Airfreight Route Manager

Think Specialist Recruitment; London Borough of Hillingdon; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 44,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus scheme

Job summary

Think Specialist Recruitment is assisting a leading global freight forwarder to recruit an Airfreight Route Manager for their Hayes, UK team. The role focuses on securing optimal pricing, carrier management, and strategic planning across operations, stations, gateways and airline partners.

The position is office-based in Hayes, with a salary starting at £40k+ depending on experience, plus an annual bonus scheme. A strong commercial mindset and five years of airfreight experience are preferred.

Qualifications

• Around five years' experience in airfreight preferred.
• Proven negotiation results with carriers or suppliers.
• Excellent internal and external communication.
• Ability to challenge and optimise airfreight movements.
• Strong relationships with suppliers and colleagues.
• Proactive problem solving with a positive attitude.
• Customer focused and a good team player.
• Comfort with analysing performance data and reports.

Responsibilities

• Deliver the airfreight procurement strategy and manage airline relationships.
• Secure best pricing through contracts and spot buying.
• Plan consolidations and protect capacity with operations and stations.
• Optimise consolidations and control volume paid.
• Own gateway shipments, consolidations and some back-to-back shipments.
• Define and manage internal rates for routes and services.
• Analyse market demand to balance supply and demand.
• Monitor carrier performance and take corrective action as needed.
• Provide market information to the wider UK network.
• Ensure compliance and code-of-conduct adherence across activities.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives.

Skills

Airfreight experience

Negotiation skills

Communication skills

Relationship building

Problem solving

Team player

IT literacy

Job description

Airfreight Route Manager - Hayes

Think Specialist Recruitment are working with a leading global freight forwarder to recruit a Route Manager for their UK airfreight team. You'll deliver procurement and carrier management strategies that balance cost, capacity and service, working closely with operations teams, stations, gateways and airline partners.

This is a commercial role rather than an operational one. You'll secure the best pricing, protect capacity, manage airline relationships and give the wider UK network the market insight it needs to win and deliver business.

This position is a fully office based role working in our clients Hayes site, on offer is a salary from £40k+ per annum dependent on experience which could see the successful candidate secure a salary in the late 40's, along with an annual bonus scheme.

The role

• Deliver the airfreight procurement strategy, supporting the airline relationships that sit behind it
• Secure the best pricing through contract and spot buying
• Plan consolidations and protect capacity, working directly with operations and stations
• Optimise consolidations and control volume paid
• Take commercial ownership of gateway shipments, consolidations and some back-to-back shipments
• Define and manage internal rates
• Analyse the market and customer demand to balance supply and demand
• Monitor carrier performance using internal reports and take corrective action locally or escape where needed
• Provide market information, guidance and support to the wider UK network
• Make sure all activity meets compliance and code-of-conduct requirements, including anti-corruption
• Contribute to the continuous improvement programme

About you

• Strong commercial understanding of the airfreight industry, with around five years' experience preferred
• Excellent negotiation skills, with a track record of securing results with carriers or suppliers
• Excellent communication skills, internally and externally
• Good operational understanding of how airfreight moves, and the confidence to challenge when needed
• Able to build strong relationships with suppliers and colleagues
• A strong problem solver and results driven, with a positive "can do" attitude
• Customer focused, and a good team player
• Good IT awareness, with confidence in analysing performance data and reports