Rail Freight & 3PL Sales Representative / Business Development Manager

Compensation: $75,000–$100,000 Base + Commission | $125,000–$175,000+ Potential Earnings

Location: Western Suburbs of Chicago, IL

Schedule: Hybrid – 2–3 days working from home per week

Travel: Approximately 10–15% for client meetings and business development

Important: Candidates with general truckload brokerage or standard 3PL sales experience alone will not be a fit without strong rail freight shipment / railcar logistics experience.

About the Opportunity

We are seeking a driven Rail Freight & 3PL Sales Representative / Business Development Manager to join a growing logistics organization in the western suburbs of Chicago.

This is a true hunter role focused on generating new business involving rail freight shipments, railcar transportation, rail-served warehousing, and third-party logistics (3PL) services. The ideal candidate will understand how freight moves by railcar and have experience selling rail transportation, coordinating railcar shipments, or developing business with customers that ship products by rail.

We are particularly interested in sales professionals who understand actual railcar freight movements, including how shipments are arranged, delivered to rail-served facilities, unloaded or transferred when applicable, and moved onward to their final destinations.

Candidates may come from rail freight sales, rail transportation, railcar logistics, rail-served warehousing, or 3PL organizations that handle rail shipments. The key is understanding railcar freight and being able to leverage that knowledge to develop new customer relationships and generate revenue.

This is an excellent opportunity for a proactive business developer who enjoys cold calling, opening new accounts, and selling specialized logistics solutions to manufacturers, food producers, industrial shippers, distributors, and other businesses with rail freight needs.

Key Responsibilities

• Identify, prospect, and secure new business opportunities involving rail freight shipments, railcar logistics, warehousing, and 3PL services.
• Develop relationships with companies that transport products by railcar, including manufacturers, food producers, agricultural businesses, chemical companies, commodity shippers, and industrial customers.
• Sell logistics solutions involving rail freight transportation, rail-served warehousing, product storage, transloading, and distribution.
• Identify customer needs involving inbound and outbound railcar shipments, railcar deliveries, freight handling, storage, and onward transportation.
• Understand railcar types and freight requirements, including tank cars, covered hopper cars, boxcars, and other applicable rail equipment.
• Identify opportunities to bring new rail freight customers into the company's warehouse and logistics network.
• Develop solutions that combine rail transportation, warehouse storage, railcar handling, and truck distribution where applicable.
• Conduct outbound prospecting, cold calling, networking, and lead generation to build a strong pipeline of new business.
• Manage the complete sales cycle, from identifying prospects and understanding shipping requirements through proposals, negotiations, closing, and account development.
• Coordinate with internal warehouse, operations, and logistics teams to ensure customer requirements are met.
• Build long-term relationships with shipping, transportation, and supply chain decision-makers.
• Meet sales targets, acquire new accounts, and consistently drive revenue growth.

Qualifications

• Required: Relevant experience with rail freight shipments, railcar transportation, rail logistics, or selling logistics services to customers that ship freight by rail.
• Experience selling rail freight transportation, coordinating railcar deliveries, managing inbound and outbound rail movements, or selling rail-served warehousing and logistics solutions.
• Familiarity with freight transported in tank cars, covered hopper cars, boxcars, or other specialized rail equipment.
• Understanding of how railcar shipments move between shippers, rail carriers, rail-served facilities, warehouses, and final destinations.
• Experience developing business with manufacturers, food producers, agricultural businesses, chemical companies, commodity shippers, distributors, or other companies that utilize rail transportation.
• Proven success in B2B sales, cold calling, outbound prospecting, and new customer acquisition.
• Ability to identify customer shipping needs and develop solutions involving rail transportation, warehousing, transloading, and distribution.
• Strong communication, negotiation, presentation, and consultative selling skills.
• Self-motivated, results-driven, and comfortable in a hunter-style role focused on generating new business.
• Ability to manage a sales pipeline, close new accounts, and grow customer revenue.
• Willingness to travel approximately 10–15% for client meetings and business development.

Compensation & Benefits

• Base Salary: $75,000–$100,000, depending on experience.
• Earning Potential: Approximately $125,000–$175,000+ with commission.
• Ongoing monthly commissions on qualifying revenue from established accounts.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance available immediately.
• 401(k) with company match after 90 days.
• Seven paid holidays.
• Potential for unlimited PTO.
• Hybrid work schedule with 2–3 days working from home per week.
• Approximately 10–15% travel for client meetings and new business development.

Why Join?

Join a growing logistics organization where your ability to win new customers directly impacts your earnings and the company's continued growth.

This role offers the opportunity to sell specialized rail freight and logistics solutions to businesses that need reliable ways to transport, store, handle, and distribute their products. You will work with customers whose supply chains depend on railcar shipments and help develop solutions that connect rail transportation with warehousing and distribution.

If you have experience with rail freight, understand how railcar shipments work, and enjoy developing new business, this is an opportunity to leverage your industry knowledge while earning competitive commissions.