Director, Physical Operations – Transportation - New York, 10001
Universal Music Group, New York
Director, Physical Operations – Transportation - New York, 10001, United States of America
Virgin Music Group (VMG) is the world’s leading partner to independent labels and artists, delivering a modern, global services platform across distribution, marketing, analytics, and physical commerce. With teams in 30+ countries, VMG supports artists and entrepreneurs with flexible, data-driven solutions that scale globally.
Our Global Physical Procurement, Supply Chain & Logistics team manages the end-to-end lifecycle of physical music products — from forecasting and manufacturing through global distribution — ensuring products reach fans on time, at the right cost, and at the highest quality.
The Director, Physical Operations – Transportation is a senior operational leader responsible for managing and optimizing VMG’s global transportation and customs operations across sea, air, and road freight.
This role serves as the central authority for transportation execution, carrier strategy, and customs compliance, ensuring finished goods and materials move efficiently through a complex international logistics network. You will balance speed, cost, service levels, and risk while supporting time-sensitive release schedules and evolving business demands.
How We LEAD
We plan ahead and execute with urgency
We operate as one team across functions and regions
We address challenges early and decisively
We stay artist-first while building scalable systems
How You’ll CREATE
Global Transportation Management
Manage day-to-day global transportation operations across sea, air, and road freight
Oversee inbound, outbound, and inter-facility movements supporting manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution
Ensure transportation execution aligns with release timelines, service commitments, and business priorities
Carrier Strategy, Rates & Performance
Prepare, analyze, and lead rate negotiations, tenders, and carrier selection processes
Establish and manage service-level agreements (SLAs) and key performance indicators (KPIs)
Monitor carrier performance, address service gaps, and drive continuous improvement
Customs & Trade Compliance
Manage customs clearance processes and broker relationships across the US, UK, and EU
Ensure compliance (import/export regulations), documentation requirements, and trade policies
Serve as the primary escalation point for customs-related delays, audits, or exceptions
Cost Control & Financial Oversight
Control and optimize transportation costs, duties, and taxes across regions and modes
Partner closely with Finance to ensure accurate cost forecasting, accruals, and variance analysis
Identify cost-saving opportunities without compromising service or reliability
Issue Resolution & Escalation Management
A hands-on approach to resolving shipment delays, disruptions, and customs issues as they arise
Proactively manage exceptions, prioritizing high-impact or time-sensitive releases
Communicate risks, delays, and resolutions clearly to internal stakeholders
Cross-Functional Leadership
Act as the primary transportation and customs subject matter expert (SME) for the wider business
Collaborate closely with Production, Warehousing & Inventory Management, Finance, Sales, and Physical Operations teams
Ensure transportation strategies and execution remain aligned across functions and regions
Bring Your Vibe
At VMG, physical products are a critical part of the artist and fan experience. This role plays a key part in ensuring our releases move reliably through the global supply chain — turning creativity into physical products that arrive on time, worldwide.
You are a hands-on logistics leader who thrives in fast-moving, high-stakes environments. You bring operational rigor, commercial acumen, and a calm, solutions-oriented approach to problem-solving. You’re comfortable being in the details when needed, while also thinking strategically about how transportation supports scale and growth.
Proven experience leading global transportation and logistics operations
Strong hands-on knowledge of ocean, air, and road freight
Deep understanding of customs clearance processes & broker management in the US, UK, and EU
Experience negotiating rates, managing SLAs, and controlling transportation-related costs
Ability to manage complexity, prioritize effectively, and resolve issues under tight deadlines
Excellent cross-functional communication and stakeholder management skills