Sales Director

Sales Director / Head of Sales – International Freight Forwarding

Melbourne, Australia

Important: Candidates must be coming from sales leadership positions within air & ocean freight forwarding. Candidates that don't meet this criteria will be rejected and will not receive feedback.

The company

Our client is an established Australian freight forwarder, part of a larger international group with a long history in global trade and supply chain. They offer end-to-end logistics across sea, air, road and rail, plus customs clearance, warehousing and specialist supply chain solutions, with a strong focus on service and technology.

Following the appointment of a new COO, the business is entering a significant growth phase and is looking for a commercial leader to build and drive its sales function in Australia and internationally.

The role

This is a rare opportunity to take on a build-and-scale role with a clear path to the executive table. You'll start with a small sales team in Australia and be responsible for growing it, both locally and overseas. International expansion is expected to be across South America, Europe and Asia. For the right person, there is a very real path to the Chief Commercial Officer position.

Key responsibilities

• Lead, manage and grow the sales team, recruiting and developing high performers
• Set and deliver the sales strategy, targets and pipeline for new business and key account growth
• Lead international expansion, including helping to establish new offices and sales teams in South America, Europe and Asia
• Win and develop strategic accounts across target industries and trade lanes
• Work closely with the COO and leadership team on commercial planning, pricing and market positioning
• Put in place sales processes, reporting and CRM discipline as the team scales

About you

• Proven sales leadership in freight forwarding, logistics or supply chain
• Track record of building and growing teams, ideally across more than one country
• Strong new business record with a network across importers, exporters and shippers
• Commercially sharp and strategic, but happy to stay hands-on in a growing business
• Experience opening new markets or offices is highly desirable; Spanish or Portuguese a bonus
• Ambition to grow into a C-suite commercial role

What's on offer

• Senior leadership role with genuine influence over the company's growth
• Clear progression path to CCO
• The backing of a well-funded international group