Head of Commercial Growth

Aquent; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 275,000 - 292,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation package provided for non-local candidates

20% annual performance bonus

Job summary

Aquent is searching for a Head of Commercial Growth in Irvine, California, to spearhead growth strategies in the automotive logistics sector.

As the Director, you will establish strategic partnerships with leading automotive OEMs, negotiate high-value contracts, and develop multi-year growth initiatives. The position requires over 15 years of experience in logistics and supply chain management, emphasizing a track record in commercial strategy and relationship building.

Join Aquent for a chance to influence enterprise growth while collaborating with executive leadership in a dynamic industry.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in automotive logistics or supply chain management.
• Proven success with commercial growth strategies.
• Experience managing large automotive OEM accounts.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive commercial strategy.
• Establish executive-level relationships with OEM leaders.
• Lead complex negotiations and pricing strategies.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Commercial growth

Relationship building

Financial acumen

Leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree

MBA or advanced business degree

Job description

Head of Commercial Growth – Automotive Logistics (Finished Vehicle Logistics)

Location: Irvine, California

Compensation: $275,000 – $292,000 Base Salary + 20% Annual Performance Bonus (subject to compensation review upon candidate selection)

Relocation: package provided for non-local candidates

About the Opportunity

We are seeking a strategic and commercially driven executive to lead growth initiatives across North America’s automotive logistics and finished vehicle logistics (FVL) market. Reporting to senior leadership, the Director, Commercial will be responsible for developing and executing a multi-year growth strategy focused on automotive OEMs, strategic accounts, and emerging market opportunities.

This role sits at the intersection of commercial strategy, network development, and operational execution. The successful candidate will play a critical role in shaping long-term customer partnerships, influencing infrastructure investments, and driving sustainable revenue growth across a complex transportation and logistics network.

This is an opportunity for an accomplished automotive logistics leader to directly impact enterprise growth while partnering closely with executive leadership on strategic business initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

Commercial Strategy & Growth

• Develop and execute a comprehensive commercial strategy aligned with organizational growth objectives, network capacity, and market demand.
• Identify, pursue, and secure new business opportunities with automotive OEMs and strategic accounts.
• Expand existing customer relationships through increased service offerings, network solutions, and long-term partnership development.
• Build and maintain a robust multi-year pipeline that supports revenue growth and network expansion goals.
• Drive commercial excellence through disciplined forecasting, opportunity management, and sales governance processes.

OEM Account Leadership

• Establish and maintain executive-level relationships with OEM supply chain, logistics, transportation, and procurement leaders.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to customers by understanding evolving supply chain challenges and developing tailored logistics solutions.
• Lead customer engagement strategies that enhance retention, growth, and long-term account profitability.
• Represent the organization during executive reviews, business planning discussions, and strategic customer meetings.

Contract Negotiation & Pricing Strategy

• Lead complex negotiations involving multi-year logistics agreements, transportation contracts, and strategic service partnerships.
• Develop pricing strategies that balance customer requirements, operational complexity, market conditions, and profitability objectives.
• Evaluate commercial opportunities through financial modeling, risk assessment, and margin analysis.
• Ensure commercial agreements align with company growth objectives and operational capabilities.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Partner closely with Operations, Network Planning, Finance, and Infrastructure teams to ensure commercial commitments can be effectively executed.
• Support network expansion initiatives, including terminal development, market assessments, and strategic investment opportunities.
• Align customer growth plans with transportation capacity, processing capabilities, and infrastructure requirements.
• Drive collaboration across functional teams to improve service delivery, forecasting accuracy, and overall business performance.

Market Intelligence & Industry Leadership

• Monitor automotive industry trends, including vehicle production shifts, EV adoption, supply chain transformation, and transportation network changes.
• Identify emerging opportunities, competitive threats, and market developments that influence commercial strategy.
• Provide executive leadership with insights and recommendations that support long-term business planning and growth initiatives.

Qualifications

Required Experience

• 15+ years of progressive leadership experience within automotive logistics, finished vehicle logistics, transportation, or supply chain management.
• Proven success developing and executing commercial growth strategies within complex logistics environments.
• Significant experience managing and expanding large automotive OEM accounts.
• Demonstrated expertise negotiating complex, high-value, multi-year service agreements.
• Strong financial acumen with experience in pricing strategy, cost modeling, profitability analysis, and P&L management.
• Experience leading, mentoring, and developing high-performing commercial teams.

Industry Expertise

• Deep understanding of finished vehicle logistics operations and automotive supply chain networks.
• Knowledge of vehicle transportation modes including trucking, rail, port operations, vehicle processing centers, and terminal operations.
• Experience working directly with OEM logistics, transportation, procurement, and supply chain organizations.
• Strong understanding of transportation capacity planning, network optimization, and infrastructure development.

Leadership Competencies

• Executive presence with the ability to influence senior stakeholders and customer executives.
• Strategic thinker capable of translating market opportunities into executable growth plans.
• Strong cross-functional leadership skills with the ability to align commercial, operational, and financial objectives.
• Exceptional communication, negotiation, and relationship-building capabilities.
• Data-driven decision maker with strong business and financial judgment.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• MBA or other advanced business degree preferred.

Why Join Us

This is a unique opportunity to help shape the future of a growing automotive logistics organization while partnering directly with executive leadership to drive transformational growth.

The Director, Commercial will have a meaningful voice in how the organization approaches customer expansion, network development, infrastructure investments, and long-term strategic planning. For accomplished commercial leaders seeking broader influence, greater visibility, and enterprise-level impact, this role offers a platform to shape business outcomes at scale while building lasting partnerships with some of the world’s leading automotive manufacturers.