Vice President of Transportation

About the role

Instrumentum is an innovative provider of off-site surgical instrument sterilization, transportation, storage, and loaner tray logistics, serving health systems and ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). With a national footprint and a mission to disrupt the traditionally fragmented and under-digitized sterile processing industry, we are scaling rapidly to meet rising demand for elective surgeries and streamlined sterile processing services.

Sterilization Processing Departments (SPDs) are critical yet often overlooked, facing staffing shortages, poorly maintained facilities, and compliance failures that increase costs and risk patient safety. Instrumentum focuses exclusively on sterilization, investing in facilities, equipment, and processes to ensure excellence. We hire top SPD technicians and coordinators who want to work where they are valued.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership
  • Develop and execute the national transportation strategy aligned with overall business goals.
  • Partner with executive leadership on network design, capacity planning, and long-term growth initiatives.
  • Identify opportunities for automation, technology adoption, and process optimization across the transportation function.
• Operations Management
  • Oversee daily transportation operations across all regions, including fleet, brokerage, and third-party carrier relationships.
  • Set and monitor KPIs for on-time delivery, cost per mile, utilization, and service quality.
  • Manage transportation budget, including fuel, maintenance, labor, and third-party spend.
• Team Leadership
  • Build, mentor, and manage a team of regional transportation directors/managers and support staff.
  • Establish performance standards, training programs, and succession plans across the department.
  • Foster a culture of accountability, safety, and continuous improvement.
• Compliance & Safety
  • Ensure full compliance with DOT, FMCSA, and other federal/state regulations.
  • Own the safety program, including driver training, incident review, and risk mitigation.
  • Maintain audit-readiness for regulatory and insurance requirements.
• Vendor & Carrier Relations
  • Negotiate and manage contracts with carriers, brokers, and logistics technology vendors.
  • Evaluate and onboard new vendor and carrier partners to support network scalability.
  • Monitor vendor and carrier performance and manage escalations.
• Financial Accountability
  • Own the transportation P&L, driving cost efficiency without compromising service levels.
  • Forecast capacity and cost needs in line with seasonal and business demand shifts.
  • Report performance and financial metrics to executive leadership and the board as needed.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Logistics, Supply Chain, Business, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 10+ years of progressive transportation/logistics experience, with 5+ years in a senior leadership role.
• Deep knowledge of DOT/FMCSA regulations and national fleet operations.
• Proven track record managing multi-region or national transportation networks.
• Strong financial acumen, including P&L ownership and budget management.
• Excellent negotiation, communication, and stakeholder management skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA or advanced degree.
• Experience with TMS (Transportation Management Systems) and route optimization software.
• Background in a high-growth or multi-site retail, e-commerce, manufacturing, or distribution company.

Skills

• Strategic and analytical thinking.
• Operational excellence and process improvement.
• People leadership across geographically dispersed teams.
• Regulatory and safety compliance expertise.
• Vendor negotiation and relationship management.

Benefits

• Competitive base salary + performance bonus.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401(k) with company match.
• Paid time off and holidays.
• Relocation assistance (if applicable).

Pay

The pay range for this role is $175,000 - $225,000 USD per year.

Location: Corporate HQ / Flexible | Department: Operations | Reports To: Chief Operating Officer | Employment Type: Full-Time, Exempt