Manager Trainee

Job Summary: Under general supervision, this position is responsible for learning the management of a small driver count and/or non-traditional shifts (including nights and weekends), ensuring safe and timely movement of freight, load assignment, and providing best-in-class customer service. The position will be trained to ensure compliance with DOT regulations and is responsible for all drivers’ compliance and company regulations while working with internal and external contacts to ensure the accurate planning, routing, monitoring, and delivery of freight and loads.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and maintain positive professional relationships with drivers and reliable outside carriers to ensure seamless new carrier set‑up, minimize turnover, and maximize ongoing productivity.
• Fill in for absent or unavailable personnel and participate in special projects related to optimizing fleet operations and achieving profitability.
• Utilize personnel management, including training and orientation of drivers and employees, and assist with internal and third‑party (customer) systems.
• Maximize efficiency of fleet operations and profitability and make recommendations for continuous improvement, measuring key performance indicators, and creating, maintaining and presenting customer‑specific reporting and financial analysis through face‑to‑face interactions at customer locations.
• Manage inventory, assets, customer pools, and/or assignment of drivers to balance equipment in market.
• Perform administrative duties such as payroll, management of the Net‑Revenue budget, driver counseling, accident reviews, filing and documenting, resolving pay issues, analyzing P&L statements, invoicing, and creating operational or financial reports.
• Manage yard operations, including checking/inspecting equipment, replacing parts, completing repairs, and coordinating with maintenance to ensure all preventive maintenance services are scheduled on time and all safety‑related mechanical issues are fixed for account equipment as required.
• Work with drivers, customers, and company personnel to resolve service issues, routing and/or planning, mechanical problems, accessorial payment issues, and other daily operational challenges, including on‑call responsibilities.
• Maintain the Company's safety culture by delivering daily driver safety messages, monthly safety briefings, quarterly training, annual reviews, and enforcing company policies to meet DOT compliance and safety requirements.
• Assign loads, plan, route, and monitor freight movement to provide safe, on‑time service and meet customer requirements, including managing freight exceptions and driver ETA adjustments based on pick‑up and delivery schedules and other environmental factors.

Minimum Qualifications

• Required: Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Transportation/Logistics, Supply Chain, or related field, OR High School Diploma/GED with 1 year of experience in management, transportation/logistics, business administration, account management, or related field, and/or equivalent military experience.
• Willing to travel to account, customer, and company event locations when applicable.
• Ability to work across multiple shifts, including nights and/or weekends if needed.
• Willingness to regionally relocate dependent on account assignment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience managing a team.
• Anticipate, recognize, and effectively resolve existing or potential conflicts at the individual, group, or situation level.
• Ability to accurately analyze situations and reach productive decisions based on informed judgment.
• Ability to adapt to changing environments.
• Ability to establish and maintain healthy working relationships with clients, vendors, and peers.
• Ability to meet or exceed team/driver needs and expectations and provide excellent service directly or indirectly.
• Ability to effectively transmit, receive, and accurately interpret ideas through various mediums.
• Ability to recognize, anticipate, and resolve organizational, operational, or process problems.

Compensation

Starting pay may vary based on skills, education, experience, geography, and other qualifications. This position may be eligible for annual bonus and incentives based on profitability or volumes in accordance with the Company's bonus and incentive plans.

Benefits

Medical benefit, dental benefit, vision benefit, 401(k) retirement plan, life insurance, short‑term and long‑term disability coverage, paid time off commensurate with tenure (includes vacation and sick time), two weeks of paid parental leave, and six paid holidays annually.

Education

• Bachelor’s: Transportation Logistics
• Bachelor’s: Business Administration/Management
• GED (Required)
• High School (Required)
• Bachelor’s: Supply Chain Management

Work Experience

• Customer Service/Account Manager
• Management – Entry Level
• Transportation/Logistics
• Business Administration

J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc. is committed to basing employment decisions on the principles of equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, persons with disabilities, protected veterans or other bases by applicable law.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.