Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Cargo Operations Manager

🎯 Role Definition

The Cargo Operations Manager is accountable for the efficient, safe, compliant and profitable handling of inbound, outbound and transit cargo across air, sea and intermodal networks. This role leads operational teams and cross-functional partners to deliver on service level agreements (SLAs), optimize throughput, control costs, manage risk and continuously improve processes using data-driven decision making. The Cargo Operations Manager owns day-to-day operational performance, regulatory compliance (customs, IATA/IMDG/ICAO), equipment and facility readiness, and the customer experience for freight customers and internal stakeholders.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Cargo Supervisor / Shift Supervisor
Freight Operations Coordinator / Logistics Coordinator
Ground Operations or Warehouse Team Lead

Advancement To:

Senior Manager, Cargo Operations
Head of Cargo / Director of Cargo Operations
Head of Ground/Air/Maritime Operations

Lateral Moves:

Terminal Manager
Freight Forwarding / Commercial Manager
Supply Chain or Distribution Center Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Own end-to-end cargo operations across assigned terminals, hubs or lanes, ensuring on-time acceptance, accurate documentation, safe handling and timely delivery of airfreight, sea freight and intermodal shipments while meeting contractual SLAs and customer expectations.
Manage daily operational planning and execution including shift scheduling, resource allocation, equipment assignments and contingency coverage to meet volume peaks and recovery after disruptions.
Lead, coach and develop frontline supervisors and operations staff; set clear KPIs, conduct performance reviews, implement training programs, and drive a culture of ownership, safety and continuous improvement.
Oversee cargo acceptance, screening, build-up and breakdown, palletization, ULD/container stuffing and load planning coordinated with carriers, ground handlers and warehouse teams to maximize load factors and minimize dwell time.
Maintain regulatory compliance for customs documentation, export controls, IATA/IMDG/ICAO dangerous goods regulations, FAA/local aviation regulations and applicable maritime, road and rail requirements; coordinate with customs brokers and regulatory authorities to resolve holds and inspections.
Implement and monitor operational KPIs such as throughput (MT/TEU/ULD per hour), dwell time, on-time performance, claims per million, load factor, labor productivity and cost per ton to drive continuous operational excellence.
Own incident and claims management processes: investigate cargo damage/loss, lead root-cause analysis, coordinate claims submissions, negotiate settlements and implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
Control operational budgets and costs: prepare monthly forecasts, monitor labor costs, overtime, third-party handling charges, lease and equipment maintenance expenditures; identify cost-reduction opportunities without compromising safety or service.
Drive safety, health and security programs across cargo operations including hazard identification, toolbox talks, safety audits, incident reporting, security screening, and compliance with ISPS/industry security standards.
Manage relationships with third-party service providers including ground handlers, trucking partners, freight forwarders, warehouse operators and terminal operators; negotiate SLAs, contracts and KPIs to secure reliable service at competitive cost.
Lead capacity planning and space utilization for warehouses, yards and staging areas; optimize slotting, racking and slot assignment to reduce search times and speed dispatch cycles.
Coordinate manifesting, electronic data interchange (EDI) flows and system integration with carriers, customs and customers; ensure data integrity and timely transmission of AWB/BOL/manifest documents.
Implement and own quality assurance processes and standard operating procedures (SOPs); audit adherence to SOPs and lead corrective action plans for non-compliance.
Develop and execute contingency and disruption management plans for weather events, labor actions, equipment failure or carrier delays; mobilize cross-functional teams to restore operations and communicate status to stakeholders.
Lead process improvement and automation initiatives (Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen) to reduce manual touches, improve throughput and increase accuracy; sponsor pilot projects and scale successful solutions.
Manage equipment lifecycle and maintenance programs for forklifts, loaders, conveyors, ULD/containers and handling equipment; coordinate preventive maintenance and repair contracts to reduce downtime.
Ensure accurate inventory control: supervise reconciliations, cycle counts, shortage investigations and reconciliation of inbound/outbound transactions with WMS/TMS records.
Drive customer service excellence: partner with commercial teams to manage service exceptions, provide operational status, resolve escalations, and capture feedback to inform operational improvements and commercial negotiations.
Oversee hazardous cargo and temperature-controlled cargo processes including packaging verification, chain-of-custody, temperature monitoring and documentation to meet regulatory and customer requirements.
Prepare and present regular operational performance reports, executive dashboards and root cause analyses to senior leadership; translate data into actionable recommendations and investment proposals.
Participate in capital planning for terminal upgrades, IT systems (WMS/TMS), automation and facility expansion; build business cases that quantify ROI, throughput gains and reduced operating cost.
Support audits by internal and external stakeholders (regulatory audits, carrier audits, ISO/TS certifications); implement corrective actions and sustain compliance readiness.
Lead cross-border coordination for import/export flows: verify customs clearance prerequisites, bonded storage requirements, and coordinate with cross-border carriers to minimize border dwell and demurrage exposure.
Implement pricing and chargeback mechanisms for storage, handling and special services; work with finance to ensure accurate billing for value-added services and recovery of operational costs.
Champion sustainability initiatives within cargo operations: reduce fuel consumption, improve equipment efficiency, minimize waste and support corporate environmental targets.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.
Act as subject-matter expert for operational use cases in IT projects, user acceptance testing and process design workshops.
Maintain operational knowledge base and playbook for onboarding, audits and incident response.
Coordinate with HR on hiring plans, workforce forecasting and union negotiations where applicable.
Support commercial sales and tender responses with operational feasibility assessments and cost estimates.
Facilitate cross-training programs to improve operational resilience and multi-skill capability across shifts.
Drive supplier performance management through scorecards, monthly reviews and corrective action plans.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Logistics Operations Management — proven ability to run high-volume cargo terminals, hubs or warehouses with measurable improvements in throughput and cost control.
Air Cargo & Freight Regulations — deep working knowledge of IATA, ICAO, DG/IMDG, FAA and local aviation/maritime regulatory frameworks.
Customs & Trade Compliance — practical experience with customs clearance processes, bonded facilities, export/import documentation and HS tariff classification.
Transportation & Warehouse Systems — hands-on experience with WMS, TMS, ERP (e.g., SAP), cargo management systems and EDI/manifest interfaces.
Load Planning & Unit Load Device (ULD) Management — skill in loadability planning, ULD management, container stuffing and optimizing load factor.
Hazardous Materials Handling — certification or practical experience in DG handling, segregation, documentation and emergency response procedures.
Data Analysis & Reporting — proficiency with Excel (advanced formulas, pivot tables), Power BI/Tableau or similar tools to analyze KPIs and drive decision-making.
Budgeting & Cost Control — experience preparing operational budgets, forecasting labor spend and driving cost-savings initiatives.
Contract & Vendor Management — ability to manage third-party contracts, negotiate rates and enforce SLAs with service providers.
Safety & Security Compliance — knowledge of workplace safety standards (OSHA or local equivalent), ISPS and security screening protocols.
Process Improvement Methodologies — experience applying Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen or continuous improvement frameworks to operational processes.
Incident & Claims Management — practical experience leading investigations, documenting root causes and negotiating claim settlements.

