Flight & Freighter Planning Specialist

DHL Global Forwarding; Mumbai; On-site; INR 1,800,000 - 3,400,000; Full time

Job summary

DHL Global Forwarding in Mumbai seeks a senior flight planning leader to develop and administer flight planning plans for aviation services, ensuring safe, timely, and cost-effective cargo transport. You will collaborate with ground handlers and airline controls, optimize pallet and load planning, and drive continuous improvements across the global forwarding network.

Candidates should have 8–10 years in AFR forwarding and experience in multinational settings, with excellent communication and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 8–10 years in AFR forwarding.
• Experience in multinational environments.

Responsibilities

• Develop and administer flight planning plans to ensure safe, timely, and cost-effective cargo transport.
• Coordinate with operations controls centers and ground handlers for efficient air operations.
• Optimize revenue and profitability of flights and cargo movements.
• Lead internal and external meetings to align stakeholders and improve performance.

Skills

Commercial mindset

Negotiation skills

Networking abilities

Interpersonal skills

Lead virtual teams

Education

Bachelor's degree

MBA or PG Operations

Job description

Job Purpose:

Develop and administer flight planning plans and processes for aviation services to provide safe, cost-effective and efficient aviation services to offer customers time-definite transport services with superior quality and security standards in line with the business strategy and requirements, corporate guidelines and policies

Accountabilities:

Develop and administer flight planning plans and processes for aviation services to provide safe, cost-effective and efficient aviation services to offer customers time-definite transport services with superior quality and security standards in line with the business strategy and requirements, corporate guidelines and policies

• Subject matter expert who applies advanced knowledge of job area typically obtained through advanced education and work experience
• Manage projects / processes, working independently with limited supervision
• Problems faced are difficult and sometimes complex
• Execute flight planning plans and processes to ensure safe, timely and cost-effective processing of shipments
• Deliver tasks and activities, and work with dispatcher to achieve timely arrival and departure of flights, inform stakeholders in case of delays
• Calculate and conduct feasibility checks such as checking for charter flights, new destinations/ routes or new aircraft
• Undertake data maintenance of flight planning system including aircraft data, company routes, company NOTAMs, station information, etc.
• Collate and share information/ data, and follow up for audits to support managers
• Cooperate with operations controls centers of the operating airlines for efficient air transportation of valuable and time-sensitive commodities
• Study ongoing loading and unloading activities of cargo liners, and recommend better load planning through efficient placement of containers/ weight on the aircraft
• Calculate and analyze deviations from desired flight profitability and capacity utilization
• Assess dispatch and delivery processes, identify requirements and contribute for identification and implementation of solutions
• Design and execute processes and procedures for air transportation of shipments
• Share technical inputs to the company and contractors on matters of air operations and safety
• Study and resolve issues in day-to-day flight planning and execute practices focusing on increasing effectiveness, efficiency and cost control

Operational

• Planning of the 3 DGF India Freighters
• Inventory of the pallets , ULDs, AKE' with the designated Ground handlers
• Liaising with the HKG team for the NMI charters (2/week) and then liaising with the SIN team for the Pharma charter.
• Co-ordination with the commercial owners and operational teams on the cargo handovers
• Co-ordination with the custodian and the Ground handlers
• Optimising the revenue on these flights ensuring profitability
• Know how of the pharma planning on the freighters
• Optimising full pallet positions / allocations

Divisional Experience

• Good understanding of the global forwarding industry and the DGF business models.
• Worked previously with the required expertise of A & A.

Functional Experience

• Clear result orientation and commercial mindset
• Strategic but action-oriented mindset which contributes to business
• Strong commercial sense and motivation to serve the customer
• Good negotiator, always having the aspired goal in mind
• Needs to be able to manage functional teams virtually
• Excellent networking abilities and impeccable interpersonal approach
• Able to lead larger internal and external meetings
• Feels comfortable in a corporate environment
• Likes to make decisions with big impact to the network
• Readiness to coach people and likes to work across cultures

Bachelor's degree .

Excellent communication skills.

MBA Or Other PG Operations Degree Preferred

Education / Qualification / Certification Requirements

Min. 8-10 years of experience in the AFR forwarding industry.

Used to work in a multinational environment and in a large corporation.

Seasoned leader with successful track record.

Good customer contacts.