Key Account Operations Manager

Right Now Recruitment; Greater London; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Right Now Group is recruiting for an experienced Key Account Operations Manager for an established international freight forwarding and logistics business near Heathrow. The role focuses on the Automotive and Industrial sector, managing key customer accounts across international movements.

You will lead a team of Import and Export Operators, delivering against SLAs and KPIs while developing relationships with major customers and coordinating with overseas offices and service providers.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in international freight forwarding and logistics.
• Strong Import Freight knowledge is essential.
• Experience managing or supervising a team of freight forwarding operators.
• Experience managing key or strategic customer accounts.
• Automotive logistics experience advantageous.
• Experience handling automotive components or industrial freight.
• Strong understanding of international freight processes and customs.
• Confident managing customer escalations and complex issues.
• Experience with SLAs, SOPs and KPIs.
• Commercial awareness of revenue and gross profit.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of six Import/Export Operators.
• Take overall responsibility for key accounts in Automotive/Industrial sectors.
• Oversee international movements (cars, engines, generators, etc.).
• Manage 80% Import and 20% Export workload.
• Ensure shipments are managed from instruction to delivery.
• Monitor workloads, priorities and performance; ensure coverage.
• Escalate and resolve complex operational issues.
• Build relationships with customers and understand their supply chains.
• Monitor KPIs and conduct monthly reviews / QBRs as needed.
• Collaborate with overseas offices, airlines, and service providers.
• Ensure compliant customs/shipping documentation.
• Investigate service failures and implement RCCA.
• Identify operational risks and preempt issues.
• Support onboarding of new accounts and services.
• Drive continuous improvement in processes and service quality.
• Monitor profitability and costs; seek growth opportunities.

Skills

International freight forwarding

Import freight knowledge

Team management

Key account management

Automotive logistics

Industrial freight

Freight processes & customs

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Excel reporting

Tools

Excel

Job description

Right Now Group are recruiting for an experienced Key Account Operations Manager on behalf of our client, an established international freight forwarding and logistics business based near Heathrow.

This is a senior operational management position specialising in the Automotive and Industrial sector, managing key customer accounts involving the international movement of car parts, engines, forklift parts, generators and associated components.

The Key Account Operations Manager will lead a team of approximately six Import and Export Operators, taking overall responsibility for the day-to-day operational performance of key accounts, customer relationships, service delivery and team performance.

The operation is predominantly Import focused, approximately 80% Import and 20% Export, so we are particularly interested in candidates with strong international import freight experience.

This role combines hands-on freight forwarding knowledge with people management, key account management and operational leadership. You will act as a senior point of contact for customers while ensuring the operational team consistently delivers against agreed service levels.

Key Responsibilities of a Key Account Operations Manager:

• Lead, manage and develop a team of approximately six Import and Export Operators.
• Take overall operational responsibility for key accounts within the Automotive and Industrial sector.
• Oversee international movements involving car parts, engines, forklift components, generators and other specialist freight.
• Manage an operational workload split of approximately 80% Import and 20% Export.
• Ensure shipments are managed efficiently from initial instruction through to final delivery.
• Monitor team workloads, priorities and performance, ensuring appropriate operational coverage.
• Act as a senior escalation point for operational issues, service failures and complex shipments.
• Build strong relationships with key customers and develop a detailed understanding of their supply chains and operational requirements.
• Monitor performance against customer SLAs, SOPs and KPIs.
• Conduct regular customer performance meetings, including monthly reviews and QBRs where required.
• Work closely with overseas offices, airlines, shipping lines, hauliers, customs teams and other service providers.
• Ensure customs and shipping documentation is completed accurately and in accordance with relevant regulations.
• Investigate service failures and implement appropriate Root Cause Corrective Actions (RCCA).
• Identify operational risks and resolve potential issues before they impact the customer.
• Support the onboarding and implementation of new accounts and additional customer services.
• Drive continuous improvement across operational processes, service quality and team performance.
• Monitor account profitability, operational costs and gross profit performance.
• Identify opportunities to develop and expand existing customer accounts.
• Work closely with commercial and senior management teams to support customer retention and profitable growth.

The Successful Candidate:

• Significant experience within international freight forwarding and logistics.
• Strong Import Freight knowledge is essential due to the operational split of the role.
• Previous experience managing or supervising a team of freight forwarding operators.
• Experience managing key or strategic customer accounts.
• Automotive logistics experience would be highly advantageous.
• Experience handling automotive components, machinery, engines, generators or similar industrial freight would also be beneficial.
• Strong understanding of international freight processes, customs requirements and transport operations.
• Confident managing customer escalations and resolving complex operational issues.
• Experience working with SLAs, SOPs and operational KPIs.
• Commercially aware with an understanding of revenue, gross profit and account profitability.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to coach, develop and hold a team accountable.
• Excellent customer communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Highly organised and comfortable managing multiple operational priorities.
• Strong Excel, reporting and analytical skills.

Benefits of a Key Account Operations Manager:

• Salary: £50,000 - £75,000 depending on experience
• Location: Heathrow area
• Position: Permanent
• Senior operational management position within international freight forwarding.
• Responsibility for an established team of approximately six Operators.
• Manage significant strategic customer accounts within the Automotive and Industrial sector.
• Opportunity to influence operational performance, customer relationships and account growth.