Commercial Manager, Africa

Tanqeeb; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 350,000 - 550,000; Full time

Job summary

Tanqeeb seeks a senior Commercial & Chartering professional based in Dubai to drive Africa market development. You will manage negotiations for voyage and time-charter contracts, maximize vessel utilization and freight earnings, and coordinate with Finance, Operations, Legal and Technical teams for successful fixtures.

You will leverage an established network and provide strategic market insights to executives while aligning commercial strategies with risk and governance frameworks.

Qualifications

• Strong chartering and commercial negotiation skills within Africa markets.
• Excellent knowledge of dry bulk/shipping markets and related practices.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen for shipping operations.
• Market analysis, business development, and identifying opportunities in Africa.
• Contractual and risk-management knowledge for charter-party terms.
• Leadership and people-management capabilities in a commercial team.

Responsibilities

• Develop and expand Africa market presence through customer acquisition and chartering.
• Lead negotiations for voyage, time-charter, and other charter contracts.
• Review commercial terms to align with risk appetite and authority levels.
• Monitor fixtures, freight rates, market trends, and competitor activity.
• Develop and maintain network of charterers, shipowners, brokers and stakeholders.
• Provide market intelligence and recommendations to senior management.

Skills

Chartering skills

Commercial negotiation

Market analysis

Financial acumen

Stakeholder management

Leadership

Decision making under pressure

Education

Bachelor's degree in Maritime Studies

Job description

Job description

Key Responsibilities Mandatory Experience Required: Proven experience in the marine/offshore shipping industry , with hands-on commercial and chartering exposure in Africa across different vessel types, including crew boats, DP vessels, barges and other offshore support vessels .

Strong track record in developing and expanding the African market , including customer acquisition, business development, chartering and commercial negotiations.

Established network of charterers, shipowners, brokers, offshore operators and other key industry stakeholders .

The position will be based in Dubai focusing on Africa market.

Commercial & Chartering, Africa Develop and execute chartering strategies aligned with business and financial objectives.

Identify and evaluate market opportunities, cargo requirements, vessel positions and potential fixtures.

Lead negotiations for voyage, time-charter and other relevant chartering contracts.

Maximize vessel utilization, freight earnings and overall commercial returns.

Review and approve commercial terms, ensuring alignment with company risk appetite and delegation of authority.

Monitor fixture performance, freight rates, market trends and competitor activity.

Develop and maintain a strong network of charterers, shipowners, brokers and industry stakeholders.

Market Intelligence, Africa Monitor global and regional shipping markets, freight rates, supply/demand trends and relevant geopolitical and economic developments.

Provide regular market intelligence and recommendations to senior management.

Identify emerging commercial opportunities and potential market risks.

Business Development, Africa Develop new customer relationships and expand the company's commercial portfolio.

Maintain strong relationships with existing key customers and ensure high levels of customer satisfaction.

Support development of new trade routes, cargo segments and commercial opportunities.

Prepare commercial proposals, tenders and business cases where required.

Financial & Risk Management Ensure chartering decisions support revenue, profitability and margin targets.

Analyze voyage economics, freight profitability, demurrage/despatch and associated commercial costs.

Identify and mitigate contractual, credit and market risks.

Work closely with Finance, Operations, Legal and Technical teams to ensure successful execution of fixtures.

Leadership Lead, coach and develop the commercial chartering team.

Establish clear objectives, KPIs and performance expectations.

Review team performance and provide guidance on complex commercial negotiations.

Promote compliance with company policies, procedures and governance requirements.

Key Competencies Strong chartering and commercial negotiation skills in Africa market.

Excellent knowledge of dry bulk/shipping markets Strong commercial and financial acumen Market analysis and business development capability Contractual and risk-management knowledge Strong stakeholder and relationship-management skills Leadership and people-management capability Strong communication, negotiation and decision-making skills Ability to work effectively under pressure and make commercially sound decisions Qualifications & Experience Bachelor's degree in Maritime Studies, Shipping, Business, Finance, Economics or a related discipline.

Typically 10–15+ years of relevant experience in shipping, chartering or commercial operations, with significant experience in chartering.

Proven track record in negotiating and executing chartering contracts and generating profitable fixtures.

Strong established network within the shipping/chartering industry.

Experience managing a commercial team is preferred.

Strong knowledge of relevant charter-party terms, shipping regulations and commercial practices.