Senior Director, Trade Lane Development - Americas

DP World•Charlotte, NC

About The Position

We are the leading provider of worldwide smart end-to-end supply chain & logistics, enabling the flow of trade across the globe. Our comprehensive range of products and services covers every link of the integrated supply chain – from maritime and inland terminals to marine services and industrial parks as well as technology-driven customer solutions. The Senior Director, Trade Lane Development - Americas is responsible for strategizing & growing (jointly with commercial) ocean & air volumes on the selected trade routes within the Americas. The role will support overall business developments across the group showcasing our freight forwarding capabilities and achieve increased market share, delivering growth in key markets & expanding service delivery in AMR to maximize regional growth.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Logistics, Supply Chain Management or a related field, with a Master's degree preferred
5-8 years of experience in the freight forwarding industry, with a strong background in commercial, trade lane or route development
Proven commercial acumen and understanding of freight procurement, pricing, and customer solutioning
Strong communication, stakeholder management, and presentation skills
Data-driven, analytical, and proactive in resolving challenges and identifying opportunities
Fluent in English; additional regional languages are a plus
Willingness to travel within the region and occasionally internationally
Proven track record of success in trade lane management, with exceptional negotiation, communication, and leadership skills
Experience managing complex logistics operations across multiple regions, with strong knowledge of carrier pricing and capacity management
Familiarity with customs regulations, import/export procedures, and other relevant industry standards
Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and lead a team of professionals
Proficiency in MS Office and logistics software applications, and familiarity with emerging digital technologies and trends in the logistics industry
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Please note : This position does not offer sponsorship for employment visas. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in The United States without sponsorship now or in the future.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree preferred
additional regional languages are a plus

Responsibilities

TRADE LANE DEVELOPMENT & STRATEGY Define and execute the regional trade lane strategy aligned with global trade lane goals and regional business objectives
Identify growth opportunities and design trade lane-specific commercial action plans (including target industries, customers, and lanes)
Build strong relationships with origin and destination offices to ensure aligned pricing, service delivery, and product development
Provides input for annual Trade Lane budgeting
Manages pipeline size and hit ratio on assigned trade lane(s)
COMMERCIAL SUPPORT & SALES ENABLEMENT Support local and regional sales teams with trade lane-specific knowledge, customer engagement, and solution design
Lead and manage key RFQs/RFPs for strategic accounts on the lane; support pre-sales and post-sales activities
Conduct regular trade lane performance reviews with sales and key account managers
Plans overseas visits and acts as enabler for overseas sale
Steers local Sales force by identifying opportunities on assigned trade lane(s), launching, managing Sales campaigns and driving volume/density initiatives on assigned trade lane(s)
Provides selling tools for assigned lanes such as benchmarking and selling kit for Sales
Establishes and agrees Trade Lane must-win customer list together with Sales and Products; Interacts on pricing with tender and pricing team on pricing/rate
PRICING & PROCUREMENT COORDINATION Collaborate with procurement teams to identify competitive buying rates and required capacity from carriers and partners
Provide strategic pricing guidance for tenders and spot quotes based on market intelligence and profitability thresholds
Monitor margin performance and propose corrective actions where required
Analyse trade lane volume trends, lane profitability, and service performance metrics
Identify root causes of underperformance and initiate improvement/ action plans in coordination with operations and commercial teams
Deliver regular reporting and presentations on trade lane health and progress to senior management
TRADE PERFORMANCE MONITORING Analyse trade lane volume trends, lane profitability, and service performance metrics.
Identify root causes of underperformance and initiate improvement/ action plans in coordination with operations and commercial teams
Deliver regular reporting and presentations on trade lane health and progress to senior management
STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT Serve as the primary point of contact for internal and external stakeholders regarding the assigned trade lane
Facilitate regular coordination between origin/destination offices and regional teams to align strategies and execution
Build strong external relationships with partners and strategic customers
Work with product teams to develop differentiated service offerings (e.g., transit-time options, visibility solutions, sustainability features) tailored to trade lane requirements
Capture customer and market feedback to continuously enhance the trade lane value proposition
Propose Commercial business cases in order to develop USP’s on respective trade lanes to boost growth, increase profitability or increase customer retention (e.g. invest in capacity to build console program, long term carrier contracts to give advantage on rates/ capacity, etc)
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT & INNOVATION Work with product teams to develop differentiated service offerings (e.g., transit-time options, visibility solutions, sustainability features) tailored to trade lane requirements
Capture customer and market feedback to continuously enhance the trade lane value proposition
Propose Commercial business cases in order to develop USP’s on respective trade lanes to boost growth, increase profitability or increase customer retention (e.g. invest in capacity to build console program, long term carrier contracts to give advantage on rates/ capacity, etc)