Logistics Manager

Safety First. Excellence. Pride. Integrity. Compassion. Trust. Are you ready to plant your career in a place where words like these serve as the foundation for doing business every day? At Michigan Sugar, our purpose is Making Life Sweeter, and our mission is Creating Growth and Opportunity.

Michigan Sugar Company has an immediate, full-time opportunity for a Logistics Manager, located at the Bay City Factory, 2600 S. Euclid Ave., Bay City, MI 48706.

Job Summary

The Logistics Manager oversees the inventory levels, logistics and transportation of co-products, ensuring the safe, timely, and cost-effective delivery of molasses, Betaine, CMS, and beet pellets. This role involves coordinating with internal teams, suppliers, and logistics partners to streamline operations, reduce costs, and improve efficiency. The Logistics Manager ensures compliance with safety, quality, and regulatory standards while driving continuous improvements in transportation performance. Strong leadership and expertise in rail and trucking operations are essential to meet organizational goals and customer needs.

Primary Responsibilities

Strategic Planning & Management

• Develop and implement logistics strategies that align with organizational goals and customer demands.
• Forecast and manage inventory levels to prevent stock shortages and minimize waste.
• Plan and schedule efficient loading and unloading activities to meet deadlines and customer expectations.
  
  

Logistics & Transportation Coordination

• Oversee inbound and outbound logistics, ensuring timely and cost-effective transportation of goods via rail and trucking.
• Coordinate with internal teams, carriers, and suppliers to resolve transportation issues and ensure on-time delivery.
• Monitor shipments, track progress, and provide regular updates to stakeholders.
• Implement process improvements to optimize transportation schedules, reduce costs, and enhance efficiency.
• Ensure compliance with shipping, customs, and regulatory requirements.
• Manage relationships with rail and trucking service providers, evaluating performance and addressing inefficiencies.
• Oversee the receipt, storage, and shipment of bulk agricultural co-products.
  
  

Inventory, Quality & Cost Control

• Analyze operational data to identify cost-saving opportunities and streamline logistics processes.
• Maintain accurate inventory records to minimize surplus and shortages, ensuring operational efficiency.
• Ensure product quality by maintaining strict quality control measures throughout the supply chain.
• Keep accurate documentation of shipments, including bills of lading, weight certificates, and delivery receipts.
  
  

Team Leadership & Collaboration

• Work closely with production, sales, and customer service teams to align logistics efforts with broader company objectives.
• Lead and develop a team of operational staff, ensuring adherence to safety, regulatory, and quality standards.
• Monitor team performance, delegate tasks, and provide regular feedback to ensure high productivity and operational efficiency.
  
  

Risk Management, Safety & Compliance

• Identify supply chain risks and implement proactive strategies to mitigate potential disruptions.
• Ensure compliance with all safety, regulatory, and quality standards, including OSHA and DOT regulations.
• Create a safe work environment by enforcing safety protocols and conducting regular safety training.
• Maintain accurate documentation for all shipments, including invoices and customs paperwork.
  
  

Reporting & Communication

• Provide regular updates to internal teams (e.g., factory, production, and supply chain departments) on logistics performance.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for addressing transportation-related concerns, both internally and externally.
• Collaborate with maintenance teams to address any track or infrastructure issues that may impact logistics operations.
  
  

Position Qualifications

• Experience: 3-5 years of experience in transportation coordination, rail logistics, or trucking operations, preferably within manufacturing or agriculture.
• Leadership: 3-5 years of experience in supervisory or management roles (preferred).
• Education: A bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, Logistics, or a related field (preferred).
• Communication & Leadership: Strong verbal and written communication skills with proven leadership and team management capabilities.
• Logistics & Operations: Knowledge of bulk commodity handling, storage systems, and transportation logistics.
• Safety & Compliance: Familiarity with OSHA, DOT regulations, and industry safety standards.
• Problem Solving: Strong analytical and decision-making abilities to resolve complex transportation challenges.
• Technology: Proficiency in inventory management, logistics software (e.g., RAPID or equivalent tracking systems), and other industry tools.
• Organization & Multitasking: Excellent time management and organizational skills for overseeing multiple projects and priorities.
• Regulatory Knowledge: Strong knowledge in rail and trucking operations, including compliance with relevant regulatory and industry standards.
  
  

KEY COMPETENCIES

• Strong interpersonal communication skills
• Proficient skills in MS Office products and controls systems engineering software
• Ability to work well with others in a team environment
• Provides model behavior to demonstrate corporate values
  
  

NOTE: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by staff assigned to this position. The above statements are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills that may be required. All staff may be required to perform duties outside their normal responsibilities as needed.

Michigan Sugar Company offers competitive market wages for both hourly and salaried employees, opportunity for professional growth and development, and comprehensive benefit packages that may include medical, dental, 401(k) and paid time off. To learn more visit www.michigansugar.com .

Michigan Sugar Company was founded in 1906 when six smaller sugar companies merged their operations. In 2002, Michigan Sugar Company became a grower-owned cooperative and in 2004, it merged with Monitor Sugar Company to form the company that exists today.

Michigan Sugar Company is headquartered in Bay City and has sugar beet processing facilities in Bay City, Caro, Croswell and Sebewaing. Its nearly 900 grower-owners plant and harvest up to 140,000 acres of sugar beets each year in 17 Michigan counties, as well as Ontario, Canada. Those beets are sliced at the factories and turned into about 1.3 billion pounds of sugar annually.

That sugar is sold to industrial, commercial, and retail customers under the Pioneer and Big Chief brands.

Michigan Sugar Company has approximately 1,000 year-round employees and an additional 1,100 seasonal workers. It is the No. 1 employer in Huron County, the No. 2 employer in Bay and Sanilac counties and the No. 3 employer in Tuscola County. The company’s annual payroll is more than $90 million and its annual local economic impact is about $700 million.

Michigan Sugar Company is the third largest of eight sugar beet processing companies in the United States and Michigan is one of 11 states where sugar beets are grown in the country.

Michigan Sugar Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer