Product Specialist-Freight Operations

House of Shipping provides business consultancy and advisory services for Shipping & Logistics companies. House of Shipping&aposs commitment to their customers begins with developing an understanding of their business fundamentals. .

Currently House of Shipping is recruiting for Product and Pricing Specialist-Freight Operations for a leading global freight forwarding company.

Job Purpose:

The Product Specialist is responsible for securing competitive rates from carriers, supporting company&aposs sales teams in pricing freight forwarding services. The role involves developing and managing carrier and vendor relationships, analyzing market dynamics, and ensuring timely responses to RFQs and tenders, while supporting the global Air & Ocean freight strategy.

Key Responsibilities:

Rate Procurement & Negotiation

oLead negotiations for air & ocean freight rates, block space agreements (BSAs), and contract agreements with airlines, ensuring competitive pricing and optimal capacity for key trade lanes.

oSecure core and non-core carrier relationships, aligning procurement with tonnage goals and strategic objectives.

oMonitor airline performance, ensuring compliance with Minimum Tonnage Commitments (MTCs) and agreed terms.

oSupport the implementation of company s air & ocean procurement strategy, optimizing for cost, tonnage targets, and market dynamics.

Tender and RFQ Management

oOversee the receipt, registration, and timely response to tenders and RFQs for air & ocean freight services, ensuring tonnage commitments are addressed.

oEnsure compliance with tender requirements, preparing accurate and competitive submissions in collabora-tion with the tender management team.

oProvide capacity-based market insights and value-added information to support sales and improve tender win rates.

Pricing Management

oDevelop and maintain an air & ocean freight pricing model aligned with market conditions and tonnage goals.

oManage and update air & ocean freight tariff templates, ensuring accurate cost mapping based on volume brackets and capacity requirements.

oAnalyse price sensitivity and profitability, recommending adjustments to meet revenue and tonnage targets.

oCommunicate pricing adjustments to internal and external stakeholders, ensuring clarity and alignment.

Market Intelligence & Analysis

oCollect, analyse, and distribute market intelligence, including updates on tonnage trends, rate fluctuations, airline capacity, and transit time reliability.

oServe as the central point of contact for regional pricing inquiries, providing tonnage-related insights into local and global market conditions.

oAssess procurement performance against tonnage targets and provide feedback for strategic alignment with the global air & ocean product strategy.

Product Development & Management

oDevelop air & ocean freight products that cater to tonnage scalability and align with global standards.

oSupport training initiatives to ensure sales teams can accurately present air & ocean freight solutions tailored to customer tonnage requirements.

oAlign product offerings with tonnage-driven customer requirements, ensuring competitive advantage in the marketplace.

Carrier Management

oMaintain and enhance relationships with airline partners to secure capacity that supports tonnage targets and cost efficiency.

oNegotiate BSAs and capacity agreements for key trade lanes, focusing on tonnage allocation and rate com-petitiveness.

oAddress operational challenges with carriers, ensuring timely resolution and uninterrupted tonnage flow

Process Optimization & Compliance

oStreamline procurement processes, creating tonnage-specific guidelines and aligning with regional procurement strategies.

oMaintain data integrity within the rate and capacity management system, ensuring tonnage data accuracy and accessibility for stakeholders.

oEnsure adherence to compliance standards, including customs and regulatory requirements for tonnage management.

Reporting & Communication

oProvide regular reports on tonnage performance, carrier utilization, and rate competitiveness.

oMonitor tonnage trends by trade lane, identifying areas for growth and addressing underutilized capacity.

oCommunicate effectively with regional and global teams, aligning procurement goals with tonnage targets and broader business objectives.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):

Tonnage Targets: Meet or exceed monthly and quarterly tonnage goals by trade lane and customer and achieve full utilization of allocated BSAs and capacity agreements.

Rate Competitiveness: Secure competitive rates aligned with market benchmarks and tender requirements.

Tender Success: Ensure accurate, timely, and competitive tender submissions with a focus on high win rates.

Rate Management Accuracy: Maintain accuracy and timely updates in rate management systems.

Carrier Utilization: Maintain carrier capacity utilisation rates at 90% or higher

Procurement Efficiency: Enhance rate negotiation processes, ensuring faster responses and continuous improvement whilst ensuring with Tonnage requirements.

Margin Improvement: Drive margin improvements of 5-10% through effective rate negotiations and cost-saving measures.

Sales Support: Ensure prompt and accurate responses to sales rate inquiries, supporting customer needs.

Cross-Functional Collaboration: Maintain effective communication with stakeholders, supporting procurement strategies and improvements.

Key interactions (Internal | External)

External: Carriers and Vendors | Key Customers (as required) | Third-Party Logistics Providers

Internal: Global Head of air & ocean Freight| Sales & BD | Managing Directors | Tender Management Team | Operations Team | Other Branch offices

Education requirements

Bachelors degree in supply chain management, Logistics, Business Administration, or related fields.

Language requirements

English Fluent (required)

Regional language based on location - (preferred) Preferred

Experience in freight forwarding or logistics with carrier relationships or experience negotiating with carriers is an advantage.

Background and experience

Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in Ocean/Airfreight rate procurement, carrier negotiation, or related roles in freight forwarding.

In-depth knowledge of Ocean/Airfreight products, procurement strategies, and carrier dynamics.

Strong analytical skills, with experience in pricing models, rate trends, and market intelligence.

Competencies and skills

Technical Skills:

Strong knowledge of air & ocean freight procurement, rate structures, and market trends.

Proficiency in using rate management tools and software, with a focus on accuracy and efficiency.

Communication Skills:

Excellent negotiation and relationship-building abilities.

Strong verbal and written communication skills, with fluency in English and a local language.

Analytical Skills:

Ability to analyze rate data, market trends, and tender results to drive strategic decision-making.

Problem-Solving:

Proactive and adaptable, with the ability to resolve issues related to rate discrepancies and carrier negotiations.

Core Competencies:

Customer Focus: Committed to meeting customer needs through competitive rate solutions.

Commercial Acumen: Understands market dynamics, driving profitability through smart procurement.

Analytical Thinking: Analyses trends and perfor-mance to enhance rate competitiveness.

Negotiation Skills: Strong negotiator, maintaining strategic carrier partnerships.

Collaboration: Works effectively with internal teams to achieve objectives.

Adaptability: Responds swiftly to changing market conditions and requirements.

Result Orientation: Focused on achieving targets and improving procurement performance.