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