Group Air Freight Procurement Manager

B&H Worldwide; West Drayton; On-site; GBP 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus and performance pay

Vacation and holidays

Pension plan

Private health insurance

Life assurance

Employee Assistance Programme

Free on-site parking

Training and development

Job summary

B&H Worldwide is seeking a Group Air Freight Procurement Manager to lead the global air freight procurement and carrier strategy, aligning with commercial and operational objectives. You will own senior airline relationships, drive negotiations on rates and capacity, and ensure governance, risk management and profitability across the network.

Based in London Heathrow, you will collaborate with Global Sales, Operations, Strategic Accounts, Pricing and Finance to convert volumes into a

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive air freight, forwarding or airline procurement experience.
• At least five years in a senior procurement role with multi-regional accountability.
• Demonstrable experience negotiating contracted and tactical air freight rates, capacity allocations, incentives and strategic airline agreements.
• Strong knowledge of global air freight markets, airline networks and trade lanes.
• Experience supporting RFQs, tenders, new-business implementations and complex customer pricing exercises.
• Understanding of forwarding economics including buy rates, sell rates, gross profit and cost-to-serve.
• Advanced analytical capability with procurement, BI and Microsoft Office systems.
• Experience leading geographically dispersed procurement teams in a global matrix.
• IATA/AEO/ISO AS9120 or comparable aviation quality, security and compliance familiarity.
• Formal procurement/supply chain/business qualification is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead global air freight procurement strategy.
• Establish a global carrier strategy across core, secondary, tactical and contingency providers by region and trade lane.
• Lead negotiations on rates, capacity, allocations and commercial terms.
• Maintain procurement governance, records and performance scorecards.
• Monitor market conditions and provide actionable intelligence to leadership.
• Ensure compliance with aviation quality, security and governance requirements.

Skills

Procurement leadership

Air freight knowledge

Negotiation skills

Analytical mindset

Cross-functional collaboration

Strategic thinking

Stakeholder management

Education

Procurement/Supply chain degree

Tools

BI

Microsoft Office

Job description

The Global Institute of Logistics has named B&H Worldwide as the world’s Best-in-Class Global Aerospace Logistics Company. As the benchmark independent freight forwarder in global aerospace logistics, our vision is to be the most respected, valued, passionate, and trusted leader in global aerospace logistics. We aim to provide our employees with a rewarding, safe and empowered environment that fosters high standards. Working at B&H Worldwide, you will have the opportunity to grow your career supported by an award-winning team and industry.

Our Mission

To support our customers with consistent, dependable, competitive, and innovative logistics solutions that power their business.

Our Vision

To be the most respected, valued, passionate and entrusted leader in global aerospace logistics.

Where to find more information about us: https://bhworldwide.com/

The Opportunity

The Group Air Freight Procurement Manager is accountable for the development and execution of B&H Worldwide's global air freight procurement and carrier strategy. The role owns global airline sourcing, commercial negotiations, capacity strategy, carrier portfolio management, procurement governance, market intelligence and procurement performance across the B&H network.

Initially as a standalone role and working closely with Global Sales, Operations, Strategic Accounts, Pricing, Finance and regional leadership, this role will convert B&H Worldwide's global air freight volumes and aviation specialisation into a measurable buying advantage. The role must balance rate competitiveness, guaranteed capacity, service reliability, routing resilience and gross-profit performance, with particular focus on AOG, time-critical, dangerous goods, high-value, engine, oversized and other specialist aerospace movements.

Location

B&H Worldwide office, London Heathrow

Line Manager

Group Head of Sales

Working Pattern

40 hours per week, Monday to Friday

Key Role Accountabilities

Global Air Freight Procurement Strategy

• Develop and lead B&H Worldwide’s global air freight procurement strategy, aligned with commercial, operational and growth objectives.
• Establish a global carrier strategy across core, secondary, tactical and contingency providers by region and trade lane.
• Leverage global purchasing volumes to improve commercial terms, reduce fragmented buying and strengthen carrier relationships.
• Establish procurement standards, governance, decision rights and controlled local flexibility.
• Own senior relationships with key global airlines and strategic air freight suppliers.
• Lead negotiations covering rates, capacity, allocations, incentives, rebates, service commitments and commercial terms.
• Establish structured carrier reviews and performance scorecards covering cost, capacity, reliability, service and escalation.
• Maintain carrier diversity and contingency options to protect service continuity and reduce supply risk.

