Director of Logistics

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in California.

📋 Description

• Oversee Proper Voltage’s comprehensive freight and logistics operations, encompassing inbound material flow, outbound customer delivery, packaging validation, and reverse logistics.

• Develop and maintain relationships with freight forwarders across the supplier network, particularly for freight originating from Asia.

• Negotiate freight rates and service levels, determining the appropriate timing for transitioning from supplier-managed freight to company-managed forwarding.

• Manage cargo visibility, tracking, customs clearance, and import compliance for essential inbound shipments.

• Qualify and oversee dangerous-goods-certified carriers for shipments pertaining to both commercial and defense customers.

• Handle hazmat documentation, labeling, driver certification requirements, and compliance for outbound shipments.

• Enhance the customer delivery experience by managing scheduling, communication, issue resolution, and quality investigations during transit.

• Coordinate packaging design assistance and oversee final validation processes, including drop-testing approvals and handling instructions.

• Manage relationships with packaging vendors for custom crating, palletization, and protective packaging solutions.

• Develop the RMA and defective-unit return process, coordinating logistics for field service and pickups.

• Supervise the Materials Program Manager, aligning freight strategy with material availability.

• Implement freight strategies within supplier commercial agreements, collaborating with engineering, finance, and customer-facing teams to meet delivery commitments and manage costs.

⛳️ Requirements

• Minimum of 8 years of experience in logistics, transportation, or supply chain operations.

• Direct responsibility for shipping dangerous goods or other regulated products.

• Hands-on experience with hazmat/DG compliance, including carrier certification, documentation, labeling, and driver requirements.

• Proven experience negotiating contracts with freight forwarders and managing an international freight network, particularly for Asia-origin lanes.

• Experience in establishing or significantly scaling logistics functions and customer delivery processes from an early stage.

• Direct experience in managing people.

• Capability to work independently and create processes in the absence of existing ones.

• Preferred experience in shipping industrial batteries or other energy-storage products.

• Preferred experience in packaging design and validation for heavy or large-format products.

• Experience serving defense or government customers is preferred.

• Preferred experience with reverse logistics and field-service coordination.

• Early-stage startup experience in developing logistics functions from the ground up is preferred.

• Familiarity with customs brokerage and compliance in cross-border trade is preferred.

• Must be eligible to work without visa sponsorship.

• Willingness to travel regularly to contract manufacturers and vendors, along with occasional visits to customer sites.

🏝️ Benefits

• Equity.

• Health, dental, and vision insurance.

• Flexible PTO.

• Generous holiday policy.

• Fully virtual work option available for the right candidate.

• Regular travel to contract manufacturers, vendors, and occasional customer site visits.