Freight Manager

Lush North America supports over 262 (and growing!) retail stores in Canada and the USA, a mail order business based in Vancouver, and manufacturing centers in both Vancouver and Toronto. 

Lush is known worldwide for our unique bath and beauty products. We pride ourselves on amazing skin and hair care, personalized customer service, environmental activism and a vibrant store atmosphere. Charitable giving is at the heart of our business, and we believe it's our responsibility to advocate for the environment, animals and people in need. 

The Freight Manager plays an essential role in growing talent in our business through collaboration and sharing best practices within the Logistics team. You know how to be curious about their opportunities and how to be real with feedback and support.

We are looking for a dynamic and creative individual who identifies with our values and ethics to join our support team as a Freight Manager.  The role’s primary responsibility is leading Lush’s North American freight strategy and execution to deliver an efficient, cost-effective, and service-driven transportation network. This role has end-to-end accountability for total freight spend, transportation planning, mode optimization, shipment execution, service levels, and network optimization.

The Freight Manager will lead a high-performing team, developing talent and building organizational capability while partnering closely with Supply Chain, Finance, Operations, Procurement, and external logistics providers. The role will use data, analytics, and commercial insights to identify opportunities, improve performance, manage risk, and drive continuous improvement across the transportation network.

As a growing business, Lush needs people that can adapt and evolve to the needs of our business. Our Lush staff live with purpose, finding their personal value connection with the values of our business, bringing their work and life paths into one holistic journey. #mylushlife

Reporting to the Head of Product Planning & Logistics, the Freight Manager undertakes the following RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team, fostering accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Provide ongoing coaching, feedback, mentorship, and training to build team capability and strengthen freight, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Own and manage total freight spend, ensuring transportation costs are effectively managed and aligned with business objectives.
• Lead the development of the annual freight budget, financial targets, and ongoing forecasts.
• Analyze freight spend, trends, and variances to identify risks, opportunities, and corrective actions.
• Develop and execute transportation strategies that balance cost, service, capacity, and business requirements.
• Partner with Finance and Supply Chain leadership to establish financial targets and provide clear visibility to freight performance.
• Develop strategies to mitigate freight cost increases and improve overall transportation economics.
• Lead mode optimization strategies across transportation modes to balance cost, service, capacity, and customer requirements.
• Optimize routing, shipment consolidation, and transportation flows to improve network efficiency.
• Evaluate network design and transportation flows to identify opportunities for cost reduction and service improvement.
• Oversee shipment execution to ensure transportation plans are delivered effectively and efficiently.
• Establish and monitor service-level expectations and KPIs across the freight network.
• Lead the management and resolution of freight exceptions, disruptions, delays, and service failures.
• Identify root causes of recurring freight issues and implement corrective and preventive actions.
• Ensure transportation execution supports customer service, inventory, and operational objectives.
• Develop and maintain freight analytics, dashboards, and reporting to provide actionable insights into cost, service, capacity, and operational performance.
• Translate complex freight data into clear recommendations for senior leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Identify opportunities to improve transportation efficiency, reduce cost, increase service levels, and strengthen network resilience.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives using data-driven analysis, root-cause problem solving, and best practices.
• Establish and track performance against key freight KPIs and ensure insights are translated into measurable actions and outcomes.
• Partner closely with Supply Chain Planning, Logistics, Procurement, Finance, Operations, Distribution, and other stakeholders to align transportation strategies with broader business objectives.
• Communicate freight performance, risks, opportunities, and strategic initiatives clearly to senior leadership.
• Maintain deep expertise in customs compliance, trade policies, hazardous materials, and regulatory standards, partnering cross-functionally to guarantee full organizational adherence.

You bring the following QUALIFICATIONS:

Required:

• 5+ years of experience in freight, transportation, logistics, supply chain, or a related field.
• 3+ years of experience in a leadership role with a proven track record in training and development of others 
• Strong experience managing significant freight spend and developing transportation budgets and forecasts.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing transportation and network strategies.
• Strong understanding of transportation modes, routing, consolidation, shipment execution, and network optimization.
• Strong analytical and financial capabilities, with the ability to translate freight data into actionable business insights.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and influence stakeholders at multiple levels.
• Strong problem-solving, communication, negotiation, and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated track record of delivering measurable cost savings, service improvements, and operational efficiencies.

Preferred:

• A university or college degree in Supply Chain, International Business, or a related field
• Solid understanding of supply chain, logistics, reverse logistics , and INCOTERMS
• Experience managing 3PL relationships and driving external partner performance.
• Previous experience in the food or cosmetics industry

Thriving with a diverse company culture, celebrating the uniqueness of our staff and committed to inclusion. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

We thank all interested applicants; however, only qualified candidates will be contacted.

Job Type: Permanent, Full Time. 

Location: 35 Jutland Road, Etobicoke, Ontario, M8Z 2G6

Recruitment Process Overview:

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