Strategic Business Development Executive

Gi Group; Randstad; Hybrid; EUR 76,000 - 114,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Direct contract

12-month contract with probation

Holiday allowance

Hybrid working

Job summary

Gi Group is seeking an experienced Strategic Business Development Executive to drive growth in ocean freight and freight forwarding on a global scale. The role focuses on building strategic partnerships, expanding key accounts, and delivering tailored logistics solutions.

The position offers a direct contract with the client, a 12-month initial term with probation, and a gross annual salary of €76,000–€114,000. Hybrid working is available, with excellent secondary benefits.

Qualifications

• Minimum 8 years of sales experience within ocean freight and/or freight forwarding.
• Experience selling to C-suite executives is highly preferred.
• Proven experience with logistics processes, solutions, and project management.
• Strong understanding of ocean freight import process from shipment initiation through final delivery.

Responsibilities

• Establish and develop strategic partnerships within the ocean and freight forwarding business.
• Develop and execute global account strategies to drive sustainable customer and revenue growth.
• Build and strengthen relationships with key customer stakeholders and senior decision-makers.
• Prospect and identify target customers through proactive networking and existing industry relationships.
• Collaborate across functional teams to develop solutions, proposals, and pricing models.
• Take ownership of revenue and margin/yield targets for assigned accounts.
• Provide weekly reporting on accounts and opportunities throughout the business development cycle.

Skills

Sales experience

C-suite selling

Strategic partnerships

Global accounts

Logistics know-how

Project management

Education

Bachelor's Degree or equivalent

Job description

For an international logistics and transportation organization, we are looking for an experienced Strategic Business Development Executive to drive strategic growth across the ocean and freight forwarding business.

This is a senior commercial role focused on developing strategic customer partnerships, expanding key accounts, identifying new business opportunities, and delivering tailored logistics solutions that create value for customers and drive sustainable revenue and profitability.

Offer

• Direct contract with the client
• Initial 12-month contract, including a 1-month probationary period, with the intention of a permanent position
• €76,000–€114,000 gross annual salary, including holiday allowance
• Excellent secondary benefits
• Hybrid working environment

About the position

In this role, you will develop and maintain strategic partnerships with new and existing customers and take a leading role in growing key accounts on a global scale.

You will identify opportunities for account growth, develop customer-focused solutions, and create sales strategies that support revenue and margin objectives. By understanding customer business needs and market developments, you will position the company's ocean and freight forwarding services as valuable, long-term solutions.

You will also monitor key trends within the ocean and freight forwarding industry, identify new sales opportunities, and keep a close eye on competitor activity to ensure the right commercial strategies are developed.

Key responsibilities

• Establish and develop strategic partnerships within the company's ocean and freight forwarding business
• Develop and execute global account strategies to drive sustainable customer and revenue growth
• Build and strengthen relationships with key customer stakeholders and senior decision-makers
• Prospect and identify target customers through proactive networking and existing industry relationships
• Leverage relationships across the broader organization to identify and develop new business opportunities
• Develop sales strategies for deploying the company's ocean and freight forwarding services to customer opportunities
• Take ownership of revenue and margin/yield targets for assigned accounts
• Develop comprehensive business plans and account strategies
• Identify account growth opportunities and develop value-added solutions tailored to customer needs
• Monitor industry trends, market developments, competitor activity, and pricing strategies to identify new opportunities
• Engage with customers at a senior level to understand their business objectives, assess satisfaction, and proactively address critical or at-risk accounts
• Coordinate customer-focused activities and commercial strategies on a global level
• Collaborate across functional teams to develop solutions, proposals, and pricing models
• Participate in sales calls to further understand customer opportunities and develop compelling value propositions
• Manage the proposal and presentation process from opportunity through to closure
• Ensure customer and opportunity data is accurate and up to date using established processes and tools
• Provide weekly reporting on accounts and opportunities throughout the business development cycle
• Drive sales momentum by continuously moving potential customers through the sales cycle in a professional, proactive, and engaging manner

Profile

• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent
• Minimum 8 years of sales experience within ocean freight and/or freight forwarding
• Experience selling to C-suite executives is highly preferred
• Proven experience with logistics processes, solutions, and project management
• Strong understanding of the ocean freight import process, from shipment initiation through final delivery
• Proven track record of successfully selling complex solutions to customers of different sizes and levels of complexity
• Demonstrated ability to achieve major account sales goals and develop and execute strategic customer sales plans
• Ability to research and analyze customer, industry, and competitive information to develop comprehensive account strategies
• Strong commercial, analytical, and strategic thinking skills
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build strong relationships with customers and internal stakeholders
• Strong strategic planning and sales management capabilities
• Proactive, results-oriented, and customer-focused mindset
• Ability to work effectively in a dynamic, international environment and embrace change