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Operations Agent

Forward Air

Des Plaines, ILFull-time$65–70K/yrPosted 2mo agoSeen in employer's feed 3 days ago

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At a glance

Compensation
$65–70K/yr
Location
Des Plaines, IL
Schedule
Full-time
Work Authorization
Not specified

Job overview

Forward Air is hiring an Operations Agent. The Customer Relations Specialist/Operations Agent provides advanced customer service, operational coordination, and administrative oversight for complex shipment activity. This role manages escalated customer needs, oversees end-to-end shipment coordination, and resolves service issues to improve operational outcomes. Responsibilities include scheduling, shipment tracking, documentation accuracy, and core financial processes like billing and accounts receivable. The agent identifies risks, recommends solutions, and ensures service commitments are met by collaborating with various stakeholders.

Key focus areas include Serve as a senior point of contact for complex or escalated service inquiries., Oversee and coordinate shipment activity from order entry through delivery., and Exercise independent judgment to resolve shipment exceptions, delays, and documentation issues..

Successful candidates bring High School Diploma Or GED Equivalent, Progressive Experience In Customer Relations, Logistics, Transportation, Or Operational Support Roles, and Comfort Commuting To/From And Working In A 100% On-Site Setting. Important skills include Customer Service, Operational Coordination, Administrative Oversight, Shipment Coordination, Service Issue Resolution, and Scheduling.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

Customer ServiceOperational CoordinationAdministrative OversightShipment CoordinationService Issue ResolutionSchedulingShipment Tracking and TracingDocumentation AccuracyBillingAccounts ReceivableAccounts Payable SupportRisk IdentificationSolution RecommendationIndependent JudgmentShipping Documentation ReviewAir WaybillsBills of LadingLabelsProof of DeliveryCoachingFinancial DocumentationDiscrepancy AnalysisCollaborationProcess Efficiency ImprovementProcess Gap IdentificationWindows PCsMicrosoft O365OutlookMicrosoft WordExcelPowerPointWeb ConferencingMicrosoft TeamsZoomWebexSound JudgmentDiscretionOrganizational SkillsAnalytical SkillsProblem-Solving SkillsManaging Competing PrioritiesCommunicationInfluenceWorking in Fast-Paced EnvironmentTeam-OrientedMinimal SupervisionConfidentiality

Qualifications

High School Diploma or GED EquivalentProgressive Experience in Customer Relations, Logistics, Transportation, or Operational Support RolesComfort Commuting to/From and Working in a 100% on-Site SettingUndergraduate Degree From an Accredited College or University

Full job description

Pay Rate: $65k - $70k per year

Schedule Mon - Fri 7am - 4pm (subject to change)

The Customer Relations Specialist/Operations Agent provides advanced customer service, operational coordination, and administrative oversight to support complex shipment activity within a multimodal transportation terminal, air/ocean branch, or contract logistics site. Serving as a senior point of contact, they manage escalated customer needs, oversee end ‑ to ‑ end shipment coordination, and resolve service issues and improve operational outcomes. They are responsible for overseeing scheduling, shipment tracking and tracing, documentation accuracy, and core financial processes including billing, accounts receivable, and accounts payable support. Working closely with customers, carriers, drivers, and internal operations teams, they proactively identify risks, recommend solutions, and ensure service commitments are met.

Responsibilities

  • Serve as a senior point of contact for customers, carriers, drivers, and internal teams, managing complex or escalated service inquiries.

  • Oversee and coordinate shipment activity from order entry through delivery, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with established procedures.

  • Exercise independent judgment to resolve shipment exceptions, service delays, and documentation issues; determine appropriate corrective actions.

  • Lead advanced tracking and tracing activities, proactively identifying potential disruptions and communicating mitigation plans to stakeholders.

  • Coordinate and optimize scheduling for pickups, deliveries, appointments, and operational workflows across multiple parties.

  • Review, validate, and approve shipping documentation including air waybills (AWBs), bills of lading, labels, and proof of delivery (POD).

  • Provide guidance and informal mentorship to Customer Relations Coordinators and support staff on procedures, systems, and customer interactions.

  • Oversee billing accuracy and financial documentation; analyze discrepancies and work cross ‑ functionally to resolve AR/AP issues.

  • Maintain oversight of organized, compliant electronic and physical files for shipment, financial, and administrative records.

  • Collaborate with operations, dispatch, and leadership teams to improve communication, service reliability, and process efficiency.

  • Identify recurring service issues or process gaps and recommend improvements aligned with operational goals.

  • Support terminal or site activities as needed, including freight acceptance and coordination of specialized shipment requirements.

  • Participate in cross ‑ functional meetings, training initiatives, and operational improvement projects.

  • All other duties as assigned to meet evolving business needs.

Qualifications

  • Education: High School Diploma or GED equivalent required; undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university preferred.

  • Progressive experience in customer relations, logistics, transportation, or operational support roles with increasing responsibility.

  • Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment and discretion in resolving complex customer and operational issues.

  • Strong organizational, analytical, and problem ‑ solving skills with the ability to manage competing priorities independently.

  • Clear, professional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to influence and collaborate across teams.

  • Ability to work effectively in a fast ‑ paced , team ‑ oriented , on ‑ site environment with minimal supervision.

  • Demonstrated discretion and confidentiality in handling and protecting sensitive information.

  • Technical: Proficient with common office technologies, including Windows PCs, Microsoft O365 (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) and web conferencing (Teams, Zoom, Webex, etc.)

  • Environment: Comfort commuting to/from and working in a 100% on ‑ site setting (listed in this posting), with travel for related meetings/events.

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