Ocean Planning Associate

Responsibilities

• Execute end-to-end planning and booking of ocean freight shipments within a regional export network, including origin intermodal movements.
• Serve as the first point of escalation for issue resolution and process improvement for specific trade lanes or carriers.
• Ensure shipments move on time and exceptions are handled appropriately against internal OKRs and SLAs.
• Coordinate daily operations with Account Management, Customs, Ocean Execution, Allocation and Procurement, ROM, Ocean Carriers, terminals, and trucking providers.
• Manage soft and hard ocean-carrier allocation to match client demand and maintain accurate bookable inventory.
• Maintain and troubleshoot the Fulfillment Management Tool, supporting urgent client, Account Management, and Procurement/Allocation requests.
• Manage allocation and sailing schedules in FFA; report bugs and issues to support accurate shipment-level planning.
• Review shipment intake and adjust pre-booking plans to ensure timely SO release on relevant trade lanes.
• Troubleshoot carrier bookings and escalate exceptions promptly.
• Use batch escalation workflows with carriers, including pushing SO release and cancelling unused SO on time to avoid penalties.
• Oversee Ocean Execution, Partner, and BPO teams to maintain carrier booking data quality.
• Monitor local carrier performance, including schedule integrity, space release, equipment availability, rollovers, and service quality.
• Onboard new carriers, manage local agreements, and adjust booking processes as they evolve.
• Manage carrier credit terms, long-term Seawaybill agreements, and local charge tariffs.
• Support new, trial, and VIP shipments with carrier options and protect them from rollovers.
• Contribute to the development of Flexport systems, including FFA, Ocean Product, and carrier integrations, to improve quality, efficiency, and compliance.
• Provide input on seasonal trends and market conditions to help Ocean Execution and Account Management respond to changes.
• Use data and metrics to identify opportunities for role and process improvement.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree.
• Minimum 2 years of experience in logistics, freight forwarding, supply chain, ocean carrier operations, or consulting; ocean freight knowledge is a plus.
• Hands-on, process-oriented, and structured approach with strong problem-solving skills.
• Strategic vision paired with ground-level execution.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
• Client-service mindset and strong focus on client and team satisfaction.
• Strong attention to detail and inbox management skills.
• Willingness to challenge the status quo and improve broken processes.
• Flexibility to work outside standard hours, including occasional weekends or night shifts in certain locations.