Assistant Manager / Deputy Manager - Pricing IQ/0170

Iquest Management Consultants; Chennai District; On-site; INR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Iquest Management Consultants invites applications for the role of Assistant Manager/Deputy Manager Pricing IQ. You will manage and coordinate the pricing function for freight forwarding, obtaining quotes from shipping lines, ensuring accurate landed costs and profitable selling rates.

Role requires strong negotiation and market tracking skills. Responsibilities include preparing competitive rates for Sea/Air Freight, maintaining rate databases, supporting Sales in tenders and RFQs, and ensuring

Qualifications

• Graduate in any discipline; MBA/PG Diploma in Logistics, Supply Chain, International Business or Marketing preferred.
• Professional qualification/certification in Freight Forwarding, Shipping or Logistics is an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate pricing for Sea Freight, Air Freight, LCL/FCL and C&F services.
• Prepare competitive rates and quotations for freight forwarding.
• Obtain and compare rates from carriers, overseas agents and logistics vendors.
• Ensure quotations specify validity, free days, surcharges and terms.
• Support Sales, Operations and Finance in pricing decisions and tender submissions.
• Maintain pricing databases and monitor market rate changes.

Skills

Freight pricing

Tariff knowledge

Negotiation

Excel & MIS

Communication

Leadership

Education

MBA/PG Diploma in Logistics/Supply Chain/Marketing

Professional qualification in Freight Forwarding/Shipping

Tools

Excel

Job description

Assistant Manager / Deputy Manager - Pricing IQ/0170

JOB DESCRIPTION

1. Job Purpose

To manage and coordinate the pricing function for the freight forwarding business by obtaining competitive freight rates from shipping lines, airlines, overseas agents, transporters, CFS/ICD operators and other service providers, preparing accurate and commercially viable quotations, maintaining rate databases, and supporting the Sales and Operations teams in securing profitable business.

2. Key Responsibilities

A. Pricing & Quotation Management

• Receive pricing requirements from Sales, Customer Service and Operations teams and provide timely quotations.
• Prepare competitive rates for Sea Freight Export/Import, Air Freight, LCL/FCL, C&F and related logistics services, as applicable.
• Obtain and compare rates from shipping lines, NVOCCs, airlines, overseas agents, transporters, CFS/ICD and other vendors.
• Ensure all applicable origin, destination, documentation, handling, THC, CFS, transportation, customs and other charges are correctly considered.
• Calculate total landed/logistics cost and determine appropriate selling rates and margins.
• Ensure quotations clearly specify validity, free days, inclusions/exclusions, surcharges, payment terms and other conditions.
• Handle urgent and special pricing requirements from key customers and Sales teams.

B. Carrier / Vendor Rate Management

• Maintain updated buying rates from shipping lines, airlines, overseas agents and logistics vendors.
• Negotiate with carriers and vendors to obtain competitive rates and better commercial terms.
• Monitor changes in freight rates, surcharges, bunker/war-risk/peak-season charges and other market factors.
• Compare vendor rates periodically and identify opportunities for cost reduction.
• Ensure expired or revised rates are promptly updated in the pricing system/database.

C. Sales Support

• Provide pricing support to the Sales team for new customer acquisition, tenders and RFQs.
• Assist Sales in developing customer-specific pricing strategies.
• Support preparation of annual/periodical rate contracts and customer rate agreements.
• Analyse competitor/market rates wherever information is available.
• Participate in pricing discussions with customers, agents and Sales teams when required.
• Ensure commercially attractive rates are offered without compromising required margins.

D. RFQ / Tender Management

• Coordinate pricing for customer RFQs, tenders and rate enquiries.
• Collect rates from all relevant service providers within the required timeline.
• Prepare rate comparison statements and pricing models.
• Ensure accuracy and completeness of tender submissions.
• Maintain records of submitted quotations and tender results for future reference.

E. Margin & Commercial Control

• Ensure minimum approved margins are maintained in all quotations.
• Identify low-margin or loss-making quotations and obtain appropriate approval before submission.
• Analyse the profitability of major customers, trade lanes and shipment categories.
• Highlight significant variations between buying and selling rates to the reporting manager.
• Work with Finance, Sales and Operations to resolve pricing-related revenue leakage.

F. Coordination with Operations

• Ensure the rates quoted to customers are practically executable by Operations.
• Coordinate with Operations regarding additional charges, free time, routing, transit time and service availability.
• Clarify any discrepancy between quoted rates and actual vendor/carrier invoices.
• Support Operations in resolving rate-related disputes with vendors and customers.

