Manager Rail Logistics

Purpose of Job

• Analyze production forecasts, sales forecasts, and inventory requirements to determine fleet requirements. Evaluate fleet size vs. business needs and develop plan to cover surplus / shortfalls by cleaning equipment to move between fleets or move equipment to / from storage. Provide oversight to ensure railcar inspections and repairs are completed in accordance with regulatory requirements, service provider and Sasol requirements. Ensure the work is scheduled so that it does not impact Sasol shipping plans. Requires strong negotiation, interpersonal and analytical skills to optimize costs (rail leasing and freight expenses) for production, sales and distribution services network.

Key Accountabilities

• Work closely with Planning, Operations, Sales, Customer Fulfillment personnel Analysts and 3PL service provider to develop a railcar demand forecast plan to meet customer shipment and plant inventory requirements. Compare demand forecast vs pending orders to make sure they are consistent and take action to address discrepancies between forecasts and actual demand.
• Evaluate rail transportation trends/anomalies and understand their impact to the business / operations demand. Monitor railcar supply and adjust plan as needed. 
• Oversee tank car qualification schedules, ensuring compliance with pressure car and non-pressure car inspection requirements.
• Manage relationships with tank car lessors, repair shops and cleaning facilities. 
• Review and manage inbound empty railcar pipeline and adjust as needed by moving cars to / from storage. Work with Lake Charles Logistics team to manage SIT yard railcar inventory levels to ensure the right cars are in the yard and the yard is at target levels. 
• Manage outside railcar storage yard inventory levels including yard activities - inbound / and outbound flows and ensuring they arrive / depart per plan. Maintain accurate inventory levels / records; review and approve invoices. 
• Develop car cleaning strategy to meet railcar business demand. Work with LC Logistics to maximize car cleaning at facility. Schedule and plan work at outside railcar cleaning facilities to supplement LC cleaning process. 
• Coordinate with LC Logistics to develop plan to ensure railcar inspections / qualifications are completed timely with minimal impact on the railcar supply plan. 
• Mange relationship with the railcar 3PL partner to use their systems to optimize fleet utilization. (ie plant and customer dwell times, transit performance for railroad service feedback, manage railcar demurrage billing program, storage cost optimization). Track shipments proactively to prevent dwell, mitigate service failures, and maintain customer delivery windows.
• Manage auditing and processing of all expenses for freight as well as managing the fleet. This includes freight invoices as well as all maintenance, storage and supplier Invoices to ensure they are correct and paid on time.

Formal Education

• Bachelor’s degree in a technical or business-related discipline, plus 10 years of experience in distribution or related business experience. 

Working Experience

• Experience with plant rail operations, rail equipment and regulatory requirements is desired. Manage supplier relationships to provide superior delivery performance. Work with Customer Service/Business teams to resolve service issues. Broad knowledge of SNA operations and products is highly desirable.

Required Personal & Professional Skills

• Proficient in Microsoft Office- excel, word, power point; working knowledge of SAP required
• Effective communication skills both oral and written
• Strong negotiation and organizational skills
• Strong analytical background with ability to solve problems quickly and effectively.
• Ability to handle a high volume of work in a fast-paced environment.