Business Applications Manager

Business Applications Manager
Location: Cranberry Township, PA / Remote or hybrid arrangements may be considered for exceptional candidates
Job Type: Full-Time | Exempt

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire.  This position is not eligible for employer-sponsored work authorization, now or in the future.

We are seeking a Business Applications Manager to own the strategy, optimization, and ongoing development of our business application ecosystem. This individual will ensure our technology supports and scales the business, partnering with leaders across all functional areas of the organization to understand business needs and improve processes through technology, automation, and AI.

This role sits at the intersection of operations, technology, data, and strategy and will own the business applications, systems roadmap, and next generation of processes that support our continued growth.

You will work closely with internal stakeholders, software providers, implementation partners, and IT resources while joining a team that lives by our core values: Customer Obsessed, Team Focused, Be Valuable, Do the Right Thing.

About Us:
Knichel Logistics is a fast-growing, woman-owned and operated, non-asset-based third-party logistics provider headquartered in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania. From the food and beverages that stock our shelves, to packaging materials and everything in between, we arrange the transportation of consumer goods throughout North America.

Following significant growth in recent years, we are continuing to invest heavily in technology, automation, and artificial intelligence to improve both the employee and customer experience while positioning ourselves for our next phase of growth.

Key Responsibilities:

• Own Business Applications and Technology Strategy:
  • Own the full life cycle of our business applications - from evaluation and selection through implementation, adoption, enhancement, and renewal - including our Transportation Management Systems (TMS), Microsoft 365, Power BI, data warehouse, AI platforms, and third-party software integrations.
  • Own and manage the business application roadmap, ensuring systems align with company strategy and support business objectives.
  • Evaluate existing systems, identify gaps, and recommend new technologies that improve business performance and scalability.
  • Establish standards and governance for evaluating new technology and prioritizing enhancement requests.
  • Coordinate implementations across internal stakeholders, software providers, implementation partners, and IT resources.
  • Measure system adoption and utilization to ensure the business realizes the full value of its technology investments.
  • Own the automation strategy, identifying opportunities to leverage automation and AI - utilizing tools such as Microsoft Power Automate, Power BI, AI platforms, and system integrations - to eliminate manual work and improve scalability.
• Drive Business Process Optimization:
  • Partner with functional leaders across operations, sales, pricing, procurement, finance, and support functions to understand current processes and identify opportunities for improvement.
  • Facilitate process mapping, workflow analysis, and root cause analysis exercises.
  • Partner with leadership to prioritize improvement initiatives based on business impact, effort, and strategic value.
  • Lead cross-functional projects from concept through implementation and adoption.
• Own Vendor Relationships and System Performance:
  • Own vendor relationships end to end, including product roadmaps, implementations, renewals, performance management, and ongoing enhancements.
  • Serve as the primary point of ownership between business stakeholders and software vendors, ensuring systems align with operational needs and deliver ongoing value.
  • Support process standardization and best practice development across the organization.
  • Develop metrics and reporting to measure the effectiveness of improvement initiatives.
• Lead Change Management and Adoption:
  • Own system adoption - help teams successfully adopt new processes and technologies through communication, training, and documentation.
  • Build relationships across departments to foster a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.
  • Promote data-driven decision making throughout the organization.

What We Are Looking For:

• Education:
  • Bachelor’s degree in business, logistics, supply chain management, information systems, industrial engineering, or a related field (required).
• Experience:
  • 5+ years of experience in business systems, business applications, product ownership, technology strategy, process improvement, or a similar role.
  •  Experience leading cross-functional projects and driving organizational change.
• Skills:
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to simplify complex processes.
  • Experience owning or administering business applications, workflow automation, business intelligence, or systems optimization tools.
  • Exposure to technologies such as Transportation Management Systems (TMS), Microsoft 365, Power BI, Power Automate, SQL, data warehouses, AI tools, RPA platforms, or similar technologies is strongly preferred.
  • Experience working with transportation, logistics, supply chain, or service organizations is strongly preferred but not required.
  • Lean, Six Sigma, PMP, or similar certifications are a plus.
• What Makes Someone Successful in This Role:
  • Thinks strategically about business systems and how technology can support and scale the business.
  • Understands both business operations and technology and can translate business needs into practical technology solutions.
  • Drives adoption and organizational change and is comfortable challenging the status quo.
  • Able to communicate effectively with both front-line employees and executive leadership.
  • Strong project management and organizational skills.
  • Capable of balancing long-term strategy with practical, hands-on execution.

Why Join Knichel Logistics?

• Opportunity to directly influence the future direction of a rapidly growing company.
• High visibility role with exposure to executive leadership and strategic initiatives.
• Ability to shape and lead the organization's automation and AI strategy.
• Collaborative and entrepreneurial environment where ideas can quickly become reality.
• Competitive compensation package including salary, bonus opportunities, and benefits.

Are You Ready?

If you enjoy owning business systems, improving processes, leveraging technology, and helping organizations scale smarter, we'd love to hear from you.