Trade Development Manager

Ocean Freight Route Development Manager
Reports To: Head of Ocean Freight
DHL Global Forwarding is a Freight Forwarding organization that is the expert in global air, ocean and ground Freight Forwarding as well as Customs operations and Compliance. Our passion is to enable international trade utilizing the best teams in the industry. We simplify our customer operations and maximize their opportunities to achieve results.
Leads strategic growth across all ocean products within the appointed trade(s), driving the country ocean growth plan in partnership with local OFR, Sales leadership, and regional stakeholders.
Defines commercial focus areas for local sales teams, including target customer characteristics, priority commodities, and industry segments, and personally engages in high-impact customer opportunities.
Guides the development of country-level growth plans and differentiated go-to-market strategies, ensuring data-driven customer targeting and strong value propositions.
Owns the annual trade development program, including strategic sales campaigns, must-win RFQs, investment proposals, performance tracking, and cross-functional alignment to enable required growth.
Engages directly with key customer opportunities, supporting win strategies, pricing approaches, and joint customer meetings with Sales to drive conversion of strategic opportunities.
Ensures ship-to-profile realization by tracking customer wins and guaranteeing that secured business materializes into actual volumes and revenue.
Maintains deep engagement with Trade Management to understand market shifts, procurement conditions, and pricing competitiveness, ensuring pricing tools (e.g., MTS) reflect optimal commercial positioning.
Drives global collaboration with overseas Route Development Managers and Trade Management to ensure cohesive execution of trade plans across priority countries and regions.
Builds and nurtures senior-level carrier relationships, engaging in local procurement activities aligned with trade strategy and commercial objectives.
Leads pipeline strategy and governance, ensuring the pipeline reflects strategic focus areas, is robust enough to achieve growth targets, and moves efficiently through the funnel with increased velocity and conversion.
Holds final pricing authority on assigned trade(s) for both local and global tenders and quote requests, ensuring decisions support strategic growth, profitability, and long-term positioning.

Market Analysis & Capacity Management
Advanced Microsoft Excel capability
Business Strategy & commercial planning
Project Management & Change Management
Sales, Commercial Management & Business Development
Proven experience building strong, trust-based relationships with DHL managers, Sales teams, customers, and key stakeholders.
Deep understanding of customer and stakeholder interests, with the ability to advise Sales, leaders, and teams accordingly.
Experience providing technical guidance to line managers, employees, and cross-functional partners.
Experience directing work, managing processes or programs, and coaching, reviewing, and delegating tasks to lower-level professionals.

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience/qualification
Language: Fluency in English plus local language is a minimum