Capacity & AOG Procurement

• Forecast and secure capacity requirements in partnership with Sales, Operations and regional teams.
• Manage carrier allocations, blocked capacity and contingency arrangements across key trade lanes.
• Develop specialist procurement solutions for AOG and time-critical aerospace cargo, including engines, APUs, DG, oversized and high-value shipments.
• Support premium solutions including charter, part-charter and other specialist capacity where required.
• Provide visibility and control of buy rates across carriers, trade lanes, regions and shipment profiles.
• Work with Pricing and Finance to improve gross profit, reduce margin leakage and optimise cost-to-serve.
• Reduce unnecessary spot buying and increase utilisation of negotiated global and regional agreements.
• Support strategic RFIs, RFQs, tenders and major customer opportunities by validating carrier, routing, capacity and cost assumptions.
• Maintain robust procurement governance covering contracts, spot buying, capacity commitments, incentives and commercial approvals.
• Monitor market conditions, capacity, rates, airline schedules and supply-side risks, providing actionable intelligence to Sales, Operations and Executive Management.
• Ensure procurement activity complies with B&H quality, aviation security, sanctions, export-control, dangerous-goods, financial and supplier-governance requirements.
• Maintain transparent and auditable records of supplier agreements, commercial terms and procurement performance.

Supplier Performance & Continuous Improvement

• Monitor carrier and supplier performance against agreed KPIs and lead corrective action where required.
• Monitor procurement compliance across regions and stations, identifying leakage, missed agreements and inconsistent buying practices.
• Establish global procurement reporting covering gross-profit impact, savings/value creation, carrier performance, capacity utilisation, contract compliance and spot buying.
• Drive continuous improvement through data analysis, standardisation, training, process improvement and technology.

Your Experience

Personal Attributes

• Commercially authoritative and accountable procurement leader with strong judgement in fast-moving international air freight markets.
• Credible with senior airline executives and able to negotiate firmly while sustaining strategic long-term carrier relationships.
• Analytical and financially disciplined, with a clear focus on gross profit, total cost, procurement leverage and measurable value creation.
• Operationally aware and able to balance price, capacity, service reliability, customer urgency and commercial risk.
• Structured, decisive and collaborative, with the confidence to challenge fragmented or commercially weak buying practices.

Essential Experience and Capability

• 10+ years of progressive air freight, forwarding or airline procurement experience with proven responsibility for carrier sourcing, capacity or product management.
• At least five years in a senior procurement, air freight product or carrier-management management role with multi-regional accountability.
• Demonstrable experience negotiating contracted and tactical air freight rates, capacity allocations, incentives, rebates and strategic airline agreements.
• Strong knowledge of global air freight markets, airline networks, trade lanes, weight-break pricing, surcharges, consolidation economics and capacity dynamics.
• Proven experience supporting major RFQs, tenders, new-business implementations and complex customer pricing exercises.
• Strong understanding of forwarding economics including buy rates, sell rates, gross profit, yield, cost-to-serve and procurement leakage.
• Advanced analytical capability with experience using procurement, forwarding, BI and Microsoft Office systems to convert data into commercial action.
• Experience operating within a global matrix organisation and influencing regional teams without relying solely on direct authority.
• Comfortable travelling internationally and providing senior commercial escalation outside normal working hours when required.
• Direct experience within aviation, aerospace, AOG, MRO, engine, high-value or other time-critical logistics environments.
• Existing senior commercial relationships with major global airlines, cargo sales organisations or specialist air cargo providers.
• Experience procuring charter, part-charter, premium uplift, dangerous goods and oversized or specialist aviation freight solutions.
• Experience operating within IATA, AEO, ISO 9001, AS9120 or comparable aviation quality, security and compliance environments.
• Formal qualification in procurement, supply chain, logistics, aviation or business is advantageous.
• Experience leading geographically dispersed procurement teams are beneficial.

What We Offer:

• Competitive salary and bonus structure focused on exceeding performance measurements.
• Paid vacation and holidays, and an additional day for your birthday.
• Generous annual holiday entitlement, plus UK public holidays and an additional day for your birthday.
• Contributory pension scheme, private health insurance and life assurance.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Free on-site parking.
• Opportunity to grow expertise through ongoing coaching, training and development sessions.
• Be the B&H Worldwide ambassador at local and global industry events, providing you with the opportunity develop and grow new and existing customer relationships and secure deals.

B&H Worldwide are an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive and diverse environment for all team members. If you do require any reasonable adjustments or support during the application process; please contact [e-mail]