Rail Operations Planner

### Job Details####

Job Title:

Rail Operations Planner  ####

Location:

Oakbrook Terrace, IL, Nationwide United States,USA  #### Company:

McCain Foods  #### Industry Sector:

Food/Processing  ####

Industry Type:

Food & Beverage Products and Processing  #### Career Type:

Operations  #### Job Type:Full Time  #### Minimum Years Experience

Required:

3  #### Salary:$58,800.00 - $78,500.00 . USD annually    $58,800.00-$78,500.00 YEAR  #### Open Until:

September 1, 2026    ### Get Job Alerts
** Career Type:
** Operations   
** Country:
** USAI agree to receive alerts from  and to the Terms of Service.# Rail Operations Planner Back to search results

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** Requisition
**** Job Description
** In every role, McCainers are ambitious, curious, and passionate about creating exceptional work experiences - together. With a customer-first mindset, we make doing business with McCain easy.
** About the role.
** The Rail Operations Planner plays a critical role in supporting the execution, performance, and continuous improvement of McCain’s North American rail transportation network. This position is responsible for coordinating day-to-day rail operations, ensuring shipments move efficiently and reliably while supporting McCain’s broader rail growth strategy. The role requires strong analytical thinking, cross-functional collaboration, and a focus on operational excellence in a fast-paced supply chain environment.
** What you’ll be doing.
*** Support the development and execution of the annual rail operating plan in collaboration with Transportation, Deployment, Supply Planning, and other stakeholders.
* Create and maintain weekly rail plans aligned with inventory needs, service requirements, railcar availability, and network constraints.
* Coordinate daily rail shipment execution, including shipment setup, load release, tracking, communication, and delivery follow-up.
* Partner with railroads, railcar lessors, warehouses, and internal teams to ensure timely movement of empty and loaded railcars.
* Monitor active shipments and proactively manage exceptions such as delays, dwell issues, missed milestones, and service risks.
* Collaborate with origin and destination facilities to ensure proper rail procedures and maximize railcar utilization.
* Provide shipment visibility, status updates, and risk identification to Customer Solutions, Deployment, and Supply Chain teams.
* Support cost management efforts through improved railcar utilization, dwell reduction, invoice accuracy, and cost avoidance initiatives.
* Assist Accounts Payable with freight audit processes, ensuring accurate processing of rail invoices and accessorial charges.
* Lead or support weekly and monthly rail performance reviews, identifying improvement opportunities across service, cost, and operations.
* Utilize systems and reporting tools (SAP/S4, TMS, Power BI, Excel) to track performance and identify trends or gaps.
* Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance reliability, visibility, scalability, and efficiency across the rail network.
** What you’ll need to be successful.
*** Minimum 3+ years of experience in Logistics, Transportation, Supply Chain, Rail Operations, or a related field.
* Experience in rail shipping, private fleet management, rail operations, intermodal transportation, or similar areas.
* University degree in Business, Supply Chain, Logistics, Operations, or equivalent experience.
* Strong understanding of transportation execution, shipment tracking, and exception management.
* Experience in CPG, food manufacturing, or temperature-controlled supply chains is preferred.
* Advanced analytical skills with the ability to identify trends, risks, and actionable solutions.
* Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and familiarity with SAP/S4, TMS platforms, or Power BI.
* Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to manage competing priorities in a dynamic environment.
* Excellent communication skills, with the ability to collaborate across all levels of the organization.
* High attention to detail, data accuracy, and follow-through.
* Self-motivated, proactive, and comfortable working independently.
*…