Build and lead our Manchester Air & Ocean freight business, and participate financially in the success you create.
This is not a conventional Branch Manager role.
Frederic Smart Shipping is looking for an exceptional Air & Ocean freight professional to build our Manchester operation into a significant freight forwarding business, backed by the 120-year-old Frederic Smart & Sons.
We are looking for someone with the commercial reputation, relationships and leadership ability to win profitable business and build a high-performing team around it.
Reward
£65,000–£80,000 base salary
15% quarterly bonus share of Manchester Branch EBIT
Substantial Long-Term Incentive Plan linked to the value you create
Opportunity to build and lead a major Air & Ocean freight operation
The Long-Term Incentive Plan is designed to give the successful candidate meaningful financial participation in the value they help create, without requiring any personal capital investment.
This is intended to be a career-defining role for someone who wants to build something rather than simply manage someone else's branch.
The Person We Are Looking For
This is a commercially led Branch Manager position.
We are specifically looking for someone who has personally won significant Air & Ocean freight business and developed long-standing commercial relationships.
If your experience is predominantly operational, with sales being a secondary part of your role, this is unlikely to be the right position.
We would particularly like to hear from experienced Freight Branch Managers, Commercial Managers, Sales Managers and senior Business Development Managers who are ready to build and lead their own operation.
We are looking for an established and highly credible freight professional with a strong commercial reputation, valuable industry relationships and a proven track record of winning profitable business.
The ideal candidate:
- Has extensive experience within Air & Ocean freight forwarding.
- Is commercially driven and highly respected within the industry.
- Has personal relationships with decision-makers across importers, exporters, manufacturers, retailers and freight forwarding businesses.
- Can bring opportunities and volume through trust-based relationships.
- Understands both sales and operational delivery.
- Is capable of leading people, developing teams, and creating accountability.
- Thinks long term and wants to build something meaningful.
- Is calm under pressure and highly organised.
- Has a reputation for integrity and doing what they say they will do.
This is a role for someone whose customers follow them because of the trust they have built over many years.
Success in this role will ultimately be measured by profitable growth. The successful candidate will be expected to personally drive new business while building the team and infrastructure required to scale the Manchester branch.
Key Responsibilities
Commercial Leadership
- Develop and execute the Manchester growth strategy.
- Generate profitable new business across Air Freight, Ocean Freight, Customs and associated logistics services.
- Build strategic relationships with key customers.
- Develop opportunities from overseas agents, strategic partners and industry contacts.
- Work closely in partnership with Branch Managers around the UK to support account acquisition and growth.
- Maintain a strong presence within the market through networking, industry events and customer engagement.
Operational Oversight
- Lead the Manchester branch and ensure operational excellence.
- Manage and develop the centralised operations team.
- Oversee service delivery, customer experience and branch performance.
- Ensure operational issues are identified and resolved proactively.
- Drive efficiency, accountability and continuous improvement.
Overseas Network Development
- Lead and support the Overseas Network Manager.
- Grow inbound and outbound opportunities from overseas partners.
- Strengthen relationships with agents and international networks.
- Ensure competitive procurement and carrier solutions are available to support customer growth with the help of the Overseas Network Manager.
Team Leadership
- Create a culture of accountability, professionalism and performance.
- Coach and develop team members.
- Set clear expectations and performance standards.
- Lead by example through personal performance and behaviours.
Reporting Structure
The Branch Manager will be responsible for:
- Manchester Operations Team
- Overseas Network Manager / Product Manager
- Future Manchester Sales Personnel
Reporting directly to the Commercial Director / Owner.
Pay: £65,000.00-£80,000.00 per year
Application question(s):
- Are you able to work predominantly from our Manchester operation?
- In your strongest 12-month period, approximately how much new annualised gross profit did you personally originate from customers you won?
- Which best describes your commercial experience over the last five years?
Predominantly operations
Operations with some account management/sales
Predominantly new-business sales/business development
Senior commercial leadership with personal new-business responsibility
Branch leadership with significant personal new-business responsibility
- Without naming customers or sharing confidential information, briefly describe the commercial network you have built within Air & Ocean freight. Who are the types of decision-makers you have strong relationships with and how would you approach generating opportunities during your first six months?
- What appeals to you about a role where a significant part of your long-term reward is linked directly to the profitability and success of the branch you build?
Experience:
- Air & Ocean freight forwarding: 7 years (required)
- selling Air and/or Ocean services to B2B customers: 5 years (required)
Location:
- Manchester, Greater Manchester (preferred)
Work Location: In person