Soft Skills

Leadership & People Management — effective at coaching, mentoring, setting expectations and aligning teams to operational goals.
Clear Communication — strong verbal and written communication with internal teams, customers, carriers and regulators.
Problem Solving & Decision Making — decisive under pressure with structured root-cause analysis and bias for action.
Customer Focus — oriented to delivering excellent customer outcomes and resolving escalations professionally.
Stakeholder Management — ability to influence cross-functional partners and senior leadership without direct authority.
Attention to Detail — meticulous with documentation, regulatory compliance and inventory accuracy.
Time Management & Prioritization — strong at managing competing priorities in a 24/7 operational environment.
Adaptability & Resilience — comfortable managing change, shifting volumes and operational disruptions.
Negotiation & Commercial Acumen — able to balance service levels and cost effectively in vendor and customer negotiations.
Coaching & Talent Development — committed to building bench strength and developing future leaders.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Transportation Management or a technical discipline; OR equivalent combination of education and operational experience.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Business or Industrial Engineering.
Professional certifications such as IATA Dangerous Goods, Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP), Lean Six Sigma Green/Black Belt, or PMP are highly desirable.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Logistics & Supply Chain Management
Transportation / Maritime Studies / Aviation Management
Business Administration / Operations Management
Industrial or Mechanical Engineering

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

5 to 10+ years in cargo, freight or terminal operations with progressive responsibility.

Preferred:

7+ years managing cargo operations (air/sea/intermodal), with at least 3 years in a supervisory or manager role, demonstrated success in leading teams, meeting SLAs, managing budgets and delivering process improvements.