Transportation Assistant - Lowell, AR

Start a Watco Career and Discover the Difference

Keep the world's supply chain moving. That's what the Watco team does every day at our short line railroads, switching sites, terminals, ports, and logistics hubs. Whether you're at one of these locations or in a support-services role, there's one thread that ties everyone together. We're all or the same team. One Watco.

Here's what you can expect from Watco:

• Outstanding culture recognized by Forbes and Newsweek
• Competitive compensation and benefits
• Paid on-the-job training with peer trainers
• Training for conductors, engineers, mechanics, and MOW Team Members at Watco's Safe Performance Center
• Leadership and development programs offered through Watco University
• Career advancement opportunities

Job Summary

The Transportation Assistant (TA) plays a crucial role in the overall "day-to-day" freight management of shipments and/or assigned shipping accounts. It is essential for this position to garner customer trust, complement, and supplement the duties of the Account Manager and or Transportation Coordinator. This position has a broad range of transportation and business-related duties including operational, accounting, and customer satisfaction. The Yard Clerk is responsible for interacting with internal and external customers and their representatives to provide coordination of inquiries and information regarding scheduling, products and services. This position requires commitment to service, rigorous attention to detail, the ability to work in a team-oriented environment, and is customer focused on general administration.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Customer Relationship – Consistent, effective, prompt, courteous, and professional communications with respect to difficult situations such as: relaying service failures with carriers, shippers, receivers, and team members
• Set appointments on new and existing loads from customers – and track and trace shipments
• Responsible for contacting carriers to obtain the status of shipments and monitor shipments for on-time pick-up, transit, and delivery
• Set-up new locations for shipper and/or receiver; assign vendor code, contact vendor to determine shipping dates, hours of operation, and notify shipper/receiver of load status and rescheduling of appointments when necessary
• Ensure required documents are obtained for billing and customer invoicing requirements are met
• Perform additional administrative tasks as requested

Qualifications

Work is performed primarily in a standard office environment with extensive team member and supplier contact with frequent interruptions. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a team member encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

• Apply knowledge of organization, communication, conflict resolution, and time management skills
• Use basic computer skills - Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, 10 Key, and Data Entry
• Ability to work with others and be a positive influence on co-workers
• Utilize professional phone and email communication skills
• Effective customer service skills and the ability to service both internal and external customers

Education