JAS is an international, non-asset-based supply chain services and solutions company. Our services include air and ocean freight forwarding, contract logistics, customs brokerage, distribution, inbound logistics, truckload brokerage and other supply chain management services, including consulting, the coordination of purchase orders and customized management services.

The Area Director is responsible for the overall leadership, performance, and profitability of multiple freight forwarding branches - MIAMI & PUERTO RICO. This role provides strategic direction and operational oversight across air and ocean freight, customs brokerage, domestic transportation, and value-added logistics services, ensuring consistent execution of company standards, financial targets, and customer service excellence.
The Area Director acts as the primary link between corporate leadership and branch operations, driving growth, operational efficiency, compliance, and talent development across the region.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Business Growth

• Develop and execute regional business plans aligned with company strategy, revenue targets, and profitability goals.
• Drive organic growth through pricing discipline, yield management, customer retention, and selling of services.
• Partner with sales leadership to support key account development, customer expansion, and contract renewals.
• Monitor market trends, competitive activity, and customer needs to identify new opportunities.

Operational Oversight

• Oversee daily operations across multiple branches to ensure efficient freight movement, on-time performance, and service quality.
• Standardize and enforce operational processes, SOPs, and best practices across all locations.
• Partner with branch leadership to resolve escalations related to service failures, customer complaints, or operational disruptions.
• Ensure consistent execution across air, ocean, import/export, brokerage, and domestic services.

Financial Management

• Own KPI performance for assigned branches, including revenue, gross margin, cost control, and operating income.
• Review and analyze monthly financial results, identifying risks, trends, and corrective actions.
• Approve budgets, forecasts, capital expenditures, and major pricing decisions within assigned authority.
• Ensure accurate billing, timely collections, and adherence to credit policies.

People Leadership & Talent Development

• Lead, coach, and develop managers and operational leaders.
• Drive accountability through performance management, goal setting, and regular business reviews.
• Support talent acquisition, succession planning, and leadership development across the region.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, professionalism, safety, and continuous improvement.

Compliance, Risk & Quality

• Ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements including customs, trade compliance, safety, and security programs.
• Enforce company policies related to ethics, internal controls, data integrity, and risk management.
• Lead corrective actions related to audits, compliance findings, or operational incidents.

Customer & Stakeholder Engagement

• Maintain executive relationships with key customers within the region.
• Represent the company professionally in industry forums, customer meetings, and internal leadership initiatives.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with finance, HR, IT, sales, and global operations teams.

Key Competencies

• Strategic thinking and commercial acumen
• Strong financial and analytical skills
• Leadership and people development
• Operational excellence and process improvement
• Customer-focused mindset
• Effective communication and executive presence
• Change management and problem-solving

Qualifications & Experience

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Business Administration, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• 8–12+ years of progressive experience in freight forwarding or logistics, including multi-branch or regional leadership.
• Bilingual - English & Spanish
• Strong KPI management experience with demonstrated results.
• Deep understanding of air and ocean freight operations, international trade processes, and customs regulations.
• Strong understanding of the LATAM market.
• Proven ability to lead, influence, and develop senior leaders across multiple locations.

Preferred:

• MBA or other advanced business degree preferred.
• Experience with global forwarding networks and multinational customers.
• Familiarity with transportation management systems (TMS), freight forwarding ERP systems, and KPI reporting.

ENVIRONMENT:

100% performed in climate-controlled internal office environment working under normal office conditions.   Travel will be (up to 50 %) required in support of the position’s responsibilities.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; stand; walk; use hands and finger to feel and handle; reach with arms and hands; talk and hear.  While performing the duties of this job, the employee frequently is required to stoop, kneel, and crouch; lift weight or exert a force up to a maximum of 25 pounds.

ADDITIONAL:

The responsibilities associated with this job will change from time to time in accordance with the Company’s business needs.  More specifically, the incumbent may be required to perform additional and/or different responsibilities from those set forth above.

The above declarations are not intended to be an all-inclusive list of the duties and responsibilities of the job described, nor are they intended to be such a listing of the skills and abilities required to do the job. Rather, they are intended only to describe the general nature of the job.

Management retains discretion to add or change duties of this position at any time.

JAS Forwarding (USA), Inc. is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, disability, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, sexual orientation, age, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Where required by state law and/or city ordinance; this employer will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with information from each new employee’s Form I-9 to confirm work authorization.

NOTICE TO APPLICANTS

JAS USA IS A CUSTOMS BROKER, GOVERNED BY FEDERAL REGULATION. FEDERAL REGULATIONS PROVIDE THAT JAS MAY HAVE IT BROKERAGE LICENSE SUSPENDED OR REVOKED IF IT “KNOWINGLY EMPLOYED, OR CONTINUES TO EMPLOY, ANY PERSON WHO HAS BEEN CONVICTED OF A FELONY, WITHOUT WRITTEN APPROVAL OF THAT EMPLOYMENT FROM THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER.” JAS WILL PERFORM A BACKGROUND CHECK TO DETERMINE IF YOU HAVE BEEN CONVICTED OF A FELONY AND IF SO, ABSENT SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES, YOU WILL NOT BE HIRED OR WILL BE TERMINATED IMMEDIATELY.