Managing Director - Freight Forwarding

JR United Kingdom; Cambridge; Hybrid; GBP 170,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A US-based freight forwarding company seeks a Managing Director to establish their first UK office, focusing on ocean freight. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record in freight forwarding, a strong leadership background, and the ability to drive business development in a new market. This role offers the opportunity to significantly influence the company's UK operations during a strategic global expansion.

Qualifications

• Senior leadership experience in freight forwarding focused on ocean freight.
• Demonstrated commercial success and market development experience.
• Knowledge of UK logistics sector and trade corridors.

Responsibilities

• Launch and lead the UK office with full P&L responsibility.
• Develop and implement the UK market entry strategy targeting ocean freight growth.
• Ensure compliance with logistics regulations and best practices.

Skills

Leadership

Business Development

Ocean Freight Knowledge

Compliance Knowledge

Job description

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Posted:

06.06.2025

Expiry Date:

21.07.2025

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Job Description:

Important: This is a commercial role. You will be expected to be selling while you get the branch up and running. If you don't have a track record of achieving at least £500K in annual gross profit, our client will not consider you. If you're not confident that you could bring business with you, our client will not consider you. Their focus is ocean imports from Asia.

Job Title: Managing Director (freight forwarding with a big focus on ocean freight)

Location: UK – Flexible (Any major logistics hub: London, Felixstowe, Southampton, Manchester, Birmingham, etc.)

Salary: Up to £200K + commission and potential shares in the UK business

About the Role

A US based freight forwarding client of ours is looking for a commercially driven and strategically minded Managing Director to establish and lead their first UK office. You'd be welcome as an individual, but bringing a team of operators to support your business would be preferable.

With established offices in the US, Asia, and Germany, and plans to open three additional offices by year-end — including locations in Belgium and a potential site in the Netherlands — this is a rare opportunity to shape the company’s UK presence at a key stage of global expansion.

The role will focus heavily on ocean freight, with the freedom to build a team and operation that meets both local and global market needs.

Key Responsibilities

• Launch and lead the UK office with full P&L responsibility
• Lead business development in the UK while you build and lead a high-performing commercial and operational team around you
• Develop and implement the market entry strategy for the UK, targeting growth in ocean freight
• Cultivate strong relationships with shipping lines, clients, and supply chain partners
• Ensure compliance with UK and international logistics regulations and best practices
• Act as a key strategic partner to the international leadership team, contributing to broader European growth and integration

Requirements

• Senior leadership experience in freight forwarding, with a strong emphasis on ocean freight
• The inevitable contacts with SMEs with a plan to build profit quickly
• Demonstrated commercial success, including market development and revenue growth
• Experience launching or scaling new regional offices or operations is highly desirable
• Deep knowledge of the UK logistics sector and trade corridors
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a hands-on approach and the ability to work autonomously
• Willingness to travel and collaborate closely with international offices across Europe, Asia, and the US