Forward Air Corp logo

Carrier Sales Representative - Intermodal

Forward Air Corp
  • Chicago, IL
  • $55,000–$65,000 Per Year
1 day ago

Job Description

Compensation: $55,000 - 65,000 Annually + Commission

Schedule: Mon - Fri 8am - 5pm

The Carrier Sales Representative - Intermodal is responsible for developing and managing relationships with carriers to secure multimodal transportation capacity and support the successful movement of freight across the company's network. They serve as a key contributor to revenue growth by sourcing carrier capacity, negotiating competitive rates, and ensuring on-time service execution. This role offers immediate ownership, high earnings potential, and clear pathways for long-term career advancement within an industry-leading logistics provider.

Responsibilities

  • Develop, maintain, and grow a network of qualified carrier partners to support customer freight needs across multiple transportation modes.
  • Build strong carrier relationships by understanding carrier capacity, equipment availability, preferred lanes, and business objectives.
  • Prospect, cold call, and onboard new carrier partners to expand available transportation capacity.
  • Negotiate competitive spot and contractual transportation rates while supporting profitability goals.
  • Utilize market intelligence, freight trends, and capacity data to make informed pricing and sourcing decisions.
  • Secure carrier capacity through high-volume outbound communication and relationship management activities.
  • Coordinate load coverage, dispatch carriers, and ensure successful execution from pickup through final delivery.
  • Monitor load status and proactively address service issues, delays, or operational challenges.
  • Maintain accurate carrier records, pricing information, and shipment documentation within transportation management systems.
  • Collaborate closely with Customer Account Managers, Tracking Specialists, and Operations teams to deliver exceptional customer service.
  • Ensure compliance with company policies, transportation regulations, and carrier qualification requirements.
  • Contribute to team performance goals by meeting or exceeding productivity, revenue, and margin expectations.
  • Continuously develop industry knowledge and stay informed of changing transportation market conditions.
  • Support process improvement initiatives designed to enhance operational efficiency and carrier engagement.
  • All other duties as assigned to meet evolving business needs.

Qualifications

  • Education: High School Diploma or GED Equivalent required; Undergraduate degree in a related field from an accredited college or university preferred.
  • Experience: Prior experience in freight brokerage, third-party logistics (3PL), transportation, sales, customer service, or a related industry preferred.
  • Strong negotiation, persuasion, and relationship-building skills with the ability to influence outcomes in a dynamic market environment.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills with confidence conducting high-volume phone outreach.
  • Demonstrated ability to multitask, prioritize competing demands, and perform effectively in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to make sound business decisions using market and operational data.
  • Self-motivated, results-oriented, and highly coachable with a strong desire to meet and exceed performance goals.
  • Ability to work collaboratively across departments while maintaining a customer-focused mindset.
  • 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.

Numbers & Facts

LocationChicago, IL
IndustryTransport and Storage - Materials
Salary$55,000–$65,000 Per Year
Company Size2,500 to 4,999 employees
Year Founded1981
Websitehttps://www.forwardair.com/content/careers-0

About Company

Since 1990, Forward Air has been a leading provider of ground transportation and related logistics services to the North American air freight and expedited LTL market. We offer surface shipping on an accelerated “time-definite” basis, delivering cargo at a specific time, but under less time-sensitive situations – supplying you with a cost effective, reliable alternative to air transportation. We work with companies of all sizes to develop tangible advantages and build the best products to meet your specific needs. Forward Air presents to the wholesale transportation community (logistics companies, freight forwarders, integrated air cargo carriers, passenger/ cargo airlines, and non-traditional shippers), a single-source provider that can deliver more supply chain services and a superior menu of choices. Throughout the years we have added supplementary lines to our linehaul service, such as full truckload operations (Truckload Services), final-mile coverage (Complete® Cartage), and an Airline Logistics program, and we will continue to expand our services to meet the changing needs and growth of our customer base.

Forward Air is structured to optimize both savings and service to our customers. Direct partnerships with owner-operators and other surface transportation providers, enable us to remain cost-competitive. The Forward Air network is designed with over 90 facilities located at or near major U.S. and Canadian airports, 12 regional sort centers and over 300 beyond points (secondary airports provided through our Complete Cartage service), creating one of the most comprehensive linehaul networks in the industry.

The foundation product for Forward Air is our expedited linehaul service, offering consistent and reliable transit and on-time, damage-free deliveries. By locating terminals on or near airports and maintaining a scheduled transportation network, we are able to arrange for convenient and consistent service with broad geographic coverage. Shipments of varying sizes (TL/LTL) are received at our terminals and transported by contracted service providers either (1) on a direct truck to the destination terminal, (2) through our Columbus, Ohio central sorting hub, or (3) through one of our 12 regional hubs, where they are unloaded, sorted, and reloaded in rapid fashion. After reloading the shipments, our contracted service providers deliver them to the destination city for early morning recovery. Through our Forward Air Complete® cartage service, customers also can have shipments picked up from the shipper, delivered to the final consignee, or transferred at the airport, simplifying the freight management processes. These options allow us to maximize handling efficiency of each shipment while minimizing freight loss and damage, improving transit times over traditional ground transportation.

Skills

  • Analysis Skillsunmatched
  • Brokerageunmatched
  • Cargo/Freightunmatched
  • Cold Calling Skillsunmatched
  • Communication Skillsunmatched
  • Competitive Analysis/Strategyunmatched
  • Corporate Policiesunmatched
  • Customer Relationsunmatched
  • Customer Support/Serviceunmatched
  • Develop and Maintain Customersunmatched
  • Establish Prioritiesunmatched
  • Exceeded Sales Goalunmatched
  • Information/Data Security (InfoSec)unmatched
  • Logisticsunmatched
  • Maintain Complianceunmatched
  • Market Trend Analysisunmatched
  • Microsoft Excelunmatched
  • Microsoft Outlookunmatched
  • Microsoft PowerPointunmatched
  • Microsoft Product Familyunmatched
  • Microsoft Windows Operating Systemunmatched
  • Microsoft Wordunmatched
  • Multitaskingunmatched
  • Negotiation Skillsunmatched
  • Operational Strategyunmatched
  • Persuasion Skillsunmatched
  • Presentation/Verbal Skillsunmatched
  • Pricingunmatched
  • Problem Solving Skillsunmatched
  • Process Improvementunmatched
  • Profit & Lossunmatched
  • Record Keepingunmatched
  • Relationship Managementunmatched
  • Revenue Growthunmatched
  • Salesunmatched
  • Sales Managementunmatched
  • Shipping Documentsunmatched
  • Team Playerunmatched
  • Third-Party Logistics (3PL)unmatched
  • Time Managementunmatched
  • Transportation Regulationsunmatched
  • Web Conferencingunmatched
  • WebExunmatched
  • Writing Skillsunmatched

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