Transportation Specialist

Join Riverside Natural Foods Ltd., a Canadian-based, family-owned, and globally operating business, committed to leaving the world better than we found it. As a B-Corp certified, Triple-Bottom Line company, we proudly manufacture nutritious, 'better-for-you' snacks such as MadeGood and GOOD TO GO. We value teamwork, humility, respect, ownership, adaptability, grit, and fun. We’re on an ambitious mission to double our business by 2030, and we need talented individuals like you to help us reach new heights. At Riverside, you’ll have the opportunity to chart your own path to success while contributing to ours. We believe anything worth doing is worth doing right, and our values will guide us through the rugged terrain – and yes, it will get rough. But that’s what makes the journey worthwhile. So, lace up your boots and let’s tackle the climb together. You can learn more about us at [](https://www.riversidenaturalfoods.com). **Purpose:** The Transportation Specialist coordinates inbound transportation for raw materials and packaging while supporting broader transportation activities across Riverside’s supply chain (outbounds). The role partners with internal stakeholders, suppliers, and third-party service providers to ensure shipments move safely, on-time and cost effectively. The Specialist combines day-to-day execution with curiosity and analytical thinking to recommend the best service and cost solution for the business. **Primary Responsibilities:** - Tender loads and coordinate inbound shipments of raw materials and packaging from domestic and international suppliers across truck, air freight, and ocean freight modes. - Support the team with outbound shipments and transportation activities. - Monitor shipment milestones, delivery appointments, required delivery dates, and ensure compliance with transportation and customs documentation requirements (commercial invoices, BOLs, etc.). - Identify opportunities to reduce transportation costs and improve service levels. - Maintain transportation data and publish performance insights, including on-time performance, cost per shipment. - Develop and maintain productive carrier relationships, using a win-win mindset to resolve issues and protect continuity of supply. - Work closely with Riverside sites and 3PL warehouses. - Support with carrier contracts and price negotiation. - Analyze transportation options and compare supplier-delivered versus Riverside-managed freight solutions, providing recommendations that optimize cost, service, and supply continuity. - Validate and approve freight invoices, investigate variances, and support accurate transportation accruals and cost allocation. - Support all facets of transportation as directed. - Demonstrate Riverside’s core values, contribute positively to the team and support other transportation priorities as required. **Education and Qualifications:** - Post-secondary degree or diploma in Supply Chain, Business preferred. - 2-3 years transportation experience required. - Strong analytical skills, reporting KPIs. - Experience in food manufacturing an asset. - Advanced Microsoft Excel, Tableau and SAP TMS an asset. **Skills and Abilities:** - Strong organization and time management, with the ability to manage multiple shipments, priorities and deadlines. - High attention to detail in rates, shipment data, invoices and trade documentation. - Clear written and verbal communication with suppliers, carriers, customs partners and internal stakeholders. - Proactive problem solving, ownership and sound judgment when shipments are at risk. - Ability to work calmly under tight timelines and adapt to changes in supply, demand, capacity and requirements. - Collaborative, positive and respectful team approach with a desire to learn and grow. - Strong analytical thinking, with the ability to compare transportation alternatives and convert data into recommendations. - Curiosity mindset: asks effective questions, research options, benchmarks practices and challenges assumptions constructively. **Functional & Leadership Competencies:** | **Capability** | **FYI Competency / Level** | **What Success Looks Like** | | --- | --- | --- | | Deliver Results | Drives Results; Resourcefulness; Being Resilient | Achieves transportation outcomes, considers alternatives and maintains momentum through disruptions. | | Transportation Operations Knowledge | Essential | Applies mode, routing, consolidation, carrier and shipment execution knowledge to inbound transportation. | | Analytical Skills | Advanced | Uses multiple data sources to compare cost and service alternatives and present a cohesive recommendation. | | Financial & Commercial Acumen | Emerging to Skilled | Understands how freight choices, accessorials and service failures affect Riverside’s earnings and total landed cost. | | Industry Knowledge and Curiosity | Emerging to Skilled | Learns market practices, benchmarks services and responds to changing capacity, supplier and business requirements. | | Collaboration and Communication | Skilled | Builds alignment with suppliers, carriers and internal teams, while communicating risks and decisions proactively. | | Ownership and Adaptability | Skilled | Takes accountability for shipment follow-through and adjusts quickly when conditions change. | **Key Accountabilities** | | | | | --- | --- | --- | | **Responsibility** | **KPI / Metric** | **Target** | | Inbound shipment execution | >95% of Inbound shipments tendered, and delivery milestones actively monitored | 1 month | | KPI reporting and insight | Weekly inbound