Sales Manager - Freight Forwarding

About the Company

Our client is a Dubai-based integrated logistics company operating across the UAE and KSA, supported by an established regional partner network. It operates through three divisions:

• Freight Services: air, sea and inland freight, including project and heavy-lift cargo
• Logistics Services: warehousing, inventory management and on-the-ground logistics support
• 4PL/5PL Advisory: supply chain design, optimisation and end-to-end logistics management

The company serves clients across EPC and construction, oil & gas, power & energy, automotive, consumer & retail and technology, and is now growing its commercial team.

Role Overview

This role exists to bring new business into the company and grow revenue across its freight forwarding and logistics services. You will own the full sales lifecycle, from prospecting and qualifying through to proposal, negotiation, closing and account growth.

This is a role for an independent, self-driven salesperson. You will have full support from in-house operations and finance teams, along with CRM and ERP systems, so your focus stays on selling. There is no micromanagement; the company is looking for people who can hit the ground running, work on the ground with clients and convert their network into business.

Key Responsibilities

• Generate new business across the company's freight forwarding and logistics services (air, sea, inland and project cargo)
• Own the full sales lifecycle: prospecting, qualifying, quoting, negotiating and closing
• Build and grow a portfolio of key accounts, including industrial and project-based clients
• Meet clients face-to-face regularly and maintain a strong on-ground market presence
• Prepare and present commercial proposals and rate quotations
• Coordinate shipment execution with the operations team to ensure a smooth client experience
• Cross-sell across the full range of the company's services
• Maintain an accurate pipeline and activity records in the CRM AND ERP systems
• Monitor competitor activity, rates and market trends

Critical Requirements

• Minimum 6 years of freight forwarding and/or logistics sales experience
• Freight forwarding or logistics sales experience in the UAE market
• New business development role with new accounts personally won
• Full sales cycle managed end-to-end: prospecting, quoting, negotiating and closing
• Active portfolio of freight forwarding, logistics or industrial project clients managed personally
• Field sales role with regular face-to-face client meetings
• Fluent English, spoken and written
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office
• Experience using a CRM system
• Experience using an ERP system

Important Requirements

• Commercial proposal writing and rate quotations
• Client presentations or pitches delivered
• Target-driven sales role with stated results (gross profit, revenue or percentage of target achieved)
• Freight contracts or rate agreements negotiated and closed personally
• Key account management, including industrial or project-based clients
• Direct dealings with senior client stakeholders (business owners, supply chain or logistics heads, procurement managers)
• Individual-contributor sales role with a personal portfolio and personal targets
• Direct-shipper sales in at least one of these sectors: EPC and construction, oil & gas, power & energy, automotive, consumer & retail, technology
• Sales across at least two freight modes (air, sea or inland freight)
• Cross-selling of warehousing or logistics services

Nice to Have

• Freight sales to or from Iraq
• Established client network with Chinese companies operating in the region
• Project cargo, heavy-lift or industrial project logistics experience
• Arabic speaker

What's on Offer

• Competitive package with an attractive commission structure
• Autonomy to run your own portfolio, backed by operations and finance support

Success Measures (First 12 Months)

• Clear monthly gross profit targets, with a structured ramp-up over the first 8 months
• New active accounts: about 2 to 4 new shipping clients a month in the first 6 months
• Repeat business: 60%+ of new accounts ship again within 90 days
• Client meetings: 8 to 12 face-to-face meetings a week
• Collections: clients pay within the agreed credit terms, with minimal bad debt