About the Role
The South America Logistics Cost Control Manager will oversee the comprehensive planning and execution of the logistics budget across South America, ensuring financial alignment with operational goals. This role collaborates closely with the Finance Business Partner at Headquarters and the regional Cost Control team for Fulfillment to maintain fiscal discipline. The manager will work in tandem with leaders from Cross-Border, First Mile, Last Mile, Reverse Logistics, Customs Operations, and Logistics Planning teams to ensure all activities stay within budget parameters. Additionally, this position holds responsibility for managing the P&L of logistics operations, including the Customs Clearance Center.
The role involves spearheading cost control initiatives, enhancing billing, payment, and reconciliation processes, and ensuring seamless coordination with third-party logistics providers (3PLs), procurement, accounting, and tax teams. The manager will enforce contractual obligations, oversee penalties and claims management to recover funds, and ensure compliance with payment timelines and invoice accuracy, driving continuous process improvements as needed.
Serving as the key financial advisor to the Regional Logistics Director, this position delivers critical insights on costs, budgeting, and financial controls to shape strategic decisions. The Logistics Cost Control Manager will also lead a team of Cost Control Specialists, requiring proven leadership and team-building skills. The role is tasked with achieving logistics operation cost-related KPIs, consistently generating cost-saving strategies, and pinpointing inefficiencies on a weekly and monthly basis while leading cross-functional efforts to meet cost objectives.
Key Responsibilities
* Budget Planning & Cost Oversight: Manage the logistics budget across all operational domains, ensuring adherence to approved financial limits.
* P&L Accountability: Supervise the profit and loss statement for logistics operations, spotting trends, risks, and optimization opportunities.
* Financial Coordination: Bridge the regional logistics team with HQ finance, accounting, and tax departments to ensure clarity and alignment on cost frameworks and projections.
* Operational Expense Tracking: Partner with logistics managers to monitor costs and devise proactive measures to avoid overruns.
* Billing & Payment Streamlining: Drive initiatives to enhance billing precision, payment reconciliation, and cash flow efficiency alongside 3PLs, accounting, and tax teams.
* Contract Enforcement & Recovery: Uphold 3PL contract terms, apply penalties where applicable, and manage claims processes to recover value.
* Data-Driven Insights: Leverage SQL and Python to analyze and visualize cost data, uncovering inefficiencies and actionable opportunities.
* Continuous Improvement: Design and execute strategies to boost cost efficiency, reduce risks, and refine financial workflows.
* Cost Goal Achievement: Regularly identify inefficiencies, propose cost-saving measures, and lead cross-functional teams to hit cost targets.
* Team Leadership: Guide and develop the Cost Control Specialists team, fostering a culture of performance, efficiency, and financial accountability.
Requirements
* Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Logistics, Supply Chain Management, or a related discipline.
* At least 7 years of experience in cost control, financial planning, or operational finance within logistics or supply chain environments.
* Fluency in Portuguese and English is required; proficiency in Spanish and Mandarin is advantageous.
* Advanced skills in database management, including SQL and Python, for cost analysis and reporting purposes.
* Proven expertise in managing logistics budgets and key financial metrics (P&L, OPEX, and cost forecasting).
* Deep knowledge of logistics operations, encompassing transportation, fulfillment, and customs clearance.
* Strong capability to align operational and financial teams, driving cost discipline and process enhancements.
* Demonstrated experience in contract management, including penalty enforcement and financial recovery tactics.
* Leadership experience with a track record of inspiring, developing, and managing high-performing teams.
* Sharp analytical skills, a problem-solving approach, and the ability to lead cross-functional cost-efficiency projects.