Senior Business Development Executive (Logistics)

Cogent Holdings Pte Ltd; Singapore; On-site; SGD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Cogent Holdings Pte Ltd in Singapore seeks a Senior Business Development Executive to grow its Southeast Asia logistics footprint, focusing on Singapore and Malaysia. The role blends business development, sales, market research and project management to create integrated logistics solutions.

You will develop new customers, manage tenders, oversee proposals, and build lasting relationships with clients while supporting the General Manager on strategic initiatives and cross-functional projects

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in a relevant field.
• 3–5 years of experience in business development, sales or logistics-related roles.
• Experience with tenders, RFQ/RFP processes and client negotiations.
• Strong analytical, presentation and relationship-building capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Develop and grow the Company’s logistics business across Southeast Asia, especially Singapore and Malaysia.
• Identify and pursue new customers, markets and opportunities.
• Prepare quotations, proposals and tender submissions in collaboration with business units.
• Manage sales enquiries and coordinate with operations to tailor logistics solutions.
• Engage in market studies and strategic planning to support Management decisions.

Skills

Business development

Sales

Market research

Project management

Relationship building

Negotiation

Analytical thinking

Presentation skills

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Marketing, Economics, Finance or related

Tools

MS PowerPoint

MS Excel

Job description

The Senior Business Development Executive will support the growth and development of the Company’s logistics business, with a focus on Southeast Asia, particularly Singapore and Malaysia.

The role will have a combination of Business Development, Sales, Market Research and Project Management responsibilities. The incumbent will be expected to actively develop new business opportunities, manage sales enquiries, participate in tenders, maintain customer relationships and work closely with various business units to develop integrated logistics solutions.

The incumbent will also support the General Manager in strategic and operational projects under his portfolio, including business studies, new business initiatives, project coordination and implementation.

Key Responsibilities

Business Development & Sales

• Work closely with Management and relevant business units to develop and grow the Company’s logistics business across Southeast Asia, particularly Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.
• Actively identify and develop new customers, markets and business opportunities for the Company’s logistics services.
• Handle incoming sales enquiries and work closely with the relevant operations and commercial teams to develop suitable logistics solutions, pricing and commercial proposals.
• Follow up actively on sales leads and enquiries with the objective of converting opportunities into actual business.
• Participate in customer tenders, Requests for Quotation (RFQ), Requests for Proposal (RFP) and other commercial exercises, including coordinating internal inputs and ensuring timely submission.
• Prepare quotations, commercial proposals, tender submissions and customer presentations in collaboration with the respective business units.
• Establish, develop and maintain strong relationships with existing and prospective customers.
• Conduct regular engagement and business reviews with key customers to understand their requirements, identify service gaps and explore additional business opportunities.
• Support negotiations on commercial terms, service scope and other business arrangements with customers and business partners.
• Develop opportunities for cross-selling and integrated logistics solutions across the Company's capabilities, including Warehouse, Transportation, Container Depot, Tank Depot, Freight Forwarding and other logistics services.
• Maintain an active sales pipeline and provide regular updates to Management on sales leads, opportunities, tender status, conversion and business development activities.

Market Research & Business Strategy

• Keep abreast of logistics and supply chain market developments, industry trends, customer requirements and competitor activities through market research, industry reports, subscriptions and market engagement.
• Gather, analyse and consolidate market intelligence and business data to support Management in strategic planning and decision-making.
• Conduct in-depth market studies and feasibility assessments to identify potential business expansion opportunities, new markets, services, partnerships and investment opportunities.
• Identify emerging customer requirements and logistics trends and recommend potential products, solutions or capabilities that the Company should develop.
• Support Management in developing business strategies and action plans based on market opportunities and the Company's existing capabilities and resources.

Project Management & Strategic Initiatives

• Assist the General Manager in planning, coordinating and managing strategic and operational projects under his portfolio.
• Support the implementation of strategic business initiatives and take end-to-end responsibility for projects assigned.
• Develop project plans, timelines, deliverables and action trackers for assigned projects.
• Coordinate with internal departments, subsidiaries, customers, consultants, business partners and other stakeholders to ensure project objectives and milestones are achieved.
• Monitor project progress, identify potential delays, risks or issues and escalated matters requiring Management attention.
• Follow up closely with project owners and stakeholders to ensure agreed actions are completed within the required timeline.
• Support business implementation following successful tender awards or new customer acquisition to ensure proper transition from commercial discussion to operational execution.
• Where applicable, project-manage business transactions by coordinating timelines, deliverables, counterparties, consultants and advisers to ensure transaction milestones are achieved.

Management Reporting & Analysis

• Prepare business development proposals, feasibility studies, management papers, presentations and reports for Senior Management review.
• Prepare regular reports on sales pipelines, business opportunities, market developments, project progress and other areas assigned by Management.
• Analyse operational, commercial and financial information to support business cases and Management decision-making.
• Conduct post-implementation reviews of selected projects and business initiatives to assess whether targeted commercial and operational objectives have been achieved.

General Responsibilities

• Work closely with Operations, Finance, Procurement, IT and other supporting functions to develop commercially viable and operationally feasible logistics solutions.
• Represent the Company professionally in meetings, customer engagements, industry events and other external engagements where required.
• Ensure all activities comply with Company policies, procedures, regulatory requirements and safety standards.
• Undertake any other duties, business initiatives or projects assigned by Management from time to time.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Marketing, Economics, Finance or a related discipline.
• Preferably 3–5 years of relevant experience in Business Development, Sales, Commercial, Corporate Planning, Project Management or the Logistics / Supply Chain industry.
• Candidates with experience in logistics sales, tender management, key account management or solution selling will have an advantage.
• Good understanding of logistics operations such as Warehousing, Transportation, Container Depot, Tank Depot, Freight Forwarding and Supply Chain Solutions would be advantageous.
• Demonstrated ability to develop new business opportunities and manage the sales process from initial enquiry through proposal, negotiation and implementation.
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills with the ability to engage customers and internal stakeholders effectively.
• Strong analytical and research capabilities with the ability to translate market information and operational data into meaningful business recommendations.
• Good commercial awareness and negotiation skills.
• Strong project management and coordination skills with the ability to manage multiple assignments and stakeholders concurrently.
• Strong presentation, report-writing and communication skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft PowerPoint and Excel with the ability to prepare professional management presentations and business analysis.
• Proactive, resourceful and results-oriented, with a strong sense of ownership and willingness to follow through on assignments until completion.
• Comfortable working directly with Senior Management and handling strategic, confidential and cross-functional assignments.