Senior Strategic Business Development Manager

BlacknWhite Recruit; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

BlacknWhite Recruit is recruiting a Senior Strategic Business Development Manager in Cape Town for a full-time, on-site role in Freight & Logistics. You will drive new business acquisitions, build strategic partnerships and expand the client portfolio while achieving revenue targets.

The ideal candidate has 3–5 years in freight and logistics sales, a track record of securing new business, and strong relationship-building skills with decision-makers across road, air and sea freight sectors.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years proven experience in business development and sales within freight and logistics.
• Experience in clearing and forwarding advantageous.
• Good understanding of road, air and sea freight services.
• Knowledge of import, export, transport, warehousing and distribution processes.
• Proven ability to generate new business and secure client accounts.
• Experience achieving and exceeding sales targets.
• Ability to develop new commercial relationships.
• Experience preparing freight quotations, proposals and negotiating pricing.
• Strong understanding of logistics and supply chain environment.
• Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation and closing skills.

Responsibilities

• Identify, target and secure new business opportunities in freight and logistics.
• Develop and execute strategic sales plans to grow the customer base.
• Source new clients across road, air and sea freight and related services.
• Negotiate pricing and commercial terms to win contracts.

Skills

Strategic New Business Development

Freight & Logistics Sales

Lead Generation

Negotiation

Account Management

Client Relationship Building

Education

Business Management, Sales, Logistics or Supply Chain Management

Job description

SENIOR STRATEGIC BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Industry: Freight & Logistics

Location: Cape Town, Western Cape

Position Type: Full-Time | On-Site

COMPANY OVERVIEW

BlacknWhite Recruit is a talent-focused recruitment organisation dedicated to connecting skilled professionals with meaningful career opportunities and helping businesses build strong, future-ready teams.

We are currently recruiting on behalf of our client within the freight and logistics industry for an ambitious and commercially driven Senior Strategic Business Development Manager.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced freight and logistics sales professional who understands the industry, has a passion for winning new business and can identify opportunities that translate into sustainable revenue growth.

The successful candidate will play a key role in expanding the company's market presence, acquiring new clients, developing strategic partnerships and growing its freight and logistics customer portfolio.

ROLE OVERVIEW

The Senior Strategic Business Development Manager will be responsible for driving new business acquisition and revenue growth within the freight and logistics sector.

The position requires a proactive sales professional with 3–5 years of relevant industry experience, a solid understanding of freight solutions and the ability to develop relationships with key industry decision-makers.

The successful candidate will be expected to identify prospective clients, generate leads, conduct sales presentations, negotiate commercial agreements and convert new business opportunities into long-term profitable accounts.

A strong emphasis will be placed on new business development, client acquisition and achieving measurable sales targets.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Strategic New Business Development

• Identify, target and secure new business opportunities within the freight and logistics industry.
• Develop and execute strategic sales plans to expand the company's customer base and market presence.
• Proactively source new clients across road, air and sea freight.
• Identify opportunities within clearing and forwarding, imports, exports, warehousing, distribution and supply chain solutions.
• Build relationships with key decision-makers, including Logistics Managers, Supply Chain Managers, Procurement Managers and Business Owners.
• Generate leads through cold calling, networking, referrals, industry events and direct prospecting.
• Develop and maintain a strong pipeline of prospective clients.
• Convert new business opportunities into long-term commercial partnerships.

2. Sales & Revenue Generation

• Achieve and exceed monthly, quarterly and annual sales targets.
• Drive revenue growth through new client acquisition and strategic business development.
• Prepare and present competitive freight proposals, quotations and customised logistics solutions.
• Negotiate pricing, commercial agreements and service-level agreements.
• Identify opportunities to increase customer spend through cross-selling and upselling.
• Maintain accurate sales forecasts, pipeline reports and performance records.
• Monitor sales performance and implement strategies to improve conversion rates.

3. Client & Key Account Management

• Establish and maintain strong relationships with new and existing clients.
• Develop strategic relationships with key accounts to maximise business opportunities.
• Understand customer requirements and recommend suitable freight and logistics solutions.
• Work closely with internal operations teams to ensure effective service delivery.
• Monitor client satisfaction and proactively address service-related concerns.
• Identify opportunities to grow existing accounts and improve client retention.

4. Market Research & Business Strategy

• Conduct market research to identify new business opportunities and potential growth sectors.
• Monitor competitor activity, market trends and freight industry developments.
• Identify potential strategic partnerships and opportunities for market expansion.
• Provide management with regular sales reports, market insights and business development recommendations.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of long-term commercial growth strategies.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS

• 3–5 years' proven experience in business development and sales within the freight and logistics industry.
• Previous experience in clearing and forwarding will be highly advantageous.
• Good understanding of road, air and sea freight services.
• Knowledge of import, export, transport, warehousing and distribution processes.
• Proven ability to generate new business and secure new client accounts.
• Demonstrated experience in achieving and exceeding sales targets.
• Ability to identify potential customers and develop new commercial relationships.
• Experience preparing freight quotations, proposals and negotiating pricing.
• Strong understanding of the logistics and supply chain environment.
• Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation and closing skills.
• Strong commercial awareness and business development capabilities.
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple opportunities and deliver results in a target-driven environment.
• Relevant qualification in Business Management, Sales, Logistics or Supply Chain Management will be advantageous.
• Valid driver's licence and own reliable transport preferred.

KEY SKILLS & COMPETENCIES

• Strategic New Business Development
• Freight & Logistics Sales
• Clearing & Forwarding Knowledge
• Road, Air & Sea Freight
• Client Acquisition & Lead Generation
• Commercial Negotiation
• Sales Pipeline Management
• Revenue Generation & Growth
• Strategic Account Management
• Client Relationship Building
• Market Research & Competitor Analysis
• Business Development Strategy
• Presentation & Communication Skills
• Target-Driven Sales Approach

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

We are looking for a confident, ambitious and commercially driven individual who has a genuine passion for sales and a strong understanding of the freight and logistics industry.

The ideal candidate will be a natural new-business hunter who enjoys identifying opportunities, opening doors, building relationships with decision-makers and converting prospects into profitable business.

You should be proactive, persuasive, resilient and motivated by achieving sales targets. The ability to build a pipeline from scratch, secure new clients and develop long-term commercial relationships will be essential.

This is a business development position with a strong focus on new business acquisition. We are looking for someone who can bring in new clients, win contracts and contribute directly to the company's revenue growth.

LOCATION & WORKING ARRANGEMENT

Location: Cape Town, Western Cape

Working Arrangement: Full-Time, On-Site

Industry: Freight, Logistics & Clearing and Forwarding

APPLICATIONS

If you have 3–5 years of freight and logistics sales experience, enjoy winning new business and are ready to take the next step in your business development career, we would like to hear from you.