Ocean Freight Route Development Manager

DHL; Mississauga; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A global logistics leader is looking for an Ocean Freight Route Development Manager in Mississauga. This role entails leading ocean product strategies, defining commercial focuses for sales teams, and owning the trade development program. The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor's degree, over 6 years of experience, and skills in relationship management, pricing authority, and pipeline strategy. Fluency in English and local language is required for this position.

Qualifications

• Proven experience building strong, trust-based relationships with DHL managers, sales teams, customers, and key stakeholders.
• Ability to connect, collaborate, and influence specialist departments and cross-functional teams.
• Experience directing work, managing processes, and coaching professionals.

Responsibilities

• Leads strategic growth across all ocean products to drive the country ocean growth plan.
• Defines commercial focus areas for local sales teams and engages in high-impact customer opportunities.
• Owns the annual trade development program including strategic sales campaigns and performance tracking.

Skills

Product Management across FCL, LCL, Bulk, and Reefer

Market Analysis & Capacity Management

Internal Rate Management, RFQ expertise, Purchasing & Invoicing

Budgeting, Forecasting & Financial Acumen

Third-Party Logistics (3PL) knowledge

Sustainability & emerging technology trends

Advanced Microsoft Excel capability

DHL business knowledge and operational understanding

Business Strategy & commercial planning

Project Management & Change Management

Stakeholder Management & Influencing

Negotiation, Facilitation & Feedback delivery

Presentation, Storytelling & executive communication

People Management & cross-functional leadership

Sales, Commercial Management & Business Development

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

Job description

Job Position:Ocean Freight Route Development Manager

Reports To:Head of Ocean Freight

Location:YYZ - Mississauga

Company Profile

DHL Global Forwarding is a Freight Forwarding organization that is the expert in global air, ocean and ground Freight Forwarding as well as Customs operations and Compliance. Our passion is to enable international trade utilizing the best teams in the industry. We simplify our customer operations and maximize their opportunities to achieve results.

Main tasks & Key Responsibilities

• Leads strategic growth across all ocean products within the appointed trade(s), driving the country ocean growth plan in partnership with local OFR, Sales leadership, and regional stakeholders.
• Defines commercial focus areas for local sales teams, including target customer characteristics, priority commodities, and industry segments, and personally engages in high-impact customer opportunities.
• Guides the development of country-level growth plans and differentiated go-to-market strategies, ensuring data-driven customer targeting and strong value propositions.
• Owns the annual trade development program, including strategic sales campaigns, must-win RFQs, investment proposals, performance tracking, and cross-functional alignment to enable required growth.
• Engages directly with key customer opportunities, supporting win strategies, pricing approaches, and joint customer meetings with Sales to drive conversion of strategic opportunities.
• Ensures ship-to-profile realization by tracking customer wins and guaranteeing that secured business materializes into actual volumes and revenue.
• Maintains deep engagement with Trade Management to understand market shifts, procurement conditions, and pricing competitiveness, ensuring pricing tools (e.g., MTS) reflect optimal commercial positioning.
• Drives global collaboration with overseas Route Development Managers and Trade Management to ensure cohesive execution of trade plans across priority countries and regions.
• Builds and nurtures senior-level carrier relationships, engaging in local procurement activities aligned with trade strategy and commercial objectives.
• Leads pipeline strategy and governance, ensuring the pipeline reflects strategic focus areas, is robust enough to achieve growth targets, and moves efficiently through the funnel with increased velocity and conversion.
• Holds final pricing authority on assigned trade(s) for both local and global tenders and quote requests, ensuring decisions support strategic growth, profitability, and long-term positioning.

Minimum Requirements (Education, experience and skills)

Skills

• Product Management across FCL, LCL, Bulk, and Reefer
• Market Analysis & Capacity Management
• Internal Rate Management, RFQ expertise, Purchasing & Invoicing
• Budgeting, Forecasting & Financial Acumen
• Third-Party Logistics (3PL) knowledge
• Sustainability & emerging technology trends
• Advanced Microsoft Excel capability
• DHL business knowledge, business processes & operational understanding
• Business Strategy & commercial planning
• Project Management & Change Management
• Stakeholder Management & Influencing
• Negotiation, Facilitation & Feedback delivery
• Presentation, Storytelling & executive communication
• People Management & cross-functional leadership
• Sales, Commercial Management & Business Development

Experience required

• Ability to connect, collaborate, and influence specialist departments, cross-functional teams, and external service providers.
• Strong capability to persuade subject matter experts and stakeholders to adopt new concepts, practices, and approaches.
• Proven experience building strong, trust-based relationships with DHL managers, Sales teams, customers, and key stakeholders.
• Deep understanding of customer and stakeholder interests, with the ability to advise Sales, leaders, and teams accordingly.
• Experience providing technical guidance to line managers, employees, and cross-functional partners.
• Individual contributor background with the ability to manage up to two employees when required.
• Experience directing work, managing processes or programs, and coaching, reviewing, and delegating tasks to lower-level professionals.

Education

Education: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience/qualification

Experience: more than 6 years

Language: Fluency in English plus local language is a minimum