Direct Reports:

National Sales Manager – Freight Forwarding
Ocean Export Team
Ocean Import Team
Air Freight Team
Customer Service Team
Documentation Team
Pricing & Procurement Team
Customs Brokerage (CHA) Coordination Team
Branch Freight Forwarding Managers

Position Summary

The Head – Freight Forwarding will be responsible for leading and expanding the PAN India Freight Forwarding Business. The role carries complete ownership of business development, P&L, operations, customer experience, compliance, and strategic growth across Ocean Freight, Air Freight, Customs Brokerage, Project Logistics, Multimodal Transportation, and International Supply Chain Solutions.

The incumbent will work closely with the Chief Operating Officer to formulate business strategies, strengthen the national freight forwarding network, develop strategic alliances with shipping lines and overseas partners, and position SSSPL as a preferred end-to-end international logistics provider.

Key Responsibilities

1. Business Strategy & Growth

Develop and execute the Freight Forwarding business strategy aligned with SSSPL's overall growth objectives.
Drive PAN India business expansion across all major ports, airports, ICDs, and inland logistics hubs.
Achieve annual Revenue, Gross Profit (GP), EBITDA, and market share targets.
Identify new business opportunities across Ocean Freight, Air Freight, Customs Brokerage, Cross Border Logistics, Project Cargo, and Value Added Services.
Develop new trade lanes and international partnerships.
Lead strategic RFQs, RFPs, and contract negotiations with key customers.
Collaborate with regional sales and operations teams to expand business across India.

2. Profit & Loss Ownership

Own the complete Profit & Loss (P&L) of the Freight Forwarding Division.
Monitor Revenue, GP, EBITDA, Operating Costs, and Net Profit.
Drive margin improvement through strategic procurement and pricing.
Review financial performance with the COO and implement corrective actions.
Ensure sustainable and profitable business growth.

3. Sales & Business Development

Lead the national Freight Forwarding Sales Team.
Develop annual sales plans and customer acquisition strategies.
Build relationships with large corporates, exporters, importers, OEMs, and multinational companies.
Increase wallet share from existing customers through integrated logistics solutions.
Conduct Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) with strategic customers.
Strengthen the company's market position in the international logistics sector.

4. Operations Management

Ensure seamless execution of Ocean, Air, Import, Export, Customs Clearance, and Project Cargo operations.
Standardize operating procedures across all locations.
Monitor shipment milestones, transit times, and customer SLAs.
Minimize detention, demurrage, storage, and operational inefficiencies.
Drive continuous improvement through automation and process optimization.
Resolve critical operational escalations.

5. Carrier & Partner Management

Build strategic partnerships with Shipping Lines, Airlines, NVOCCs, Overseas Agents, Freight Consolidators, Customs Brokers, and Transport Partners.
Negotiate competitive annual freight contracts.
Ensure capacity availability during peak seasons.
Continuously benchmark rates and service quality.
Evaluate vendor performance using defined KPIs.

6. Customer Experience & Service Excellence

Deliver industry-leading customer service standards.
Ensure timely communication and shipment visibility.
Develop customized logistics solutions for key customers.
Improve customer retention and satisfaction.
Resolve customer escalations proactively.

7. Compliance & Risk Management

Ensure compliance with:

Customs Regulations
DGFT Guidelines
FEMA Regulations
GST Laws
IATA Regulations
Dangerous Goods Regulations
International Trade Compliance
Company SOPs and Governance Framework

8. Leadership & Talent Development

Build and lead a high-performing Freight Forwarding organization.
Recruit, mentor, and retain top industry talent.
Define KRAs and KPIs for all team members.
Conduct periodic performance reviews.
Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, and customer-centricity.

9. MIS & Executive Reporting

Present periodic reports to the Chief Operating Officer , including:

Revenue Dashboard
Gross Profit Analysis
P&L Review
Sales Pipeline
Customer Profitability
Trade Lane Performance
Carrier Performance
Shipment TAT
Detention & Demurrage Report
Customer Satisfaction Index
Receivables & DSO
Budget vs. Actual Analysis
Business Forecasts
Strategic Growth Initiatives

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Financial

Revenue Growth
Gross Profit (GP)
EBITDA
Net Profit
Business Margin
P&L Performance

Business Development

New Customer Acquisition
RFQ/RFP Win Ratio
Customer Retention
Key Account Growth
Cross-Selling Revenue

Operational Excellence

On-Time Shipment Performance
Shipment TAT
Documentation Accuracy
Detention & Demurrage Reduction
Claims Ratio
SLA Compliance

Customer

Customer Satisfaction (CSAT)
Net Promoter Score (NPS)
Escalation Resolution Time
Customer Retention %

Finance

Billing Accuracy
Collection Efficiency
DSO
Working Capital Optimization

People

Team Productivity
Employee Retention
Training & Capability Development
Leadership Bench Strength

Required Skills

Functional Expertise

Ocean Freight (FCL/LCL)
Air Freight
Customs Brokerage
Project Logistics
Multimodal Transportation
DGFT & Customs Procedures
Incoterms
International Trade
Freight Procurement
Pricing Strategy
Supply Chain Management

Leadership Competencies

Strategic Business Planning
P&L Management
Business Development
Negotiation & Commercial Acumen
Customer Relationship Management
Team Leadership
Change Management
Decision Making

Systems

CargoWise
Logi-Sys
SAP / ERP Systems
CRM Platforms
Advanced MS Excel
Power BI / Tableau
Microsoft PowerPoint

Educational Qualification

MBA (International Business / Logistics / Supply Chain / Marketing)
Graduate in Commerce, Engineering, or Management.
Certification in Export-Import Management or Supply Chain will be an added advantage.

Experience

12–18 years of experience in Freight Forwarding and International Logistics.
Minimum 5 years in a senior leadership role with P&L ownership .
Proven experience in scaling freight forwarding operations across PAN India .
Strong industry relationships with shipping lines, airlines, overseas agents, customs brokers, and global logistics partners.

Job Requirements: Ocean Freight (FCL/LCL), Air Freight, Customs Brokerage, Project Logistics, Multimodal Transportation, DGFT & Customs Procedures, Incoterms, International Trade, Freight Procurement, Pricing Strategy, Supply Chain Management, Strategic Business Planning, P&L Management, Business Development, Negotiation, Commercial Acumen, Customer Relationship Management, Team Leadership, Change Management, Decision Making, CargoWise, Logi-Sys, SAP / ERP Systems, CRM Platforms, Advanced MS Excel, Power BI / Tableau, Microsoft PowerPoint

Head - Freight Forwarding

Start with your email