Senior Specialist, Transportation Systems

Job Summary

The Senior Transportation Analyst serves as a strategic partner to Transportation leadership by leveraging advanced analytics, financial modeling, and transportation data to drive operational excellence, cost optimization, and network performance improvements. This role leads the development of reporting, forecasting, and decision-support tools that provide actionable insights across the transportation organization. Working closely with Finance, Operations, Procurement, and Transportation teams, the Senior Transportation Analyst translates complex data into business recommendations that support strategic initiatives, improve service performance, and achieve organizational objectives. Additionally, the role fosters a customer-focused transportation environment through data-driven problem solving, continuous improvement, and proactive stakeholder engagement.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and implementation of innovative transportation analytics tools, dashboards, and reporting solutions that enhance visibility, improve decision-making, and drive network performance optimization. 
• Design, develop, and maintain complex data models, queries, and analytical reports that provide actionable insights to transportation leadership and cross-functional stakeholders, supporting strategic and operational decision-making.
• Responsible for reporting on the transportation budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis processes in partnership with Operations Finance. Develop accurate forecasts and variance analyses for freight spend across all transportation channels, including inbound, outbound, fuel, and transportation cost-reduction initiatives.
• Analyze transportation network performance through monthly, quarterly, and annual reviews of key financial, operational, and service-level metrics. Identify trends, root causes, risks, and opportunities, and lead the development of corrective action plans to improve network efficiency and service reliability.
• Present analytical findings, business insights, and strategic recommendations to leadership teams, translating complex data into clear business actions that support continuous improvement, cost optimization, and operational excellence. 
• Lead transportation procurement and sourcing analytics by conducting carrier rate analysis, market benchmarking, bid event support, and scenario modeling to strengthen negotiation strategies and maximize transportation savings opportunities. 
• Develop, track, validate, and report transportation cost savings and avoidance initiatives, ensuring financial impacts are accurately measured and aligned with organizational objectives. 
• Monitor transportation market conditions, economic indicators, fuel trends, and capacity forecasts to proactively identify risks and opportunities, providing strategic guidance on budget impacts and transportation network planning.
• Lead carrier performance management analytics by developing scorecards and performance dashboards that evaluate service, compliance, cost, tracking, and operational effectiveness. Partner with transportation managers and carriers to drive continuous improvement and accountability.
• Support transportation technology initiatives, including Transportation Management Systems (TMS), visibility platforms, and analytics tools, by identifying process improvements, defining business requirements, validating system performance, and driving user adoption.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for transportation analytics, mentoring analysts and supporting the development of best practices, reporting standards, and analytical capabilities across the transportation organization.
• Lead cross-functional projects focused on transportation optimization, network design, process automation, and operational efficiency, delivering measurable improvements in cost, service, and customer experience.

Required Education & Experience

Minimum Education Level: Bachelor's Degree

Specialized Degree: Transportation or ITS

Years of Experience: 5-7 Years

Field of Expertise: Transportation

Preferred Education & Experience

Minimum Education Level: Master's Degree

Specialized Degree: None

Licenses/Certificates: None

Years of Experience: 8-11 Years

Field of Expertise: None

Spans of Control

Does this role Manage Southwire Team Members: No

Travel

Travel: Domestic Up to 25%

Physical Requirements

Driving: 20%

Moving: 5%

Standing: 5%

Sitting: 70%

Working Conditions

Office

Equipment

Computer/Keyboard

Competencies

Skills