Sales Manager - Forwarding

Sales Manager – Freight Forwarding & Shipping

Department: Sales
Designation: Sales Manager – Freight Forwarding & Shipping
Reports To: Head of Sales / Director
Location: Lahore, Pakistan
Employment Type: Full-Time

1. Job Purpose

To lead and develop the company's sales activities for freight forwarding and shipping services by acquiring new customers, maintaining existing client relationships, achieving revenue targets, and expanding the company's market share in the logistics and shipping industry.

2. Key Responsibilities

A. Sales & Business Development

• Develop and implement sales strategies to achieve monthly, quarterly, and annual revenue targets.
• Identify and acquire new customers for sea freight, air freight, import, export, and other logistics services.
• Generate business through market research, client visits, networking, referrals, and cold calling.
• Identify new business opportunities and expand the company's customer portfolio.
• Prepare sales forecasts, business development plans, and periodic sales reports.
• Negotiate rates, service agreements, and commercial terms with prospective clients.

B. Freight Forwarding & Shipping

• Promote freight forwarding services, including FCL, LCL, air freight, import, export, and door-to-door logistics solutions, where applicable.
• Develop business opportunities with importers, exporters, manufacturers, traders, and other corporate clients.
• Coordinate with operations, documentation, finance, and other relevant departments to ensure smooth execution of customer shipments.
• Maintain knowledge of freight rates, shipping routes, market trends, and competitors' offerings.
• Coordinate with carriers, shipping lines, overseas agents, and logistics partners to develop competitive service solutions.

C. Client Relationship Management

• Build and maintain long-term relationships with existing and potential customers.
• Conduct regular client meetings and follow up on quotations, inquiries, and pending business opportunities.
• Understand customer requirements and provide suitable freight and shipping solutions.
• Resolve customer complaints in coordination with the relevant departments.
• Ensure high customer satisfaction, repeat business, and customer retention.

D. Team Management

• Lead, supervise, and motivate the sales team to achieve individual and departmental targets.
• Assign sales territories, customer portfolios, and business development responsibilities.
• Monitor team performance through sales pipelines, customer acquisition, revenue generation, and conversion rates.
• Provide coaching, guidance, and support to improve sales productivity.
• Conduct regular sales meetings and performance reviews.

E. Pricing & Commercial Management

• Coordinate with pricing and operations teams to obtain competitive freight quotations.
• Review quotations and commercial proposals before submission to customers, in accordance with company approval limits.
• Monitor profitability, gross profit margins, and customer-wise business performance.
• Coordinate with Finance to monitor outstanding customer payments and support timely collection.
• Ensure compliance with company credit policies and approved commercial terms.

F. Reporting & Performance Monitoring

• Prepare and submit periodic sales performance reports to management.
• Maintain accurate customer databases, sales pipelines, quotations, and follow-up records in the company's CRM or reporting system.
• Analyze sales performance against targets and recommend corrective actions.
• Monitor market developments, competitor activities, and opportunities for business expansion.

3. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Achievement of monthly and annual sales targets.
• Revenue and gross profit generated from freight forwarding and shipping services.
• Number of new customers acquired.
• Customer retention and repeat business.
• Conversion rate of quotations into confirmed shipments.
• Growth in the active customer portfolio.
• Sales team productivity and target achievement.
• Timely follow-up on customer receivables in coordination with Finance.

4. Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Supply Chain Management, or a relevant discipline.
• A master's degree or professional qualification in Sales, Marketing, or Supply Chain Management will be an advantage.

5. Experience

• Minimum 5–7 years of experience in sales and business development within freight forwarding, shipping, logistics, or a related industry.
• At least 2–3 years of experience in a supervisory or managerial sales role.
• A proven track record of acquiring corporate customers and achieving sales targets.

6. Required Skills & Competencies

• Strong sales, negotiation, and business development skills.
• Knowledge of freight forwarding, shipping, import/export procedures, and logistics solutions.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and client relationship management skills.
• Ability to lead a sales team and manage multiple customer accounts.
• Strong commercial awareness and understanding of profitability.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, and CRM or sales reporting systems.
• Strong planning, analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.

Work Location: In person