Job Purpose/Mission  

• The Freight Projects Manager is a critical link between upstream and downstream operations to ensure the smooth flow of goods from origin to destination by providing custodianship over quality freight services, while isolating, sealing, and implementing opportunities for cost optimization through efficient selection, contracting, onboarding, monitoring, and continuous improvement of freight vendor services for sea, air, rail, and land freights.  
• This position requires acute internal/external relationships management skills to communicate with cross-functional teams and partners, including supply chain, operations, markets, freight service vendors and the senior leadership, as well as data driven monitoring of partner’s performance through KPIs monitored daily, weekly, monthly to identify and implement improvements in freight processes and services. 

Responsibilities 

• Manage and optimize Sea Freight services from all providers (vendors). Track, measure, report and evaluate performance to optimize product flow and service costs.  
• Liaise with service providers via daily/weekly/ monthly/ quarterly (as applicable) meetings to understand issues and barriers to meeting performance target and driving future improvements. 
• Develop and implement performance improvement plans, leveraging internal cross functional expertise and resources. Report performance and provide insights via weekly/ monthly/ quarterly (as applicable) forums with senior leadership (or procurement/ sourcing team as required). 
• Track, assess and resolve all issues, providing mitigation to management and senior leadership. Actively identify, document and lead opportunities to continuously enhance efficiency and quality delivered by external and internal partners. 
• Facilitate vendor searches, contracting, onboarding, and portfolio benchmarking and with internal stakeholders as required. Negotiating contracts with carriers to find the best rates for freight shipments. 
• Establish professional relationships with vendors and suppliers to develop new business opportunities. Maintain awareness to sea freight operators of service quality and cost, review carrier choices, service frequency, transit times to ensure a competitive advantage. 
• Ensure vendors are continuously supported and aware of performance goals and contractual obligations. Work closely with the department quality supervisor to monitor and control monthly KPIs which enable company performance requirements. 
• To establish and maintain business relations with Customs, Agents, Brokers, Shipping Lines, suppliers, or any other local business partners; negotiating contracts and setting clear standards for the vendors to deliver agreed KPIs consistently. 
• Become the contact window to provide business support to internal and external freight partners and networks by enabling the team to provide timeline responses including solutions and proposals for further optimization opportunities. 
• To support country operations and supply chain customers to develop Sea Freight Operating Model and drive improve KPIs. Initiate corrective route plans to improve department service, quality, and data led cross-functional decision making for key freight results. 
• Reviewing shipping documentation to ensure compliance with company standards and federal regulations. Maintaining records of all incoming and outgoing shipments, including tracking numbers, dates, and customer information 
• Coordinating with insurance companies to ensure that cargo is covered for damage or loss during transport. 
• Coordinate with internal stakeholders (finance, supply chain, operations) to align favorable incoterms for shipping to the 9 markets in EEA. 
• Communicating with key internal and external customers regarding shipment details and delivery schedules. 

Experience and skills: 

Experience: 

• Minimum of 8 years of experience in freights management, vendor management, shipping, clearing, and forwarding, imports / exports business. 
• Proven track record of developing and implementing freight management and optimization processes that drive business results and cost reductions in fast-paced supply chain environments. 
• Experience and comfort dealing with contractual freight agreements that may impact critical business decisions, procurement, bidding, and tendering processes. 
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to use performance related data to drive key decisions. 
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills with the ability to influence cross-functional teams – experience to speed up decision making is important. 
• Strong leadership and team management skills with the ability to develop and motivate a team. 

Qualifications: 

• Minimum bachelor’s degree in operations management, supply chain management, freight forwarding, procurement of imports / exports services or international business management or other closely related fields. 
• A master’s degree in business management or financial management, contractual law or related field is an added advantage. 
• Possesses critical certifications in supply chain planning such as CSCP, CPIM, CLTD, CIPS, SCPro, or other relevant supply chain management association certifications. 

Language(s):  

• English 
• French is a plus (for West Africa). 

 Technology: 

• Experience with ERP systems such as SAP, NAV, Oracle is very important. 
• Experience with other supply chain software and tools such as Streamline, JDA, Logility, Infor are an added advantage. 
• Advanced user analytics tools such as Tableau, Mzee, PowerBi, Excel, are important for this role. 
• Experience working with customs interfaces for declarations, import, assessment, are an added advantage.