Head of Ocean Freight Innovation & Growth

Forward Air Corp.

Newark (NJ)

On-site

USD 180,000 - 240,000

Full time

2 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Health insurance

401(k) with match

Paid holidays and PTO

Stock purchase program

Commuter benefits

Flexible spending account

Job summary

Forward Air Corp. seeks a Director, Ocean Freight Development to build and grow the regional Ocean Freight FCL product. You will lead product development, pricing strategy, carrier procurement and sales initiatives in collaboration with operations and commercial teams.

You will develop a roadmap to drive volume, profitability and market expansion, maintain key carrier relationships, and ensure successful implementation of solutions in a 100% on-site environment with travel as needed.

Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain, Logistics, Transportation, or a related field; equivalent experience considered.
Experience: 10+ years of ocean freight forwarding experience, including leadership responsibilities.
Experience building, growing, and managing an Ocean Freight FCL product offering.
Strong carrier and drayage provider network with experience negotiating and managing carrier agreements.
Proven business development, direct sales, and customer relationship management experience.
Experience with P&L management, pricing strategy, and profitability performance.
Proficiency with CargoWise or similar TMS platforms, along with rate and contract management tools.
Strong communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills with a commercial and customer-focused mindset.
Demonstrated discretion and confidentiality in handling and protecting sensitive information.
Technical: Proficient with common office technologies, including Windows PCs, Microsoft O365 (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) and web conferencing (Teams, Zoom, Webex, etc.)
Environment: Comfort commuting to/from and working in a 100% on-site setting (listed in this posting), with travel for related meetings/events.

Responsibilities

Build and lead the regional Ocean Freight Full Container Load (FCL) product offering, driving volume growth and profitability.
Develop and execute a product roadmap and operating plan, including TEU, revenue, and gross profit targets.
Own regional carrier procurement activities and support development of a global carrier portfolio.
Lead pricing strategy, carrier allocations, tariff management, and customer RFP processes.
Drive ocean freight sales and business development efforts in partnership with the commercial organization.
Partner with sales teams and vertical leaders to identify and develop FCL opportunities within existing and prospective customer accounts; define joint account ownership and credit for winning business with Commercial teams
Develop trade lane strategies in collaboration with global and regional counterparts.
Represent the organization in ocean carrier negotiations and maintain strategic carrier and drayage provider relationships.
Monitor market conditions, capacity trends, and competitive activity to optimize product performance and customer solutions.
Work closely with operations teams to ensure successful implementation and service execution.
Assist in establishing SOPs, KPIs, reporting, and operational best practices to support growth and productivity.
Support the development and scaling of ocean freight operational capabilities and resources.
Maintain accountability for product performance, including volume, gross profit, and customer satisfaction.
All other duties as assigned to meet evolving business needs.