Carrier Relations Specialist

About the role

The Carrier Relations Specialist supports the growth, onboarding, activation, and ongoing administration of the carrier and owner operator network. This role is responsible for coordinating carrier recruitment activities, onboarding execution, compliance readiness, and carrier support processes to ensure capacity is activated efficiently and maintained in alignment with operational requirements. Working closely with Carrier Relations, Compliance, Operations, and external carriers, this role serves as the execution and coordination function supporting carrier network expansion, operational readiness, and long-term carrier retention. This position plays an important role in improving onboarding speed, carrier experience, compliance readiness, and network scalability. KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Carrier Recruitment & Capacity Support - Support sourcing and pre-screening of prospective carriers and owner operators to support network capacity requirements. - Maintain active recruitment pipelines and carrier databases to ensure ongoing visibility of available capacity. - Identify and support carrier sourcing opportunities using load boards, carrier networks, industry associations, referrals, and regional transportation channels. - Conduct initial carrier qualification activities including: o reference verification o employment validation o insurance review o operating authority verification o equipment validation o safety and compliance screening - Coordinate communications with prospective carriers regarding onboarding requirements, timelines, and next steps. - Support carrier and owner operator recruitment initiatives aligned to network growth objectives. Carrier Onboarding & Activation - Coordinate end-to-end onboarding activities to support timely activation of carriers and owner operators. - Build and maintain complete onboarding packages, Driver Qualification Files (DQFs), and carrier onboarding documentation. - Coordinate scheduling and tracking of drug and alcohol testing, road testing, orientation, onboarding activities - Submit onboarding documentation to Compliance and track completion status. - Prepare and issue onboarding agreements and activation packages. - Maintain onboarding schedules and proactively remove onboarding bottlenecks. Carrier Compliance & Administration - Act as a primary coordination point between carriers, drivers, and Compliance teams. - Track and follow up on expiring documentation including Licenses, medical certificates, insurance, operating authorities, safety certifications - Ensure onboarding and carrier files remain complete, organized, and audit-ready. - Support ELD, logbook, safety, and compliance follow-up activities where required. - Coordinate corrective action administration resulting from compliance findings. Carrier Experience & Operational Support - Serve as an operational support contact for carrier and owner operator inquiries. - Support onboarding, payroll coordination, fuel card setup, ELD access, and operational readiness activities. - Coordinate timely communication regarding operational updates and onboarding milestones. - Prepare employment and experience verification documentation where required. - Build strong working relationships with carriers and owner operators to support engagement and retention. Reporting & Continuous Improvement - Maintain accurate carrier records, onboarding trackers, recruitment pipelines, and administrative reporting. - Track onboarding cycle times, recruitment conversion, carrier activation status, and administrative KPIs. - Identify opportunities to improve onboarding efficiency, carrier experience, and process standardization. - Support carrier management initiatives through accurate administrative execution and reporting. KEY REQUIREMENTS (KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES) - 2-4 years of experience in transportation, logistics, carrier relations, onboarding, compliance coordination, or operational administration. - Post-secondary education in Business, Transportation, Supply Chain, Human Resources, Operations, or a related field preferred. - Experience supporting carrier onboarding, driver administration, transportation operations, or compliance processes. - Working knowledge of carrier onboarding practices, owner operator environments, and transportation documentation requirements. - Familiarity with Canadian transportation regulations and carrier compliance standards (NSC, DOT, etc.) considered an asset. - Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple onboarding and administrative workflows simultaneously. - Strong communication and relationship management skills with internal and external