Trade Manager, Reefer

EMIRATES SHIPPING SINGAPORE PTE. LTD.; Singapore; On-site; SGD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional shipping company based in Singapore is seeking a Trade Manager for their Reefer division. This role involves overseeing the deployment, performance, and profitability of the reefer container fleet while developing pricing strategies and identifying new business opportunities. The ideal candidate should have a bachelor's degree and 7-10 years of experience in the shipping industry, with strong commercial acumen and proven expertise in pricing and profitability management. Excellent communication skills and the ability to work independently are essential for success in this dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• Minimum 7 to 10 years’ experience in the shipping industry.
• Strong understanding of reefer trade flows and customer requirements.
• Proven track record in pricing and profitability management.

Responsibilities

• Oversee deployment, performance, and profitability of our reefer container fleet.
• Analyze market information to establish pricing strategies.
• Identify new business opportunities to grow reefer volume across regions.

Skills

Ability To Work Independently

Business Acumen

Agile

Transparency

Pressure

Market Development

Team Player

Stakeholder Management

Pricing

Shipping

Education

Bachelor's degree in a relevant field

Job description

ESL offers a unique opportunity to build and develop our position in the reefer market. We are a regionally focused, agile shipping line with ambitions to be the best carrier in our chosen markets. We offer a dynamic environment with an ability to make an impact – you will have a line of sight between your day‑to‑day work and the USD impact on the organization. We are building a diverse team across nationalities, gender and experience and will empower this team to grow our business to be the best‑in‑class regional carrier.

In this role, you will be overseeing deployment, performance, and profitability of our reefer container fleet, by maintaining competitive pricing, ensuring optimal turnaround of reefers and establishing efficient coordination with Trade, Commercial and Operational functions. The role requires providing strategic direction on equipment positioning, pricing, market development, and working closely with Finance to enhance accuracy of financial reporting.

ESL Group seeks a motivated and proactive team player to join our organization as Trade Manager, Reefer. Our reefers are currently deployed in the Red Sea and Indian Subcontinent, and we have ambitions to expand to new markets, such as the United States, Latin America and East Mediterranean.

The ideal candidate should possess sound revenue and business acumen, and strong knowledge of the reefer market, backed by commercial and operational knowledge. He or she should have the ability to work independently, influence without authority, be decisive in execution, and take calculated risks where needed.

We are looking for resilient individuals able to persist and adapt, perform under higher pressure, while continuously seeking improvement.

Key responsibilities

• Analyze market information on volumes, seasonality, and rate levels to establish pricing strategies that will optimize lifting and revenue.
• Identify new business opportunities and develop initiatives to grow reefer volume across regions.
• Collaborate with Capacity and Equipment control teams on where and when reefer capacity should be deployed based on seasonal and market dynamics.
• Track and report reefer business performance to senior management, highlighting opportunities, risks, and improvement areas.
• Orchestrate the deployment of reefer fleet to support different trades while taking into account profitability per container per day.
• Work closely with Finance to ensure accurate profitability reporting and transparency on regional performance.
• Act as the central liaison between Trade, Capacity, Operations, and Finance for all reefer‑related matters.
• Drive alignment across regions to ensure consistent execution of the reefer strategy.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field.
• Min. 7 to 10 years’ experience in the shipping industry, ideally having been in roles in Trade and Business Development.
• Strong understanding of reefer trade flows, seasonality, and customer requirements.
• Proven track record in pricing, profitability management, and commercial decision‑making.
• Excellent analytical, problem‑solving, and reporting skills.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management capabilities across regions and functions.

Skillset

• Ability To Work Independently
• Business Acumen
• Agile
• Transparency
• Pressure
• Market Development
• Team Player
• Stakeholder Management
• Pricing
• Shipping