Air Logistics Gateway Operations Supervisor

About the role

As a member of the Freight Forwarding team at Kuehne+Nagel, you will play a key role in transporting goods, optimizing processes, and fulfilling our customers' promises. By transporting medicines, toys, and important machine parts, you are not only delivering goods but also making small and big moments possible for people all around the world.

Responsibilities

• Supervise and coordinate daily gateway operations, including air export, air import, and transshipment activities.
• Lead, coach, and develop a team of Gateway Operations Specialists to ensure operational excellence and employee engagement.
• Manage workforce planning, staffing, scheduling, training, and performance management activities.
• Monitor shipment flows, service levels, and operational performance to ensure timely and accurate cargo movement.
• Oversee cargo consolidation planning and capacity utilization to maximize efficiency and profitability.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with airline carriers and transportation providers to secure capacity and resolve operational issues.
• Monitor carrier performance and ensure compliance with contractual service commitments.
• Drive operational KPI achievement, including on-time performance, service quality, productivity, and cost management.
• Identify operational risks, capacity constraints, and service disruptions, implementing corrective actions when necessary.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for complex operational, customer, and carrier-related issues.
• Ensure compliance with customs regulations, aviation security requirements, company SOPs, and industry standards.
• Analyze operational data and prepare reports to support decision-making and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Partner with customer service, sales, warehouse, transportation, and global gateway teams to ensure seamless execution of shipments.
• Lead process improvement projects focused on service enhancement, cost reduction, and operational efficiency.
• Foster a culture of safety, accountability, teamwork, and customer focus within the operation.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in Air Export, Air Import, Gateway Operations, or Air Freight Operations within the freight forwarding and logistics industry.
• 1-3 years of supervisory, team lead, or people management experience in a logistics, transportation, or supply chain environment.
• Strong knowledge of international air freight forwarding operations, gateway processes, airline requirements, cargo handling procedures, and customs compliance.
• Proven experience managing carrier relationships, negotiating capacity, monitoring carrier performance, and resolving operational challenges.
• Strong understanding of capacity planning, shipment forecasting, consolidation planning, and network optimization to maximize service and profitability.
• Demonstrated ability to lead high-volume, fast-paced operations while ensuring accuracy, compliance, and customer satisfaction.
• Proven track record of achieving operational KPIs, driving process improvements, improving productivity, and delivering service excellence.
• Strong leadership, coaching, mentoring, and employee development skills, with the ability to build and motivate high-performing teams.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills with the ability to collaborate effectively with airlines, customers, warehouse operations, transportation providers, customs brokers, and internal functional teams.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities with experience managing escalations, service disruptions, and operational risks.
• Effective negotiation, conflict resolution, and communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Strong organizational, planning, and workload management skills with the ability to prioritize multiple competing demands.
• Customer-focused mindset with a commitment to delivering exceptional service and operational excellence.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including Pivot Tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, reporting, data analysis, and performance tracking.
• Proficient in Microsoft Outlook, Word, and PowerPoint for communication, reporting, and business presentations.
• Experience using Transportation Management Systems (TMS), freight forwarding software, cargo management systems, and operational reporting tools.
• Ability to analyze operational trends, shipment volumes, capacity utilization, productivity metrics, and service performance data to support decision-making and continuous improvement.

Benefits

• Competitive total rewards package including health and welfare benefits.
• 401k retirement savings plan.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Incentive compensation for eligible roles.

Pay

The hourly wage for this role is between $78,000 and $85,000. Individual pay may vary from the target range and is determined by factors including experience, skills, job location, internal pay equity, and other relevant business considerations. Kuehne+Nagel reviews pay ranges regularly to ensure competitive and fair pay based on industry market data.