Load Planner

We invite you to Explore the Potential of being part of something Clearly Essential! 

Compass Minerals (NYSE: CMP) is a leading global provider of essential minerals focused on safely delivering where and when it matters to help solve nature's challenges for customers and communities. The company's salt products help keep roadways safe during winter weather and are used in numerous other consumer, industrial, chemical and agricultural applications. Its plant nutrition products help improve the quality and yield of crops, while supporting sustainable agriculture. Additionally, the company is pursuing development of a sustainable lithium brine resource to support the North American battery market and is owner of Fortress North America, a next-generation fire retardant company. Compass Minerals operates 12 production and packaging facilities with nearly 2,000 employees throughout the U.S., Canada and the U.K. Visit compassminerals.com for more information about the company and its products.

Summary:

This position is primarily responsible for executing the day-to-day North American shipping operations as processed through various systems.  This position assures that capacity placed in their work areas are covered via obtaining additional spot capacity or involving others to ensure effective shipping schedules.   The candidate will build external relationships to ensure carrier performance and customer experience satisfaction.  The candidate will additionally work closely with customer service, plants and planning to proactively resolve issues.  Lastly the candidate shall be responsible for managing cost savings through the efficient collaboration with other logistics professionals while implementing cost savings ideas. The Load Planner role reports to the load planning supervisor.

 Essential job functions include, but are not limited, to the following:    

(Management reserves the right to add or modify the duties and responsibilities at any time)

• Work closely with all shipping origins ensuring vendors are in compliance meet site requirements.
• Focal contact point for logistics throughout the organization and to customers
• Negotiate carrier and rates when load doesn't have an assigned carrier.
• Procure spot capacity and negotiated pricing to cover peak shipping requirements as needed.
• Perform duties consistent with expectations for response time, tender windows, load consolidation efficiency, payload utilization, and other operational requirements.
• Efficiently manages late shipment report.
• Assist in the development of carrier commitments through the sourcing process and ongoing operational results requiring adjustments to site carrier plans.
• Measure key carrier performance metrics including but not limited to on time pick-up/delivery, appointment effectiveness at origin, invoice accuracy, and delivery information compliance.
• Manage carrier performance by providing carrier(s) periodic performance feedback and facilitating annual carrier reviews for key facilities.
• Focal point for inquiries for carriers, customer service, plant sites and other internal clients regarding status, capacity, and shipping issues.
• Initiate with Load Planning Manager continuing performance issues or capacity needs.
• Work Closely with Customer service and plants to ensure seamless execution from order receipt to shipping Travel to major facilities for carrier/site reviews is expected annually.
• Manage all carrier KPI's
• After hours coverage is required on a rotating basis,
• Over time is occasionally needed during busy season, or as conditions warrant.
• Perform other related duties as required.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Education and/or Experience:

• Bachelor's degree preferred with a minimum of 2 years related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience and/or training. 
• Direct experience as a Load Planner working in a central environment with multiple facilities and utilizing a Oracle Transportation Management (OTM) is preferred. 
• Work experience with ERP systems such as Enterprise One (Oracle) is helpful.  
• Prior roles working for a motor carrier, or as a customer service representative is helpful.
• Working knowledge of e-mail and Excel.
• High degree of planning and organizing.
• Ability to operate in a fast moving environment with multiple tasks/work requirements from many different touch points.
• Ability to manage the day/day and also manage to improve results by planning days ahead for capacities & managing process exceptions, carrier performance, and required work flows.
• Timely communications to a wide variety of stakeholders and specific follow up on customer orders/loads across multiple sites and carriers are critical to success of role.
• Written and verbal communications need to be crisp and timely.
• Ability to influence carriers to receive their best performance by providing clear expectations, measuring their performance, and holding carriers accountable while maintaining and building the operational relationship.

Physical Requirements: 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to sit, stand, walk, reach with hands and arms.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision. 

Compass Minerals is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. We are firmly committed to making all employment-related decisions without regard to race, ancestry, ethnicity, color, religious creed or belief, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity, and pregnancy and breastfeeding), age, military or veteran status, status as a qualified individual with a disability, genetic information, and any other characteristic protected by law. To request reasonable accommodations, email careers@compassminerals.com or call 913-344-9200. Learn more about equal employment opportunity laws at dol.gov.