G. Rate Database & Documentation

• Maintain an updated database of: Shipping line rates, Air freight rates, Overseas agent rates, Transport rates, CFS/ICD charges, Port-related charges, Documentation charges, Customs/C&F-related charges, Other applicable logistics charges.
• Ensure proper documentation and approval of special rates.
• Maintain historical rate records for comparison and analysis.

H. Market Intelligence

• Monitor freight market movements, capacity constraints, blank sailings, seasonal fluctuations and major surcharge changes.
• Keep the management and Sales team informed about significant market rate movements.
• Identify favourable buying opportunities and alternative carriers/service providers.

I. Team Coordination & Supervision

• Guide and monitor Executives/Senior Executives in the Pricing function.
• Allocate pricing enquiries and monitor turnaround time.
• Check important quotations prepared by team members before submission where required.
• Train junior team members on pricing procedures, rate structures and commercial practices.
• Ensure adherence to Company pricing policies and approval procedures.

J. MIS & Reporting

• Submit regular reports on: Quotations handled, RFQs/tenders submitted, Conversion status, Buying-rate movements, Selling-rate movements, Gross margin, Major customer quotations, Special-rate approvals, Pending pricing enquiries.
• Provide pricing-related information required by Management, Sales and Finance.

3. Authority & Accountability

• Recommend buying and selling rates within the Company's approved pricing guidelines.
• Negotiate rates with carriers, vendors and agents within delegated authority.
• Escalate rates falling below approved margins for management approval.
• Recommend alternative carriers/vendors where commercially advantageous.
• Maintain confidentiality of customer-specific rates, vendor rates and commercial information.

4. Key Performance Areas

• Pricing turnaround time
• Quotation accuracy
• Quotation-to-business conversion
• Gross margin achievement
• Competitive buying rates
• Rate database accuracy and updating
• RFQ/tender response within deadlines
• Reduction of pricing errors and revenue leakage
• Vendor/carrier negotiation effectivenessInternal customer satisfaction Sales & Operations

5. Qualifications

• Graduate in any discipline; preferably MBA/PG Diploma in Logistics, Supply Chain, International Business or Marketing.
• Professional qualification/certification in Freight Forwarding, Shipping or Logistics will be an advantage.

6. Experience

• Assistant Manager: Preferably 47 years of relevant experience in freight forwarding/shipping/logistics, with substantial experience in pricing.
• Deputy Manager: Preferably 69 years of relevant experience, including responsibility for pricing, rate negotiation and team coordination.
• Candidates with strong experience in Sea Freight/Air Freight pricing and RFQ management will be preferred.

7. Essential Skills & Competencies

• Strong knowledge of freight forwarding pricing and tariff structures.
• Good understanding of FCL, LCL, Air Freight, Import and Export processes.
• Excellent negotiation skills.
• Strong commercial and analytical ability.
• Good knowledge of freight surcharges and local charges.
• Ability to calculate cost, selling rate and gross margin accurately.
• Strong Excel and MIS skills.
• Good communication and coordination skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet tight quotation deadlines.
• Attention to detail and accuracy.
• Customer-oriented and commercially conscious approach.
• Ability to lead and guide junior pricing personnel.

9. Key Interfaces

• Internal: Sales, Operations, Documentation, Customer Service, Finance, Branch Offices and Business Heads.
• External: Shipping Lines, Airlines, NVOCCs, Overseas Agents, Transporters, CFS/ICD Operators, Customs Brokers and other logistics service providers.

10. Overall Responsibility

The Assistant Manager/Deputy Manager Pricing is responsible for ensuring that the Company buys freight and logistics services competitively, quotes customers accurately and promptly, protects the required gross margin, and provides effective commercial support to the Sales and Operations functions.

Responsibilities

• Manage and coordinate the pricing function for the freight forwarding business.
• Prepare competitive rates for Sea Freight – Export/Import, Air Freight, LCL/FCL, C&F.
• Obtain and compare rates from various vendors.
• Provide pricing support to the Sales team for new customer acquisition, tenders, and RFQs.
• Maintain updated buying rates from shipping lines and logistics vendors.
• Coordinate pricing for customer RFQs, tenders, and rate enquiries.
• Ensure minimum approved margins are maintained in all quotations.
• Monitor changes in freight rates and market factors.
• Maintain an updated database of shipping line and freight rates.
• Submit regular reports on quotations and pricing-related information.

Qualification Criteria

Graduate in any discipline; preferably MBA/PG Diploma in Logistics, Supply Chain, International Business or Marketing. Professional qualification/certification in Freight Forwarding, Shipping or Logistics will be an advantage.