Global Logistics Strategist

You will report to the Senior Logistics Manager and work closely with the broader Operations team, including supply chain, 3PL partners, and sourcing. Balsam moves a high volume of 40-foot ocean containers annually across multiple global origins. This role is responsible for the ground-level execution that keeps those containers moving on time and at cost — and for building the operational discipline that will support continued growth.

This full-time position is expected to work in a hybrid model, which currently includes Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in-office.

What you’ll do:

Coordinate Specialized Shipment Programs

• Coordinate assigned business-to-business and retail store shipments from initial request through delivery.
• Support shipments that fall outside standard inbound transportation processes, including one-time, expedited, or specialized transportation requests.
• Gather shipment requirements and ensure the appropriate internal teams and logistics partners have the information needed to execute.
• Coordinate communication among suppliers, retail partners, warehouses, third-party logistics providers, and internal stakeholders.
• Maintain clear ownership, status, and next steps for assigned shipments.

Provide Transactional Logistics Support

• Create shipping labels and supporting transportation documents for approved requests.
• Validate shipment instructions, delivery requirements, routing information, and key handoffs.
• Follow up on missing or incomplete information that could prevent shipment execution.
• Maintain organized shipment documentation and records.
• Support administrative logistics activities associated with assigned transportation programs.

Support Pre-Season Planning and Forecasting

• Assist with the collection and consolidation of projected shipment volumes.
• Support container, transportation, and capacity forecasting activities.
• Compare forecasted activity against current shipment and booking information.
• Identify gaps, inconsistencies, or risks in shipment readiness and communicate them to the appropriate owner.
• Support peak-season preparation through data validation, partner coordination, and follow-up.

Coordinate Exception Management

• Monitor assigned shipments for missed milestones, documentation gaps, booking issues, delivery risks, and data discrepancies.
• Coordinate follow-up with the party responsible for resolving each issue.
• Maintain visibility to issue status, ownership, next steps, and expected resolution.
• Escalate exceptions requiring prioritization, commercial decisions, additional capacity, or management intervention.
• Support root-cause identification and recurring process improvements.
• Monitor container free time and last free day (LFD) windows; coordinate drayage pickups and empty returns proactively to minimize detention and demurrage exposure; support the Sr. Logistics Manager in reviewing and disputing charges.
• Track carrier and 3PL performance against defined service-level agreements (SLAs) — including on-time pickup, empty return windows, and appointment compliance — and flag recurring failures to the Sr. Logistics Manager for vendor performance review.

Support Reporting and Data Accuracy

• Maintain accurate shipment information within current transportation and reporting tools.
• Reconcile information received from suppliers, logistics providers, warehouses, and internal teams.
• Prepare operational updates for assigned shipment programs and exceptions.
• Identify inaccurate, incomplete, or conflicting shipment information and route issues to the appropriate owner.
• Support improvements to logistics reporting, documentation, and operating procedures.

What you bring to the table:

Required

• 3–5 years of experience in inbound or import freight coordination, with hands-on exposure to ocean container movements.
• Working knowledge of drayage operations, port processes, and inbound container lifecycle — including familiarity with detention, demurrage, free time, and last free day concepts.
• Experience coordinating with freight forwarders, drayage carriers, and 3PL warehouse partners.
• Strong data reconciliation and organizational skills; comfortable working across multiple shipment records, tracking tools, and data sources simultaneously.
• Proven ability to manage exceptions under time pressure — identifying issues early, routing them to the right owner, and following through to resolution.
• Effective communicator across internal teams and external vendors; comfortable working across time zones with overseas suppliers.
• Proficiency in Excel or Google Sheets for tracking, reconciliation, and operational reporting.
• Demonstrated AI literacy, enabling effective understanding, interaction, and critical evaluation of AI technologies and applications across diverse business functions

Preferred

• Experience in a high-volume import environment (consumer goods, e-commerce, or seasonal freight preferred).
• Familiarity with transportation management systems (TMS), warehouse management systems (WMS), or shipment visibility platforms.
• Exposure to vendor scorecarding or SLA performance tracking.
• Experience supporting customs broker coordination or import documentation processes.
• Demonstrated interest in process improvement — identifying recurring gaps and contributing to SOP development.
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How This Role Grows

This role starts in execution — learning the operation, building vendor relationships, and supporting the Sr. Logistics Manager. As competency and trust develop, ownership expands: direct management of detention and demurrage disputes, vendor performance accountability, and contribution to process design as Balsam scales its global inbound program.

About Us: Balsam Brands is a global, omnichannel retailer with roots in holiday and home décor. We strive for excellence in everything we do and present a unique opportunity for those seeking to have a meaningful impact in a people-first company that values relationship building, authenticity, and doing the right thing. We have steadily growing teams in Boise, the Bay Area, Dublin, Canada, Mexico and the Philippines.

The company's mission is to create joy together. We empower our team and partners to love what they do, provide products and experiences that inspire meaningful moments with family and friends, and give back to our families and communities in impactful ways. When you join Balsam Brands, you'll find a culture of caring people doing challenging work and building a welcoming workplace.

• Check out our flagship brand, Balsam Hill: balsamhill.com
• Balsam Brands in Forbes: https://bit.ly/balsambrandsforbes2023

• Balsam Brands on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/balsam-brands/
• Glassdoor: https://bit.ly/balsambrands-glassdoor

At Balsam Brands, we strive to offer a competitive compensation and benefits package. For permanent, full-time team members, our current package includes:

• Competitive compensation, including a cash-based incentive plan; salary is reviewed yearly and may be adjusted as part of the normal compensation review process
• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage, with 100% of monthly premiums covered for team members, and 85%+ employer-paid premiums for other coverage tiers that include dependents
• Up to $2,000 annual funding toward HSA accounts
• Medical, transit, dependent care FSA
• Infertility coverage offered on all medical plans
• Generous parental leave program and flexible return options
• Company-paid life and AD&D insurance
• Company-paid short and long-term disability insurance
• 401(k) with dollar-for-dollar company match up to $4,000 per calendar year
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and other mental health and wellness perks
• Paid holidays, annual shutdown week, PTO, and volunteer time-off (VTO) packages
• Paid 5-week sabbatical leave after 10 years of employment
• Annual continuous learning benefit up to $1,000 per person, per fiscal year
• Up to $300 flexible reimbursement to support setup of new team member's work-from-home environment
• Generous team member merchandise discount
• Valuable extras: identity theft protection, subsidized parking, monthly wellness, pet insurance, accident & critical illness insurance

The base pay range for this position is: $65,000 to $80,000. Where an individual falls within that range will vary based on several factors including geographic location and may vary depending on candidate qualifications and experience, applicable skills, and other job-related factors. We benchmark our pay ranges against current external data sources and regularly review compensation for our team members. Balsam Brands is committed to providing our team members with an internally fair, externally competitive, and fiscally prudent total compensation package administered in a simple and consistent manner.

At Balsam Brands, we strive to build a diverse, equitable, and inclusive team to fulfill our purpose to create joy together. Balsam Brands is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We encourage people from all backgrounds, ages, abilities, and experiences to apply. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, citizenship, marital or family status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy or caregiver status, veteran status, or any other legally protected status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to participate in the job application and interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.

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