track offshore team productivity, accuracy, and contribution to business objectives.
- Drive training, integration, and cultural alignment to make offshore operations a seamless extension of the core organization.
Evaluation & Transform Systems
- Review Odyssey’s current freight forwarding operating system to assess its capabilities and fit for future growth.
- Lead the evaluation of alternative platforms, driving the selection of the best-in-class system to support operations, compliance, and customer needs.
- Serve as executive sponsor for any system migration, guiding vendor selection, contract negotiation, and overseeing successful implementation and adoption across all functions.
Accelerate Growth
- Partner with the commercial teams to aggressively pursue and close new business opportunities, including large, complex international accounts.
- Leverage personal industry relationships to open doors and grow Odyssey’s presence in key markets.
- Oversee customer onboarding and implementation, ensuring seamless transitions and high satisfaction.
Drive Financial & Commercial Discipline
- Own P&L responsibility, setting and achieving ambitious revenue and margin targets.
- Oversee pricing strategy, vendor tariffs, and procurement activities to ensure profitability and competitive advantage.
- Deliver accurate forecasting and budgeting, with a focus on long-term sustainable growth.
Build & Inspire High-Performing Teams
- Attract, develop, and mentor top operational talent.
- Create a culture of high performance, innovation, and operational discipline across all freight forwarding teams.
Ensure Compliance & Risk Management
- Guarantee adherence to all global trade regulations, customs laws, and company policies.
- Anticipate and mitigate operational and compliance risks in a fast-moving international environment.
Leadership
- Champions and fosters employee involvement, high collaboration and teamwork. Hands-on leadership; regularly engages with all employees. Upholds Odyssey Logistics culture and values.
- Ability to effect change and implement new ideas to support business operations.
- Demonstrated passion for customer service.
- Establishes and frequently reviews developmental action plans that promote growth for the individual and strengthens succession planning initiatives.
- Conducts performance evaluations and recommends promotion, wage increases and other performance related actions such as verbal and written counseling notices, discipline, and termination of employment.
- Strong leadership skills include a collaborative, decisive, and engaging leadership style. Build strong, trust-based, positive relationships with internal and external constituents.
- All other duties and projects assigned.
What You Bring:
- Bachelor’s degree required.
- 10+ years of experience in freight forwarding, international logistics, import/export operations, air and ocean freight, and customs brokerage.
- 7+ years of experience leading and developing operations teams, including multi-branch or multi-location operations.
- Strong hands-on experience leading import and export operations across ocean freight, air freight, customs brokerage, and cross-border trade, with ocean freight experience strongly preferred.
- Proven experience rebuilding, transforming, scaling, or optimizing freight forwarding operations, with the ability to operate in a hands-on, high-growth environment.
- Demonstrated success developing and securing new international freight business, not just managing existing accounts.
- Prior P&L management experience, ideally with responsibility for a sizable business unit, branch network, or regional operation.
- Ability to build strong customer relationships, improve operational performance, develop teams, and support profitable business growth.
- Working knowledge of key international and domestic regulatory programs and agencies, including TSA, C-TPAT, FMCSA, FMC, and IATA.
- Established industry relationships and a strong understanding of international logistics strategy, global trade flows, and freight forwarding market dynamics.
- Strong executive presence with the ability to lead confidently, communicate effectively, influence across teams, and drive change.
- Intermediate to advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Excel, and Word.
- Ability to travel as needed to support branch operations, business transformation, and customer growth.
No relocation allowance will be considered unless specifically addressed. All applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States.
Benefits:
We offer a comprehensive and competitive compensation and benefits package, including:
- A choice of medical plans with FSA and HSA options
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Company-paid Life and Disability Insurance
- 401(k) Plan with Company Match
- Paid Time Off (PTO) and Company Holidays
- Employee Assistance Program
- Company Health & Wellness Program
- Discounts with Preferred Vendors
At Odyssey, we believe the best ideas come from people with different skills, experiences, and perspectives. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and evaluate every candidate based on the qualifications needed for the role, while also valuing the unique strengths, curiosity, and fresh thinking each person brings. Our commitment to inclusion helps fuel innovation and enables us to deliver smarter, more creative solutions for our customers. We are proud to be a workplace where everyone is treated with respect, given equal opportunity to succeed, and encouraged to contribute in meaningful ways. All employment decisions are based on merit, without regard to race or ethnicity, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.
Odyssey does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth and pregnancy-related conditions), gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, military service and veteran status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws and ordinances.
Visit us at: www.OdysseyLogistics.com/careers
Odyssey does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth and pregnancy-related conditions), gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, military service and veteran status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws and ordinances.
