Head of Ocean Freight Oil and Gas  

Key Accountabilities

Own the country Ocean Freight P&L, including revenue, gross profit, cost control, and productivity targets.

Ensure disciplined pricing, yield management, and margin optimization.

Monitor performance through KPIs, dashboards, and forecasts, taking corrective action where required.

Lead carrier sourcing, negotiation, and allocation strategies to secure competitive rates, space, and service levels.

Build and maintain strong, strategic relationships with core shipping lines and vendors.

Ensure effective contract utilization and compliance with global procurement frameworks.

Oversee pricing governance, spot quote management, and tender execution to ensure speed, accuracy, and competitiveness.

Ensure alignment between sales, pricing, and operations to deliver executable and profitable solutions.

Act as escalation point for complex or strategic ocean freight solutions.

Ensure operational excellence, service reliability, and adherence to internal SOPs and external regulatory requirements.

Drive continuous improvement in processes, systems, and data quality.

Ensure risk management, compliance, and audit readiness across all ocean freight activities.

Lead, coach, and develop the country Ocean Freight team, fostering a high-performance and collaborative culture.

Ensure clear roles, objectives, and succession planning within the team.

Promote knowledge sharing, training, and alignment with global product standards.

Act as the country interface to regional and global Ocean Freight leadership.

Contribute to regional and global initiatives, pilots, and transformation programs.

Ensure local execution of global standards while representing country-specific market needs.

• Qualities, Skills & Experience

  Bachelor’s degree in Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Economics, or a related field.

  A postgraduate degree is an advantage but not mandatory.

  Professional certifications in logistics or supply chain are an advantage.

  Minimum 10–15 years of experience in freight forwarding, logistics, or ocean carrier-related roles.

  At least 5–7 years in a senior management or product leadership role within Ocean Freight.

  Proven experience with country-level or regional P&L ownership for an Ocean Freight or Product function.

  Strong background in carrier procurement, contract negotiations, and space management.

  Demonstrated experience leading pricing, tenders, and key account support in a competitive market.

  Hands-on exposure to import, export, and cross-trade operations across multiple trades.

  Deep understanding of ocean freight commercial models, including rate structures, surcharges, equipment management, and cost drivers.

  Strong knowledge of trade lanes, market dynamics, and carrier strategies relevant to the country and region.

  Solid grasp of end-to-end forwarding operations, SOPs, Incoterms, and regulatory compliance.

  Experience working with freight forwarding systems, pricing tools, and performance dashboards.

  Ability to interpret financial data and translate it into commercial and operational decisions.

  Proven ability to lead and develop high-performing teams in a matrix and multicultural environment.

  Strong stakeholder management skills, able to influence sales, operations, finance, and global product teams.

  Commercially driven with a customer-centric and solution-oriented mindset.

  Comfortable operating in volatile markets, making decisions under pressure and ambiguity.

  Strong negotiation, communication, and presentation skills at senior customer and carrier level.

  Strategic thinker with strong execution discipline.

  High level of integrity and compliance awareness.

  Resilient, adaptable, and results-oriented.

• Strong expertise and experience in African law for cargo regulations