Vice President of Global Ocean Product

Mid-America Overseas, Inc.; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Mid-America Overseas, Inc. seeks an Ocean Product Strategy and Development leader to shape the global ocean freight portfolio and commercial strategy. You will evaluate service offerings, trade lanes, and carrier relationships to drive competitive products and profitability.

You will collaborate across international offices and with MAO’s global network to ensure aligned product execution, procurement practices, and continuous improvement in service quality and operating efficiency.

Qualifications

• Experience in global ocean freight strategy and product development.
• Strong procurement and carrier relationship management skills.
• Cross-functional leadership across regional and international teams.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive global ocean freight product strategy aligned with MAO’s growth objectives.
• Evaluate existing ocean offerings, trade lane performance, carrier relationships, and procurement practices to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Drive development and expansion of competitive FCL and LCL products, focusing on consolidation programs and strategic trade lanes.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen MAO’s ocean freight capabilities, market positioning, and customer value proposition.
• Collaborate with overseas offices and international partners to develop coordinated, commercially competitive ocean freight solutions.
• Lead ocean carrier procurement strategy, including annual contract negotiations, rate management, capacity commitments, and allocation planning.
• Develop and maintain relationships with key ocean carriers and strategic service providers.
• Optimize MAO’s carrier portfolio to improve purchasing leverage and service reliability.
• Establish procurement, pricing, and contract management practices across the organization.
• Monitor market conditions, capacity developments, and industry trends to adjust procurement and product strategies.
• Collaborate with MAO Global Compliance to ensure procurement and pricing activities align with FMC regulations and policies.
• Drive profitable ocean freight volume growth through competitive product offerings and pricing strategies.
• Partner with branch managers and sales teams to identify and secure new business opportunities.
• Provide technical and commercial expertise in customer meetings and major account negotiations.
• Develop pricing guidelines and margin management practices.
• Analyze ocean freight volumes, gross profit, and trade lane performance to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Support development of targeted trade lanes and strategic customer relationships.
• Work with MAO’s US branches, international offices and global network to align product strategy and execution.
• Establish product guidelines, performance expectations, and accountability across the branch network.
• Collaborate with regional leadership to promote adoption of procurement and pricing strategies.
• Support ocean operations to improve processes and service quality.
• Foster professional development of ocean product personnel.

Job description

Ocean Product Strategy and Development

• Develop and execute a comprehensive global ocean freight product strategy aligned with MAO’s growth and profitability objectives.
• Evaluate existing ocean freight service offerings, trade lane performance, carrier relationships, and procurement practices to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Drive the development and expansion of competitive FCL and LCL products, with particular emphasis on consolidation programs and strategic trade lanes.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen MAO’s ocean freight capabilities, market positioning, and overall customer value proposition.
• Collaborate with overseas offices and international partners to develop coordinated, commercially competitive ocean freight solutions.

Carrier Management and Procurement

• Lead ocean carrier procurement strategy, including annual contract negotiations, rate management, capacity commitments, and allocation planning.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with key ocean carriers and other strategic service providers.
• Optimize MAO’s carrier portfolio to improve purchasing leverage, service reliability, and commercial competitiveness.
• Establish effective procurement, pricing, and contract management practices across the organization.
• Monitor carrier performance, market conditions, capacity developments, and industry trends to proactively adjust procurement and product strategies.
• Collaborate with MAO Global Compliance to ensure ocean freight procurement, pricing and NVOCC activities are conducted in accordance with FMC regulations and established company policies.

Commercial Growth and Profitability

• Drive profitable ocean freight volume growth through competitive product offerings, effective pricing strategies, and close collaboration with MAO’s commercial organization.
• Partner with branch managers and sales teams to identify, develop, and secure new business opportunities.
• Provide technical and commercial expertise in customer meetings, major account negotiations, and strategic sales initiatives.
• Develop pricing guidelines and margin management practices that support competitive positioning while protecting profitability.
• Analyze ocean freight volumes, gross profit, trade lane performance, and carrier utilization to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Support the development of targeted trade lanes and strategic customer relationships.

Global Network and Cross-Functional Leadership

• Work closely with MAO’s US branches, international offices, and global agency network to ensure alignment on ocean freight product strategy and execution.
• Establish clear product guidelines, performance expectations, and accountability across the branch network.
• Partner with regional leadership, branch management, sales, and operations to promote consistent adoption of procurement and pricing strategies.
• Collaborate with ocean operations to improve processes, service quality, and overall operating efficiency.
• Support the professional development of ocean product personnel and strengthen technical expertise across the organization.

Performance Management and Continuous Improvement

• Establish and monitor key performance indicators related to ocean freight volumes, profitability, procurement effectiveness, carrier performance, and product development.
• Leverage CargoWise, business intelligence tools, and other available systems to improve visibility, pricing accuracy, and data-driven decision-making.
• Identify opportunities for process improvements, standardization, and automation.
• Provide regular reporting and strategic recommendations to executive leadership regarding ocean product performance, market developments, and growth opportunities.