scorecard published with on-time performance, cost, exceptions and opportunities | 2 months | | Transportation cost comparison | Builds a supplier-delivered vs. Riverside pickup report for total-cost and service comparison and opportunities | 4 months | Please note this role is an **existing** vacancy. Salary Range $72,000—$77,000 CAD At Riverside, we are committed to transparency and fairness in our compensation and job posting practices. The range above reflects the target compensation for the position at the time of posting. Exact compensation will be determined based on experience, skill set, education, and training, as well as other organizational needs, while balancing internal equity. **What we expect:** - **Values-led:** You’ll be a member of a thoughtful and compassionate team that prioritizes respect, teamwork and resourcefulness along with a good dash of fun. Sometimes, even making granola bars is hard, and life’s too short to take ourselves so seriously that we don’t enjoy the journey. - **Unparalleled experiences and opportunities**: We’re still determining who we are and what we can be. Help us shape what this organization will look like and what we’ll offer the world, into the future. This means rolling up your sleeves and sometimes building the process – fast! – while employing it. At Riverside, progress occasionally means proceeding imperfectly, and we’re okay with that, as long as we’re staying true to our values and learning and improving along the way. - **Access to everyone:** We’re a flat organization with few silos which means you’ll have full access to everyone from our founders to our production staff. Even when employees dress up, they wear steel-toed shoes. So don’t be shy. Speak up, share your ideas and go places you normally wouldn’t – like the plant, or the boardroom. - **Personal development**: We’ll support and empower you to chart your own path and reach any heights you set for yourself. Career paths at Riverside are carved by the people walking on them, not dictated by leaders. Count on us to give you the training and tools to grow and progress. - **Gratitude**: As a growing business, we can’t always offer formal recognition like awards programs, but we do show our true gratitude and appreciation. At Riverside, we’re all in this together and we value you. - Be a Riverside Brand Ambassador: Stay relentlessly close to our consumers and represent the brand in every interaction, decision, and deliverable. Bring the consumer voice into your work by protecting product quality, availability, and experience, acting early when standards slip, and delivering consistent value that earns trust, advocacy, and long-term brand love. **What We Offer:** - **Values-led:** We don’t cut corners or step on anyone or anything on our way to our summit. There is no winning at all costs here. Every step you take must align with our values, no compromises. - **Courageous determination:** As a family-run, rapidly growing business, we are often challenged to find ways to deliver that aren’t obvious or easy. You must be willing to try, ask and answer challenging questions, test and learn, turn over every stone, keep moving forward and help us find a way through. Resourcefulness and grit will be your constant companions at Riverside and will serve you well. - **Humility:** We’re a small (but growing) fish in a sea of whales and sharks. We know the products we offer are some of the healthiest and most sustainable, but we don’t brag about it, and know we have a steep path ahead. We pride ourselves in being respectful and supportive of others while shining brightly through our innovative, high-quality products. There isn’t one superstar at Riverside. We take turns leading the way as we climb to the summit. - **Continuous improvement:** As a learn-as-we-go organization, we rely on each other to continuously improve everything we touch to make it better, more efficient, more sustainable, and more endearing to customers, consumers, employees, vendors, partners and the community. We own our mistakes and learn from them as we wind our way to the top. Wait! There’s more! - Immerse yourself in our comprehensive benefits program, with Riverside taking care of the costs! - RRSP matching or 401k matching for an empowered financial journey - Eligibility to participate in Riverside's Profit Sharing Plan - Join Employee-Led Resource Groups (ERGs) championing mental health, sustainability, diversity, women, and LGBTQ+ rights - Develop your career further through our Riverside University program and with our Tuition Reimbursement Program - An open concept work environment that embodies our Values **How to Apply:** If you have the commitment to excellence, the energy, the attitude and experience we need, then please submit your resume to careers(AT) with the job title you are applying for in the subject line or click the apply button! Riverside Natural Foods Ltd. is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible environment for everyone. If you have a disability and require accommodation in the interview process, please let us know when you apply. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, due to volume, please note that only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. Disclaimer: *As part of our recruitment process, we may use technology-assisted tools, including automated systems, to support the review and assessment of applications. These tools do not make final hiring decisions. All decisions related to screening, interviewing, and selection are made by our Talent Acquisition and hiring teams.*