Aviation Strategy Director: Air Cargo & Partnerships

ICAT Logistics; United States; Hybrid; USD 147,000 - 173,000; Full time

Job summary

ICAT Logistics seeks an Aviation Director to lead air transportation strategy, execution, and performance across global freight forwarding and 3PL operations. You will oversee KPIs, hire and manage the team, and ensure client satisfaction and operational excellence.

The role aligns airlift strategy with customer requirements, financial performance, and long-term growth. You will partner with airlines, manage contracts, negotiate, and guide cross-functional teams to optimize capacity,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required, advanced degree preferred
• 8+ Years of experience in aviation, air cargo, freight forwarding, or logistics
• 5+ years of leading others
• Deep understanding of global air cargo operations, airline networks, and charter markets
• Strong knowledge of aviation and air cargo regulatory frameworks
• Proven experience managing airline and charter relationships
• Proven commercial, financial, and analytical skills
• Proven track record of building relationships and gaining credibility with customers and vendors
• Proven analytical and problem-solving skills in a logistics environment

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute ICAT’s air transportation strategy
• Align aviation capacity planning with customer SLAs, commercial demand, seasonality, and peak-volume events
• Optimize the mix of scheduled air cargo, passenger belly capacity, BSAs, ACMI, and charter lift
• Support new trade lanes, customer solutions, and go-to-market aviation capabilities
• Lead executive relationships with airlines, charter operators, brokers, and aviation service providers
• Negotiate airfreight contracts, BSAs, charter agreements, and ad hoc lift solutions
• Monitor and manage carrier performance, including reliability, cost control, service quality, and compliance
• Serve as escalation point for aviation-related disruptions, recovery planning, and service failures
• Partner with operations, gateway, and customer service teams to ensure smooth end-to-end air cargo execution
• Provide aviation expertise during IRROPS, weather events, embargoes, capacity shortages, and geopolitical disruptions
• Oversee charter planning and execution, including aircraft selection, routing, payload optimization, and ground handling coordination
• Ensure aviation decisions consistently support customer commitments, on-time performance, and cargo integrity
• Ensure compliance with applicable aviation and air cargo regulations
• Oversee air cargo security programs, dangerous goods compliance, and carrier operating standards
• Act as ICAT’s primary aviation liaison with regulators, carriers, and industry organizations
• Partner with internal compliance and security teams to identify and mitigate aviation-related risk
• Manage aviation cost structures, including linehaul rates, charters, accessorials, and fuel or security surcharges
• Support pricing, quoting, and margin strategy for air freight and charter solutions
• Identify opportunities to improve gross profit through network optimization, carrier negotiations, and modal alternatives
• Contribute aviation insight to budgeting, forecasting, and long-range planning
• Collaborate with Procurement, Operations, Sales, Security, Compliance, and Technology teams
• Support sales pursuits and key customer engagements requiring customized aviation solutions
• Translate complex aviation constraints into clear guidance for commercial and operations teams
• Educate internal stakeholders on air cargo market dynamics, capacity risks, and opportunities
• Manage staff, including training on SOP changes and new processes, monitoring productivity, handling performance management and disciplinary issues that may arise
• Optimize operations, with a strong emphasis on operational excellence focusing on continuous improvement
• Lead quarterly business reviews with staff: celebrate wins, address gaps, update SOPs
• Leverage technology (TMS, BI dashboards, RPA/BOT tools) to improve efficiency
• Capture lessons learned from service failures to update processes
• Ensure that the department meets operational KPIs and financial goals; including but not limited to: ICAT invoicing and variance policies
• Creative solutions for cost savings and improving margins
• Developing and managing the department budget
• Hiring, on-boarding, and training new team members
• Lead team meetings, share the department vision and goals
• Develop and implement opportunities for team growth and development
• Be a leader through actions, communication, and mentoring
• Perform other duties as assigned

Education

Bachelor’s degree required, advanced degree preferred

Job description

ICAT Logistics seeks an Aviation Director to lead air transportation strategy, execution, and performance across global freight forwarding and 3PL operations. You will oversee KPIs, hire and manage the team, and ensure client satisfaction and operational excellence.

The role aligns airlift strategy with customer requirements, financial performance, and long-term growth. You will partner with airlines, manage contracts, negotiate, and guide cross-functional teams to optimize capacity,