Director, Asset-Based Drayage (Chicago or Norfolk)

A national asset-based drayage and intermodal carrier is expanding its asset side with openings across the leadership and operations stack. The business operates under multiple MC authorities across the East Coast, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, and Great Lakes markets. Target markets: Chicago and Norfolk. Open to other strong drayage markets if the right candidate surfaces elsewhere. Role level: Director. What you will do • Own the day-to-day leadership of a regional terminal or multi-terminal drayage operation • Hit regional revenue, GP, driver count, and customer retention targets • Hire and lead Terminal Managers and Dispatch; build operational standards and SOPs • Grow the shipper book through your existing customer relationships; onboard new freight into the terminal • Activate your owner-operator network to meet demand; manage driver pay, retention, and turnover • Manage chassis, equipment, and port-interchange logistics; stay ahead of demurrage and per-diem exposure • Report performance to the VP / executive team IMPORTANT — the one non-negotiable: candidates must bring BOTH sides of the drayage equation. A customer following (shippers, BCOs, freight forwarders they can bring freight from on day one) AND an owner-operator driver following (direct relationships with contract drivers they can recruit onto the authority). Candidates with only one half of this combination are not a fit. What we are looking for • Proven asset-based drayage or intermodal experience at the director level • Customer following: active shipper, BCO, or freight forwarder relationships that can be activated to generate freight for a new or expanding terminal • Owner-operator driver following: direct, loyal driver relationships that can be recruited onto the authority to support new freight commitments • Deep understanding of port drayage economics, chassis availability, demurrage and per-diem exposure, and intermodal rail-ramp operations • Operational discipline and comfort owning P&L outcomes at the local terminal or regional level • Based in or willing to be in-market in Chicago, Norfolk, or an equivalent drayage market Compensation: competitive and commensurate with experience.