Freight Forwarding Commercial Manager

• Compensation: Competitive Salary and Benefits Package (to be discussed during first contact).
• Benefits: private healthcare, annual incentive bonus scheme, DCAS car allowance.
• Travel: Regular international travel, with the opportunity to further strengthen a market-leading presence within Africa export air & sea freight, and expand growth across wider global trade lanes
• A highly visible and influential leadership role with clear long-term career progression opportunities.
• Our Client: a privately owned, well-established and highly respected international shipping & logistics business.
• Rare position developing existing strategic customer relationships with a direct impact on business & revenue growth.

Role Overview:

The successful candidate will join the management team of a thriving international freight forwarding operation, working closely with the Branch Director and Branch Manager to drive commercial performance & profitable growth across air & sea freight and associated logistics services. With a strong reputation in the African trade lane, the branch is well placed to build on this specialist position alongside identifying new opportunities across customers, sectors and trade lanes.

Key Responsibilities:

• Work closely with the Branch Director and Branch Manager to develop and implement the branch commercial strategy to drive performance and further strengthen market position.
• Identify emerging market opportunities, customer needs and trade lane developments to support future growth.
• Contribute commercial insight, market intelligence and strategic recommendations to support business growth.
• Work collaboratively with operational teams to ensure pricing, service delivery and growth objectives are aligned.
• Strengthen, expand, and support the evolution of the branch’s specialist Africa export air & sea freight offering.
• Customer Development & Business Growth:
• Build, maintain and develop strong relationships with established key customers, becoming the primary commercial contact for strategic accounts.
• Identify opportunities to increase revenue through cross-selling and upselling across air & sea freight, alongside wider logistics solutions.
• Generate new business opportunities and manage the entire sales cycle from prospecting through to implementation.
• Develop customer-specific solutions that deliver long-term value and sustainable profitability.
• Represent the business at customer meetings, industry events and partner engagements.
• Commercials & Pricing:
• Take ownership of customer pricing structures and ensure commercial agreements support long-term profitability.
• Monitor account performance, identifying opportunities for growth whilst protecting margins.
• Prepare competitive and commercially robust pricing proposals.
• Support and contribute to tender submissions and commercial negotiations.
• Negotiate agreements that deliver value for both customers and the business.

Experience & Qualifications:

• Substantial experience within freight forwarding, international logistics or a comparable commercial supply chain environment is essential.
• Excellent understanding of air & sea freight forwarding and freight operations, services and commercial practices.
• Proven track record of winning new business whilst retaining, developing and growing existing customer accounts.
• Experience developing pricing strategies, commercial models and customer-specific solutions.
• Demonstrable success negotiating commercial agreements and delivering profitable growth.
• Strong IT proficiency, including Microsoft Office applications and freight management systems.
• Knowledge of African trade lanes is preferred.

Skills & Attributes:

• Energetic, confident, and resilient character.
• Highly commercially astute, results driven & customer-focused.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to translate plans into practical commercial outcomes.
• Excellent communication, presentation and negotiation skills, with the ability to influence key stakeholders and build long-lasting commercial relationships.
• Collaborative leadership style with an analytical approach with the ability to interpret commercial data and make informed decisions.
• Proactive, self-starting and comfortable operating in a fast-paced commercial environment.

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