Website:
optirecruitglobal.com
Job details:
JOB TITLE: Operations Manager – Freight Forwarding (Air & Sea)
LOCATION: Gurgaon
EXPERIENCE: 7–12+ Years
INDUSTRY: Freight Forwarding / Logistics / International Freight
POSITION OVERVIEW
We are looking for an experienced Operations Manager who can independently manage the complete freight forwarding operations across Air Freight and Sea Freight – Import & Export.
The candidate must have strong hands-on knowledge of end-to-end shipment operations, pricing, costing, carrier/vendor coordination, documentation, customs coordination, transportation, customer handling, team management and operational profitability.
This is a senior operational role. The candidate should understand not only how to execute shipments but also what every shipment costs, how it should be priced, where the margin is made or lost, and how the complete operation is controlled from booking to final delivery and billing.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
1. END-TO-END FREIGHT OPERATIONS
• Manage complete Air and Sea Freight operations from booking to final delivery.
• Handle Import and Export shipments.
• Manage FCL and LCL shipments.
• Coordinate with customers, airlines, shipping lines, NVOCCs, co-loaders, overseas agents, CHAs, transporters, CFSs and warehouses.
• Monitor shipment milestones and ensure timely movement.
• Resolve operational issues and escalations proactively.
2. AIR FREIGHT OPERATIONS
• Manage Air Import and Export shipments.
• Airline booking and rate coordination.
• Handle AWB, HAWB and MAWB.
• Manage flight schedules, cut-offs and cargo acceptance.
• Handle pre-alerts and documentation.
• Track shipments and provide timely status updates.
• Handle flight cancellations, rollovers, offloads, delays and re-bookings.
• Coordinate with airlines and handling agents.
3. SEA FREIGHT OPERATIONS
• Manage Sea Import and Export operations.
• Handle FCL and LCL shipments.
• Coordinate with shipping lines, NVOCCs and co-loaders.
• Handle MBL and HBL.
• Manage booking confirmation and vessel schedules.
• Handle Shipping Instructions (SI) and VGM.
• Coordinate container allocation, pickup, stuffing and gate-in.
• Check BL drafts and manage amendments.
• Handle transshipment coordination.
• Manage Arrival Notice, Delivery Order and final delivery.
• Control detention, demurrage and free-day issues.
4. PRICING, COSTING & COMMERCIAL CONTROL
• Understand Air Freight and Sea Freight buy and sell rates.
• Obtain and negotiate rates with airlines, shipping lines, NVOCCs and vendors.
• Calculate complete shipment costs before quoting.
• Understand origin and destination charges.
• Manage THC, CFS, documentation, handling, carting, transportation and other applicable charges.
• Calculate selling price and expected gross margin.
• Identify cost leakages and unnecessary expenses.
• Coordinate with the sales/commercial team for accurate quotations.
• Verify vendor invoices against agreed rates.
• Ensure correct customer billing and recovery of operational charges.
5. CUSTOMS & CLEARANCE COORDINATION
• Coordinate with CHAs and customs clearance teams.
• Understand the complete Import and Export customs process.
• Working knowledge of Shipping Bill, Bill of Entry, ICEGATE, examination, assessment, LEO and OOC processes.
• Resolve customs queries and documentation discrepancies.
• Ensure timely customs clearance and delivery.
• Monitor shipments under customs hold or examination.
6. DOCUMENTATION
The candidate should have strong knowledge of:
• Commercial Invoice
• Packing List
• AWB / HAWB / MAWB
• HBL / MBL
• Shipping Bill
• Bill of Entry
• Shipping Instructions
• VGM
• Certificate of Origin
• Delivery Order
• Arrival Notice
• Pre-alerts
• Insurance and shipment-specific documents
7. VENDOR & CARRIER MANAGEMENT
• Maintain strong relationships with airlines, shipping lines, NVOCCs, co-loaders, transporters, CHAs, CFSs and warehouses.
• Negotiate operational rates and service terms.
• Monitor vendor performance.
• Resolve rate disputes and service failures.
• Ensure vendors work according to agreed commercial and operational terms.
8. TEAM MANAGEMENT
• Lead and manage the Air and Sea Operations team.
• Allocate shipments and responsibilities.
• Monitor daily operational performance.
• Establish and implement SOPs.
• Train team members on operational procedures.
• Coordinate between Operations, Sales, Documentation, Accounts and Customer Service.
• Handle critical operational escalations.
9. CUSTOMER & ESCALATION MANAGEMENT
• Act as the senior operational point of contact for key customers.
• Handle customer escalations related to delays, documentation, rates, clearance and delivery.
• Provide accurate shipment updates.
• Ensure service commitments are met.
• Maintain strong customer relationships through reliable operational execution.
10. OPERATIONAL MIS & CONTROL
• Maintain shipment-wise operational records.
• Track shipment status and pending actions.
• Monitor operational costs and revenue.
• Track detention, demurrage and additional costs.
• Review vendor bills and customer billing.
• Prepare operational MIS and management reports.
• Identify operational bottlenecks and implement corrective actions.
MUST-HAVE REQUIREMENTS
• 7–12+ years of experience in Freight Forwarding / International Logistics.
• Strong hands-on experience in Air and Sea Freight Operations.
• Experience in both Import and Export.
• Strong knowledge of FCL, LCL and Air Freight.
• Strong understanding of freight rates, costing and margins.
• Good knowledge of customs clearance and CHA coordination.
• Strong documentation knowledge.
• Experience dealing with airlines, shipping lines, NVOCCs and logistics vendors.
• Strong vendor negotiation and management skills.
• Experience managing an operations team.
• Strong problem-solving and escalation-management skills.
• Good understanding of the commercial and financial aspects of freight forwarding.
CRITICAL REQUIREMENT
The candidate must be capable of independently explaining a complete Air Export and Sea Import shipment process from booking to final delivery, including:
• Operational process
• Documentation
• Parties involved
• Freight and local charges
• Vendor coordination
• Customs process
• Potential operational problems
• Customer billing
• Cost calculation
• Margin calculation
- The candidate must have practical, end-to-end Freight Forwarding knowledge and should be capable of independently taking ownership of the complete Air & Sea Operations function.
Click on Apply to know more.