Commercial Lead – Freight Forwarding at DP World

Job Function

• The Sub-Regional Freight Forwarding Commercial Lead is responsible for driving Freight Forwarding business growth within a designated sub-region in SSA. This includes acquiring new customers, expanding geographic reach, and implementing trade lane strategies. The role involves integrating sales and operations planning for accurate forecasting, while ensuring alignment with broader SSA and global business objectives. Key responsibilities include maintaining and expanding existing accounts, driving innovation, collaborating with regional and global teams to enhance customer satisfaction and business performance, and providing relevant reporting to stakeholders to guide and measure sales strategies and impact. In addition, he/she will be tasked with maintaining and growing the existing book of business for the defined sub-regional accounts through successful contract renewal strategies and addressing scope change opportunities commercially within the existing business.

Key Performance Areas:

• Support the implementation of the DP World SSA Freight Forwarding sales strategy within a sub-Region
• Identify sub-regional market opportunities, cultivating key customer relationships, and driving sales growth to achieve revenue targets.
• Align sales initiatives with broader organizational goals while ensuring competitive positioning in the market through innovative solutions.
• Assist in developing and executing sub-regional trade lane strategies in collaboration with cross-regional teams.
• Facilitate communication and ensure alignment with the larger SSA trade lane strategy.
• Oversee key initiatives that enable trade growth across the sub-region, working closely with sales teams and stakeholders.
• Lead the deployment of sales teams or industry vertical solution teams within the sub-region as needed to capitalize on new opportunities and enhance market presence.
• Drive cross-selling strategies within the sub-region to increase the share of wallet captured from Freight Forwarding customers, supporting broader integration across the SSA Region and capabilities.
• Collaborate with the SSA Freight Forwarding and broader commercial teams to integrate sales and operations planning, ensuring an end-to-end approach in delivering value to customers.
• Ensure the timely and accurate reporting of business development and sales performance.
• Analyze sub-regional sales data and trends to provide actionable insights and recommendations to enhance performance.
• Contribute to the development of monthly sales reports, providing critical insights for sub-regional stakeholders and sales teams.
• Identify and nurture relationships with key decision-makers within customer organizations. Understand customer needs and buying processes to provide tailored solutions and grow business partnerships.
• Meet and exceed financial growth targets for the assigned sub-region and expand our geographic and solutions offering footprint with these accounts across DP World service portfolio.
• Maintain understanding of customers’ expectations relative to operational solutions, costs and results.
• Manage RFQs for new business opportunities and renewals within the sub-region, handling commercial relationships and negotiations in coordination with internal stakeholders.
• Maintain an up-to-date pipeline of opportunities within the sub-region, tracking the value and likelihood of winning new business.
• Ensure strategic alignment with broader Freight Forwarding and Regional goals.
• Lead the DP World HR agenda, including the effective management of workforce planning, recruitment, learning and development, performance management, reward and recognition, talent management, and employee relations in line with policies and procedures.
• Foster a high-performance culture aligned with DP World's broader commercial and cultural objectives.
• Contribute to the implementation of key digital projects within the sub-region, such as CRM systems and other commercial process improvements to drive efficiency.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives related to health, safety, and sustainability across the sub-regional sales operations.
• Ensure that all business development and sales activities comply with internal commercial process, procedures and thresholds
• Ensure that all business development and sales activities comply with relevant regulatory requirements, maintaining adherence to internal policies and procedures.

Qualifications Required:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in business administration for Freight Forwarding and Logistics
• Proven track record of having consistently achieved on a sales quota at a relevant scale

Experience and Skills Required:

• Have a minimum of 6 - 8 years’ experience within the transport, logistics, or freight forwarding industry, or similar service industry
• Significant sales experience required
• Leading and managing a team
• Work experience in Africa for at least 5 years
• Experience in Freight Forwarding industry across multiple verticals
• Exposure to, and working knowledge of all facets of contractual requirements