Manager, Carrier Development

About Ascent

Ascent Global Logistics, headquartered in Belleville, Michigan, is a leading global provider of expedited, time-critical logistics solutions and other direct transportation services. Ascent’s offerings include air charter and ground expedited solutions as well as truckload, less-than-truckload, global forwarding, brokerage, and managed transportation services.

Our Guiding Principles

At the core of Ascent's culture is a strong commitment to excellence, driven by the passion and dedication of every team member. We're equally dedicated to going above and beyond for our customers, ensuring this commitment extends beyond our team and brings exceptional value to those we serve. We aim for perfect execution in everything we do and ‘play hard’ by creating an environment where tasks are performed with a can-do attitude from start to finish. We ‘play smart’ by delivering on our commitments in an honest, fair and ethical manner. We treat every person with whom we interface with the utmost dignity and respect. We understand that our teammates are our most valuable assets, so we ‘play together’ by making every effort to provide a professional and enjoyable experience, enabling careers to flourish and personal growth to be achieved.

What You’ll Do

As a Carrier Development, Manager, you play a strategic and relationship-focused role – developing, managing, and optimizing partnerships with freight carriers to ensure reliable, cost-effective transportation solutions. Your goal will be to build and maintain a strong network of carriers that meet the company’s service, capacity, and compliance needs. This ensures freight moves efficiently, competitively, and safely for the customers of Ascent Global Logistics.

• Relationship Management: Build and maintain strong, lasting relationships with carrier partners through proactive engagement.
• Carrier Sourcing & Onboarding: Negotiate rates and ensure all carriers meet the compliance and safety requirements of Ascent.
• Carrier Performance & Compliance: Monitor carrier KPIs (on-time performance, communication, claims, and safety ratings.
• Collaboration: Work with internal teams to align carrier capacity with current and forecasted demand.
• Rate Management: Negotiate competitive rates while maintaining profitability.
• Capacity Management: Ensure the brokerage has adequate capacity during seasonal peaks or market fluctuations.
• Support the operations teams during load tenders, tracking, and issue resolution.
• Market Intelligence: Monitor market trends, competitor pricing, and industry changes to inform and adjust pricing strategies. Provide input for bids and RFP responses regarding carrier capacity and pricing.
• Diversified pipeline: Onboard carriers across different modes to maintain a robust pipeline.
• Compliant Carrier Network: Work with our Compliance team to ensure all carriers adhere to standards.
• Demonstrate and reinforce Ascent’s Guiding Principles of Play Hard, Play Smart, Play Together, and Take Extreme Ownership.

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in business, logistics, mathematics, statistics or related field, preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in carrier procurement, managed transportation, or advanced analytics.
• Able to perform advanced excel functions such as pivot tables, v lookups, and macros.
• Demonstrated analytical skills including toolset development.
• Integrity, entrepreneurial attitude, competitive and confident personality.
• Working knowledge and utilization of transportation management systems.
• Ability to develop long term relationships.

• Negotiation skills.
• Strong management skills and leadership presence to command and motivate carrier group.
• Must have strong problem-solving skills and the ability to think and respond quickly to service issues

Ascent’s Competitive Offerings

• 401(k) and employer matching
• Life Insurance
• Health, Dental, Vision Insurance
• Short- & Long-Term Disability
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Employee Assistance Program
• Paid Parental Leave
• Employee Wellness Program
• Paid Holidays
• Employee Recognition Programs
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Overtime, Differential & Bonus Pay

#LI-Remote

Salary Range: $70,000 - $80,000