Director Operations - Defense

Description

The Director Operations - Defense oversees and leads operational execution, customer experience, compliance, and process efficiency for ICAT’s Defense Contracting business subvertical. This role collaborates closely with the subvertical commercial lead and vertical leadership team to identify and drive strategic growth initiatives. The Director serves as the operational leader for defense-related logistics activities executed by a Control Tower team, ensuring mission-critical freight moves are executed efficiently and profitably while supporting long-term customer growth through vertical-specific solutions.

The Director of Operations, Defense serves as ICAT’s senior operational authority within the defense vertical, aligning execution strategy with customer requirements, compliance standards, financial performance, and long-term growth objectives.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Operational Strategy & Execution Leadership

• •Lead the team managing daily operational activities supporting ICAT’s defense contracting and government logistics business vertical
• •Oversee execution of domestic and international defense-related shipments across all transportation modes
• •Develop and implement operational strategies, workflows, and SOPs to support scalable growth within the defense vertical
• •Collaborate with leadership to establish short-term and long-term operational objectives aligned with company growth initiatives
• •Support operational readiness for expedited project cargo, hazardous materials, and specialized government freight requirements

Customer & Commercial Engagement

• •Partner with sales and vertical leadership teams to support customer retention, business development, and account expansion efforts
• •Participate in customer calls, operational reviews, and strategic meetings with defense contractors and government-related customers
• •Assist with development of pricing strategies, carrier selections, and operational solutions supporting government and defense opportunities
• •Support preparation and review of RFQs, RFPs, tenders, and operational capability responses related to defense logistics opportunities
• •Serve as a primary operational escalation point for high-priority, sensitive, or mission-critical shipments

Carrier, Vendor & Partner Engagement

• •Maintain strong working relationships with carriers, overseas agents, cartage providers, airlines, and strategic service partners
• •Work closely with vendors and service providers to resolve service issues, negotiate solutions, and maintain operational continuity
• •Support negotiation of rates and vendor relationships to drive service quality and cost efficiency
• •Monitor carrier and vendor performance, including reliability, cost control, service quality, and compliance

Regulatory, Safety & Compliance

• •Maintain awareness of government transportation requirements, defense industry expectations, and compliance considerations
• •Ensure compliance with applicable transportation regulations, dangerous goods/hazmat requirements, and carrier operating standards
• •Act as ICAT’s subject matter expert for defense-related operational processes and provide support to internal stakeholders as needed

Financial & Performance Management

• •Drive operational efficiencies and identify opportunities to improve profitability, service quality, and execution consistency
• •Monitor operational KPIs and report metrics related to service performance, customer satisfaction, profitability, and compliance
• •Contribute operational insight to budgeting, forecasting, and cost management within the defense vertical
• •Identify creative solutions for cost savings and margin improvement across the subvertical

Cross-Functional Leadership

• •Collaborate with Procurement, Operations, Sales, Security, Compliance, and Technology teams
• •Support sales pursuits and key customer engagements requiring customized defense logistics solutions
• •Translate complex operational constraints into clear guidance for commercial and customer-facing teams
• •Educate internal stakeholders on defense market dynamics, compliance requirements, and emerging opportunities

Team Leadership

• •Manage staff, including training on SOP changes and new processes, monitoring productivity, handling performance management and disciplinary issues that may arise
• •Optimize operations, with a strong emphasis on operational excellence focusing on continuous improvement
• •Lead quarterly business reviews with staff: celebrate wins, address gaps, update SOPs
• •Leverage technology (TMS, BI dashboards, RPA/BOT tools) to improve efficiency
• •Capture lessons learned from service failures to update processes
• •Ensure that the department meets operational KPIs and financial goals; including but not limited to:
• •ICAT invoicing and variance policies
• •Creative solutions for cost savings and improving margins
• •Developing and managing the department budget
• •Hiring, on-boarding, and training new team members
• •Lead team meetings, share the department vision and goals
• •Develop and implement opportunities for team growth and development
• •Be a leader through actions, communication, and mentoring
• •other duties, as assigned

Requirements

Qualifications & Skill Requirements

• •Bachelor’s degree in Business Logistics, Operations Management or related field required, advanced degree preferred
• •8+ years of experience in freight forwarding or transportation operations experience across multiple modes
• •5+ years of leading others; Prior leadership role within a freight forwarder, 3PL, defense logistics provider, or government logistics environment
• •Preferred qualifications and skills include:
• •Advanced understanding of international and domestic freight forwarding operations
• •Functional knowledge of government transportation requirements, compliance expectations, and defense logistics operations
• •Dangerous goods / hazmat knowledge preferred
• •Experience managing operational escalations and high-priority shipments
• •Strong knowledge of applicable transportation and trade regulatory frameworks
• •Proven experience managing carrier and vendor relationships
• •Proven commercial, financial, and analytical skills
• •Proven track record of building relationships and gaining credibility with customers and vendors
• •Experience with expedited, project cargo, or time-critical logistics
• •Intermediate skills with Microsoft Office products

Key Competencies

• •Proven ability to lead, mentor, and share knowledge with team members
• •Fosters accountability and commitment from the team to achieve department goals
• •Ability to plan and effectively set priorities for implementation
• •Proven analytic and problem-solving skills in a time-sensitive, logistics environment
• •Excels at meeting deadlines and demonstrates superior time management skills
• •Natural ability to multi-task in a fast-paced work setting with a strong attention to detail
• •Superior communication skills and an ability to motivate people with an emphasis on listening skills
• •Ability to relate to and successfully interact across a variety of settings and work well with a broad and diverse workforce throughout the organization
• •Demonstrates ability to work in a client-centric setting
• •Ability to be flexible as priorities shift
• •Consistent in follow-up and follow-through
• •Highly motivated team player with an outgoing and positive work attitude
• •Credible with a high level of personal integrity
• •Adaptive to ICAT’s core values

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

• •Most work is performed indoors in an office setting
• •Flexible approach to work, due to clients’ needs and project support requirements
• •Regularly use hands to type, handle, or feel
• •Required to use close, distance, color, and peripheral vision, depth perception and can focus
• •Must have clear, easy to understand oral communication ability
• •Ability to push, pull, lift, carry, or maneuver weights up to 20 pounds
• •Ability to sit for prolonged pe