Commercial Marine Manager

Top Vitae Recruitment; Gqeberha; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Top Vitae Recruitment is seeking an experienced Marine Logistics professional to manage vessel routing, contracts and forecasting with major shipping lines. The role requires overseeing shipping agents, service providers, and end-to-end export shipments across multiple commodities.

Responsibilities include monitoring cargo, coordinating trucking, and escalating significant issues to Directors. A tertiary logistics qualification and strong crisis management are preferred; English communication is

Qualifications

• Experience in marine/shipping logistics environment.
• Experience managing shipping line relationships and contracts.
• Experience coordinating multi-commodity export shipments (e.g. citrus, grapes, kiwi).
• Knowledge of vessel routes, port clearance, and trans-shipment processes.
• Understanding of cold chain and reefer logistics in agricultural exports.

Responsibilities

• Maintain knowledge of vessel routes and negotiate new shipping routes.
• Manage shipping contracts and forecast with major lines.
• Oversee shipping agents and service providers to safeguard commercial interests.
• Monitor cargo and vessel status; communicate delays or issues to teams and Directors.
• Arrange trucking to alternative ports and coordinate internal transport.
• Manage end-to-end shipment process across commodities and exports.

Skills

Marine logistics knowledge

Vessel routing knowledge

Shipping line contract management

Trans-shipment and scheduling

Forecasting with shipping lines

Export shipment coordination

Cold chain & reefer logistics

Crisis management & urgency

Stakeholder communication

Education

Matric Certificate

Tertiary qualification in logistics/shipping (preferable)

Job description

KEY OUTPUTS AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

Marine Logistics and Route Management

• Maintain strong working knowledge of vessel routes across all markets.
• Participate in the negotiation of new shipping routes.
• Manage the shipping contract.
• Manage forecasting to all major shipping lines.

Shipping Line and Service Provider Management

• This role requires providing high attention to detail in-house and the oversight of the shipping agent's management to safeguard commercial interests.
• Build and maintain relationships and commercial standing required to manage shipping lines directly, to be able to elevate issues and ensure cargo is prioritised.
• Manage all shipping queries across all commodities.
• Work closely with service providers, including shipping agent, cold storage providers and shipping service providers.

Cargo and Vessel Monitoring

• Monitor agri-product cargo once loaded on vessel, including tracking for delays, missed trans-shipment connections or vessel clearance issues.
• Communicate proactively and promptly with the Commercial and Logistics teams on any delays, trans-shipment or clearance risks.
• Escalate significant issues to the Directors, who step in on major matters requiring executive intervention.

Transport and Trucking Coordination

• Arrange trucking to alternative ports where shipping delays occur.
• Manage transporters for grape exports.
• Manage the coordination of transport internally.

Shipment and Export Management

• Manage the entire shipment process across all commodities.
• Support the commercial management of Kiwi export
• Ensure strong follow-through from initiation to completion on all shipments, with a hands-on, proactive approach

KEY COMPETENCIES

Technical Competencies and Behavioural Competencies

• Marine logistics and vessel routing knowledge across all markets
• Shipping line contract management
• Trans-shipment and vessel scheduling knowledge
• Forecasting to major shipping lines
• Multi-commodity export shipment coordination
• Cold chain and reefer logistics understanding
• Trucking and inland transport coordination
• Excellent crisis management skills
• High sense of urgency and ability to leverage volume to expedite and prioritise
• Strong follow-through and finishing ability
• Excellent attention to detail
• Ability to carry commercial weight in managing shipping lines
• Strong cross-functional communicator (Commercial, Logistics, Directors)
• Resilience under pressure
• Strong internal and external communicator, influencer, and negotiator.
• Ability to set and prioritise short, mid and long term objectives.

DECISION-MAKING AUTHORITY

Acts Independently and Escalates to Senior Commercial Manager / Directors

• Day-to-day coordination and oversight of shipping agent and shipping lines
• Routine shipping queries across all commodities
• Day-to-day cargo and vessel monitoring and communication
• Arranging trucking to alternative ports in response to delays
• Management of transporters and internal transport coordination
• Major vessel delays, missed trans-shipments or clearance issues with significant commercial impact
• Negotiation of new shipping routes
• Material decisions relating to the shipping contract or other major shipping line agreements
• Significant issues requiring Director intervention

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Qualifications

• Matric Certificate
• Relevant tertiary qualification in logistics, supply chain, shipping or a related commercial field (preferable)

Experience

• 4+ years proven experience in marine or shipping logistics, ideally within the fresh produce or agricultural export sector.
• Demonstrated experience managing shipping line relationships, contracts and negotiations.
• Experience coordinating multi-commodity export shipments, including citrus, grapes and kiwi fruit.
• Experience working with shipping agents, freight forwarders and cold storage service providers.

Knowledge

• Strong knowledge of vessel routes and shipping market patterns.
• Understanding of trans-shipment, vessel scheduling and port clearance processes.
• Knowledge of cold chain and reefer logistics as applicable to agri exports.
• Understanding of forecasting processes with major shipping lines.

Other Requirements

• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English; Afrikaans proficiency is advantageous.
• Excellent crisis management skills and the ability to remain composed and effective under pressure.
• Strong follow-through, with a demonstrated ability to get in, get things done and finish well.
• Valid, unendorsed driver's license.

Please consider your application unsuccessful if you do not receive a response within two weeks of applying.