Key Account Manager
1st choice freightChicago, IL
Key Account Manager
1st choice freightChicago, ILMid L4
Freight Transportation ArrangementAll Other Support Activities for TransportationGeneral Freight Trucking, Local
APPLY NOWKey Account Manager | 1st Choice Freight | Chicago, IL
Location: In-Office / HybridAbout 1st Choice Freight
Every load tells a story about the company behind it, and at 1st Choice Freight we make sure it's a good one. We're a fast-growing 3PL built on a simple idea: customers and carriers deserve a partner who picks up the phone, owns the problem, and gets the freight where it needs to go. We're growing quickly, and we're looking for driven people who take ownership and want their work to make a visible difference. If you want a place where your effort is noticed, your ideas are heard, and your career can grow as fast as you can, you'll fit in here.
The Role:
As a Key Account Manager, you'll be the main point of contact for a book of customer accounts, and the person they trust to keep their freight moving. You'll report to our Operations Manager and work closely with our carrier and sales teams to make every shipment run smoothly from tender to delivery. The role focuses mainly on Truckload and Expedite shipments, with chances to work on Drayage and LTL as you grow. This is a hands-on job: you'll run the daily work on your accounts and also build the relationships that grow them.
What You'll Do:
- Own the customer relationship
- Serve as the primary daily point of contact for assigned key customer accounts
- Build trusted relationships with shippers, receivers, and decision-makers at every level
- Learn each customer's business, lanes, and pain points well enough to anticipate what they need before they ask
- Find opportunities to grow existing accounts through new lanes, modes, and services
- Execute with precision
Manage orders end to end, from building the order, to scheduling and communicating updates.
Respond to customer requests, quotes, and updates quickly and professionally
Proactively communicate shipment status, delays, and exceptions, so customers hear it from you first
Keep order details in our TMS accurate and complete
Solve problems
Resolve service issues, delays, and disputes quickly and fairly
Create solutions for complex, time-sensitive, or unusual shipments
Work with the carrier team to communicate needs on urgent shipments
Spot recurring issues and recommend process improvements to the Operations Manager
Thrive in the pace
Juggle multiple shipments and priorities in a fast-moving, ever-changing environment
Stay calm and solutions-focused when plans change at the last minute
What You Bring
RequiredTruckload operations experience at a freight brokerage, 3PL, or carrier
Strong customer relationship management and client communication skills
Proven problem-solving and conflict-resolution abilities
Excellent organization and time management, with a track record of meeting deadlines
Comfort working in a fast-paced, high-volume environment
PreferredExperience with Expedite, Drayage, or LTL is a bonus
Experience growing accounts or supporting business development
Familiarity with a brokerage TMS (Turvo experience is a plus)
Why 1st Choice Freight
A growing company where your impact is visible and recognized
Room to advance as the team and the business grow
A team-first culture built on ownership, hustle, and doing right by our customers
Eligible for bonuses/commissions based on performance
Medical, Dental, Vision insurance; PTO and Sick leave plans
Ready to make an impact? Apply today.
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Level
Mid L4
Location
Chicago, IL
Occupation
Cargo and Freight Agents
Industry
Freight Transportation Arrangement
Posted
9 days ago