Description:
Our client is actively looking for an ambitious and results-focused Business Development Manager, Air. The chosen candidate will be a pivotal figure in augmenting the company’s gross profit and revenue growth, tasked with acquiring new clients and enhancing existing business relationships. Your responsibilities will align with the company’s growth strategy and national sales budget, with an emphasis on international airfreight.
- Develop and sustain customers via proactive sales “hunting” activities, including organizing and following up on face-to-face sales meetings based on schedules provided by the inside sales team.
- Maintain high achievement rates in securing new airfreight business contracts, while ensuring high gross profit margins for both new and existing accounts in order to meet or surpass new business revenue objectives.
- Regularly engage with customers to sustain strong relationships and ensure the continued success of accounts.
- Consult with decision-makers at multiple levels to comprehend customers’ business challenges and logistics objectives.
- Establish strong relationships with customers through an understanding of their business and market, aiding customer retention through cooperation with various resources such as Product teams, other sales channels, and local Station Management.
- Evaluate prospective accounts as profitable, significant, or strategic to ensure successful bids.
- Strengthen the company’s gross profit and market share through the development of relationships with new airfreight customers.
- Undertake diligent follow-up on offers and client development.
- Monitor lost clients and implement countermeasures.
- Conduct ongoing analysis of key customers.
- Execute strategic sales in accordance with the company’s growth plan.
- Develop and implement strategies and tactics to not only meet but ideally surpass given targets.
- Ensure all sales activities (Meetings, Contact Reports, Opportunities and Leads) are reported.
- Recommend customer-based solutions using industry knowledge.
- Manage opportunities and risks to safeguard the organization’s interests.
- Participate in all sales training provided and scheduled by the organization.
Experience
- A minimum of 3-5 years of field sales experience in freight forwarding within international airfreight or 5 years of airfreight operational experience.
- Prior experience in the logistics industry, specifically international airfreight, priority freight, and high risk/high value cargo is beneficial.
Qualifications
- Ability to make decisions and solve problems by analyzing information and evaluating results to choose effective actions or develop suitable solutions.
- Results-oriented with a clear understanding of expected outcomes and the drive to meet personal targets.
- Customer-centric, able to anticipate and identify customers’ needs and understand what constitutes positive customer satisfaction.
- Proficient in written and spoken English.
- Excellent negotiation skills.
- Good understanding of freight forwarding services, including ocean and air (import & export), consolidation.
- Demonstrated competence in conflict management, decision-making, and strategic planning.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills with a hunter mentality.
- Exceptional negotiation skills.
- Entrepreneurial, out-of-the-box thinking.
- Strong work ethic and integrity.
- Willingness to travel.
- Working knowledge of operations and transportation management.
- Ability to understand and respond to complex instructions.
- Project management skills would be advantageous.
- Good financial and business acumen.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, able to communicate effectively with all levels of the organization and its executive team.
- Superior conflict resolution skills, diplomacy, and tact.
- Persuasive, motivational, and tenacious.