Business Development Manager – Air & Ocean Freight

Location: Chicago, IL Sector: International Freight Forwarding Type: Full-Time | Outside Sales

The Opportunity

We are working with a well-established international freight forwarder with a strong presence across air and ocean trade lanes to find a driven Business Development Manager for their Chicago operation.

This is a pure hunter role. You will be responsible for building and growing your own book of business from scratch, targeting new logos across a broad range of industries. There are no house accounts handed to you. The expectation is that you come in, identify opportunities, and close them.

The company has the infrastructure, the lane coverage, and the operational depth to back you up once you win the business. Your job is to win it.

What You'll Be Doing

• Prospecting and developing new business across air freight, ocean freight, and related services
• Managing the full sales cycle from cold outreach through to close
• Building and maintaining relationships with importers, exporters, and decision-makers across target verticals
• Collaborating with operations and pricing teams to develop competitive solutions
• Maintaining an active pipeline and reporting on activity and revenue growth
• Representing the company at industry events and networking opportunities in the Chicago market

What We're Looking For

• Minimum 3 years of outside sales experience in international freight forwarding
• Proven track record of new business development — we want to see numbers
• Strong knowledge of air and ocean products, trade lanes, and incoterms
• Hunter mentality — self-motivated, persistent, and comfortable working independently
• Existing relationships in the Chicago market is a plus
• No non-compete issues

What's on Offer

• Competitive base salary DOE
• Uncapped commission structure
• Full benefits package
• Established operational support and a strong carrier network behind you
• Real autonomy to build your territory your way

Interested?

This role is being managed exclusively by Altius Talent. All applications are treated in strict confidence.

Contact: Lewis Wilson E: lewis.wilson@wearealtius.com C: +1 (281) 241-6834