District Manager – Air & Ocean

Rhenus Logistics; Illinois; On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Rhenus Logistics in Illinois seeks a District Manager with 7–10 years in international freight forwarding to lead P&L, budgeting, and multi-site operations.

You will partner with Sales, Product, Finance, and HR to drive revenue growth, optimize costs, and ensure regulatory compliance across Air and Ocean product.

This role requires strong leadership, strategic thinking, and travel across district branches to align with corporate standards.

Qualifications

• 7–10 years of progressive leadership in international freight forwarding and multi-site operations.
• Experience managing P&L, budgets, forecasts, cost controls, and profitability initiatives.
• Strong operational and commercial knowledge of air and ocean freight forwarding, including import/export.
• Proven track record of revenue growth via business development and key account management.
• Experience leading branch operations across multiple locations and improving service quality.
• People leadership, coaching managers, performance management and succession planning.
• Knowledge of freight forwarding regulations, compliance, and industry best practices.
• Ability to collaborate with Product, Sales, Finance, HR, and Ops in a matrix organization.
• Strong analytical and financial acumen with KPI reporting experience.
• Excellent negotiation and stakeholder management with senior leadership and key accounts.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and drive organizational change.
• Bachelor-level degree or equivalent in a related field; industry experience considered.
• Proficiency with freight forwarding systems; CargoWise or similar is an asset.
• Excellent written and verbal English; other languages are a plus.
• Willingness to travel regularly between district branches.

Responsibilities

• Lead district P&L including budgeting, forecasting, and financial targets for the US-IL operations.
• Monitor district financial performance and implement corrective actions to achieve profitability and growth.
• Oversee credit management, AR, and financial risk controls.
• Analyze pricing, cost components, and margins to improve financial performance.
• Prepare and present district performance reports and strategic recommendations to regional leadership.
• Drive district revenue growth through strategic business development and key account management.
• Partner with Sales and Product to identify opportunities and expand air/ocean freight volumes.
• Support competitive freight forwarding solutions, pricing, and cross-selling opportunities.
• Maintain relationships with strategic customers, addressing escalations for long-term profitability.
• Monitor market trends and customer requirements to shape district commercial strategies.
• Provide leadership to branch management teams; oversee workforce planning and development.

Skills

P&L management

Strategic leadership

Negotiation

Stakeholder management

Analytical skills

English proficiency

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, or related

Tools

CargoWise

Job description

What You Can Expect

Financial Management & District Performance

• Maintain overall accountability for district P&L performance, including revenue, profitability, operating expenses, budgeting, forecasting, and financial targets, in alignment with the Heads of Air and Ocean Product.
• Monitor branch and district financial performance, identify areas for improvement, and implement corrective measures to achieve profitability and growth objectives.
• Oversee credit management, accounts receivable, and financial risk exposure, ensuring effective controls while supporting commercial growth.
• Analyze pricing structures, cost components, operational efficiencies, and profit margins to improve financial performance and competitiveness.
• Prepare and present district performance reports, financial analyses, forecasts, and strategic recommendations to regional leadership.

Commercial Growth & Business Development

• Drive district revenue growth through strategic business development, key account management, customer retention, and market expansion initiatives.
• Partner with Sales and Product leadership to identify new business opportunities, strengthen customer relationships, and expand air and ocean freight volumes.
• Support the development of competitive freight forwarding solutions, including pricing strategies, service offerings, and cross‑selling opportunities.
• Maintain relationships with strategic customers, addressing escalations and ensuring long‑term satisfaction and account profitability.
• Monitor market trends, competitive activity, and customer requirements to identify opportunities and support district commercial strategies.

Operational Excellence & Compliance

• Provide leadership and oversight across district branch operations, ensuring service quality, productivity, regulatory compliance, and consistent execution of operational standards.
• Collaborate with the Operational Excellence Team (OET) to implement and maintain standardized operating procedures, process improvements, and regional best practices.
• Monitor operational KPIs, service performance, and customer satisfaction, implementing improvement initiatives where necessary.
• Work closely with Air and Ocean Product teams to align operational capabilities, service delivery, and commercial commitments.
• Identify opportunities to optimize workflows, resource utilization, cost efficiency, and overall branch performance.
• Ensure compliance with applicable transportation regulations, internal policies, financial controls, and corporate governance requirements.

Leadership & People Development

• Lead, coach, and develop branch management teams, fostering accountability, collaboration, and a high‑performance culture across the district.
• Oversee workforce planning, recruitment, performance management, succession planning, and employee development in partnership with Human Resources.
• Establish clear performance expectations and measurable objectives, ensuring branch leaders are accountable for financial, operational, and commercial results.
• Promote cross‑functional collaboration between Operations, Sales, Product, Finance, HR, and other regional stakeholders.
• Drive organizational change, employee engagement, and continuous improvement while maintaining alignment with Rhenus’ leadership principles and corporate values.
• Perform additional responsibilities and strategic initiatives as assigned by regional leadership.

What You Bring:

• Minimum of 7–10 years of progressive experience in international freight forwarding, including significant leadership responsibility within branch, district, or multi‑site operations.
• Demonstrated experience managing P&L performance, budgets, financial forecasts, cost controls, and profitability improvement initiatives.
• Strong operational and commercial knowledge of both air and ocean freight forwarding, including import/export processes, pricing, carrier relationships, and international logistics solutions.
• Proven track record of driving revenue growth through business development, strategic account management, customer retention, and cross‑selling initiatives.
• Experience leading branch operations or multiple locations, with demonstrated success in improving service quality, operational efficiency, and financial performance.
• Strong people leadership capabilities, including managing and developing teams, coaching managers, performance management, and succession planning.
• Sound understanding of freight forwarding regulations, compliance requirements, operational procedures, and industry best practices.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with Product, Sales, Finance, HR, and Operational Excellence teams in a matrix organization.
• Strong analytical and financial acumen, with experience using operational KPIs, financial reporting, and performance metrics to guide business decisions.
• Excellent negotiation, stakeholder management, and customer relationship skills, with the ability to engage effectively with senior leadership and key accounts.
• Proven ability to manage competing priorities, lead organizational change, and make sound decisions in a fast‑paced, results‑driven environment.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, or a related discipline preferred; equivalent relevant industry experience will be considered.
• Proficiency with freight forwarding systems, reporting tools, and Microsoft Office applications; experience with CargoWise or comparable transportation management systems is an asset.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; additional languages are an asset.
• Willingness and ability to travel regularly between district branches and other locations as business needs require.