Rail Customer Success Manager

Since 1970, Plastic Express has met the bulk trucking, bulk terminal, packaging, and warehousing needs of the plastics industry. Our strategic locations, modern systems, and dedicated employees allow us to provide custom-tailored logistical solutions to fulfill the most challenging needs of our customers. With 22 full-service facilities, over 40 bulk terminals, and 52 railcar terminals offering more than 8,500 railcar spots nationwide, we are positioned near 9 major U.S. ports and rely heavily on our rail infrastructure for imports, exports, and regional distribution. We also handle non-plastic commodities such as paper rolls, steel, building materials, and other dry bulk materials. Headquartered in Houston, TX, Plastic Express employs over 600 people and operates roughly 250 trucks and 250 trailers.

About the Role

Reporting to the AVP of Rail Operations, this position is directly responsible for managing the company’s Rail Clerical department. You will provide leadership, coaching, and performance management while overseeing daily operations, including customer and railroad communications, inventory management, RAN system administration, and employee development. This role works closely with the Safety Director, Quality Manager, Rail Operations, Customer Success Representatives (CSRs), Trucking, and Sales departments to meet KPI targets and goals. A Rail Supervisor will support you at this site.

Responsibilities

• Leadership and Employee Management
  • Supervise the Rail Coordinator Supervisor and Rail Coordinators, including assigning work, establishing priorities, monitoring performance, and maintaining appropriate staffing.
  • Provide coaching, training, performance evaluations, and corrective guidance in coordination with Human Resources and the AVP of Rail Operations.
  • Develop and maintain departmental training materials and support the implementation of new and revised SOPs.
  • Ensure employees are trained on assigned responsibilities, systems, safety procedures, SOPs, and customer requirements.
  • Promote professionalism, teamwork, accountability, continuous improvement, and the company’s safety culture.
  • Review employee time records and maintain required training and performance documentation.
• Rail Operations and Customer Success
  • Oversee daily railcar inventory, coordination, releases, bills of lading, Railcar Authorization Numbers, invoice disputes, and RAN-system activities.
  • Maintain accurate physical and electronic railcar inventories, aiming for 100% inventory accuracy.
  • Communicate effectively with customers, railroads, local operating authorities, and internal departments.
  • Serve as the primary escalation point for customer and operational issues, ensuring timely investigation, communication, and resolution.
  • Monitor departmental KPIs, including inventory accuracy, railcar-release timeliness, BOL completion, billing dispute resolution, customer response times, and required documentation.
  • Identify performance gaps and recurring service issues, implementing or recommending corrective actions.
  • Provide operational and KPI updates to the AVP of Rail Operations.
  • Support the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of departmental processes and training materials.
• Safety, Compliance, and Confidentiality
  • Maintain a safe work environment and ensure employees comply with company policies, safety requirements, and laws.
  • Conduct or supervise required safety meetings, including personally conducting a documented meeting with Rail staff at least once per calendar month.
  • Maintain the confidentiality of employee, customer, pricing, operational, and proprietary company information.
  • Maintain required operational, safety, and training records and submit employee-relations documentation to Human Resources.
• Additional Duties
  • Cross-train in all departments to assist in developing training aids, including Inventory Management, Material Handling of PE-Issued Equipment, Rail & Switching Operations, Rail Terminal Inventory Management & Software, and other assigned programs.
  • Ensure SOPs are rolled out and training is completed.
  • Actively support continuous improvement initiatives, contribute ideas, and perform quality-control tasks.
  • Maintain and assist in developing training methods and procedures.
  • Duties and responsibilities may be added, deleted, or changed at management’s discretion.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in rail, logistics, transportation, customer service, or operations.
• Prior supervisory or management experience.
• Working knowledge of railcar inventory management, railcar tracking, releases, bills of lading, and customer service operations.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills.
• Ability to think independently and make decisions in the company’s best interest.
• Strong analytical abilities for planning, forecasting, inventory management, product scheduling, and product balancing.
• Multi-tasking ability to handle many activities simultaneously.
• Computer proficiency in a Windows environment, especially using Excel spreadsheets, business management systems, and customer interface systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, logistics, supply chain management, transportation, or a related field.
• Five to ten years of experience in rail, transportation, logistics, terminal operations, or a related industry.
• Experience managing a rail customer service, rail coordination, logistics, or transportation team.
• Knowledge of demurrage, switching operations, railroad terminology, railcar billing, and rail-service issue resolution.
• Experience with TMS, WMS, railcar tracking, RAN, and customer-interface systems.

Physical Demands

• Ability to safely perform physical tasks, including occasionally lifting or carrying materials weighing up to 55 pounds.
• Occasionally stand, walk, bend, reach, and climb stairs; remain in a stationary position for extended periods.
• Ability to use fingers, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk and/or hear.
• Possess the visual and auditory ability to review detailed information, communicate effectively, and safely identify workplace hazards.
• Peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to focus on subjects or objects at any safe working distance.

Work Environment

This position works primarily in a professional office environment located within or adjacent to an active rail terminal and warehouse operation. The employee may occasionally enter operational areas with exposure to moving vehicles and equipment, railcar activity, varying temperatures, outdoor weather conditions, dust, noise, and other industrial and transportation environment conditions. The employee must follow all applicable safety rules and wear required personal protective equipment when entering designated operational areas. Regular use of computers, telephones, and other standard office equipment is required.

Schedule

This is a full-time, exempt position. Must be available to work extended hours and weekends as operationally necessary. Minimal travel may be required based on business needs.

Benefits

• Family health benefit packages.
• Vacation pay after 90 days.
• Holiday pay after 90 days.
• Company-matching 401k retirement program after 90 days.

In line with Plastic Express’ Environmental Promise, the hired individual is expected to enthusiastically support all facets of Operation Clean Sweep, including preventing pellet, flake, and powder loss into the environment and ensuring swift and effective cleanup of any spills.