Business Development Manager
Business Development Manager, Freight Forwarding
Location: United States, East Coast
Function: Air, Ocean, Domestic, Customs Brokerage, Supply Chain Solutions
Overview
The Business Development Manager is responsible for driving net-new revenue across Air, Ocean, and Domestic services, targeting mid-market and enterprise accounts across key US trade lanes. The role requires disciplined pipeline management, structured customer engagement, and the ability to translate operational capability into commercially defensible solutions.
Key Responsibilities
Revenue Generation
• Build and manage a targeted sales pipeline across import, export, and domestic transportation.
• Produce qualified opportunities through structured prospecting, data-led account mapping, and competitive displacement activity.
• Deliver contract wins through formal RFI/RFQ processes and solution design in partnership with operations, pricing, and product teams.
• Execute quarterly and annual revenue targets with clear reporting, forecasting accuracy, and CRM compliance.
Client Development
• Secure new business across Air, Ocean FCL/LCL, Customs Brokerage, Transload, Warehousing, and value-added services.
• Develop strategic relationships with key decision-makers in freight-intensive industries including manufacturing, retail, automotive, industrial projects, and consumer goods.
• Lead customer reviews, QBRs, and SOP creation to ensure service reliability, margin protection, and ongoing account expansion.
• Identify cross-sell opportunities across multimodal, project cargo, and supply chain solutions.
Commercial & Analytical Execution
• Coordinate pricing, margin analysis, and lane strategy with trade lane managers and carriers.
• Produce commercial proposals that reflect operational capability, cost integrity, and contractual compliance.
• Monitor competitor behaviour, rate movements, transit times, and carrier allocations to maintain competitive positioning.
• Ensure all commercial activity aligns with internal governance, credit requirements, and risk controls.
Operational Integration
• Work closely with air, ocean, brokerage, and domestic operations to ensure a controlled onboarding process.
• Oversee the development of SOPs, KPIs, and customer-specific service expectations.
• Maintain escalation control and ensure any service issues are managed promptly to protect revenue and retention.
Requirements
• 3 to 7 years of new-business sales experience within international freight forwarding.
• Proven track record generating Air and Ocean revenue in the US market.
• Strong understanding of end-to-end forwarding processes, INCOTERMS, customs requirements, and carrier procurement.
• Ability to develop strategic commercial solutions and manage executive-level relationships.
• CRM discipline, structured forecasting, and strong written and verbal communication skills.
