We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced International Freight Forwarding General Manager to oversee our US Import and Export Operations. Position is located in our South San Francisco/Burlingame facility. This role includes branch management duties, full P&L responsibility, commercial engagement, and coordination with global offices for execution. The ideal candidate will ensure that all team members are process oriented, motivated, and performing at a high level, while also managing standard operating procedures, agent management, and compliance with all TSA responsibilities. This position requires a strategic leader with the ability to drive business growth, maintain operational excellence, and ensure regulatory compliance.
Essential Functions
Branch Management: Oversee the overall management of U.S. import & export from our South San Francisco branch, ensuring all international operations align with company objectives and standards.
P&L Responsibility: Manage and take ownership of the Profit & Loss statements for the branches, ensuring financial targets are met and identifying opportunities for cost savings and revenue growth.
Commercial Engagement: Collaborate with the Regional Sales Teams and other commercial teams to identify and assist in the pursuit of business opportunities, support sales efforts, and develop strategies to grow the customer base and increase revenue.
Global Coordination: Coordinate with global offices to ensure seamless execution of airfreight operations, including managing agent relationships and aligning operations with global standards.
Standard Operating Procedures: Develop, implement, and enforce standard operating procedures to ensure operational efficiency and consistency across all teams.
Agent Management: Participate in agent relationships, ensuring they meet performance and compliance standards, and effectively manage their contributions to the overall operation. Ensure Agent pricing is competitive.
TSA Compliance: Ensure all operations adhere to TSA regulations and responsibilities, maintaining the highest standards of security and compliance.
Lead and motivate the operations team by providing constant training, coaching, and development.
Handle the full spectrum of supervisory duties, including interviewing, hiring, training, and developing employees, with a focus on operations coordinators, documentation, and customer service staff.
Ensure that staff members are aligned with the organization's objectives, policies, and procedures.
Complete all supervisory responsibilities in a timely and thorough manner.
Liaise with other supervisors and report back to senior management regularly.
Monitor and manage office expenditures effectively.
Oversee the assignment and direction of work, including appraising performance, providing rewards and recognition, and determining appropriate disciplinary measures.
Schedule staff and approve overtime and vacation requests as needed.
Negotiate with airlines and truckers to ensure cost-effective and timely services.
Maintain comprehensive knowledge of the company's products and services.
Uphold the highest degree of confidentiality in staff and management matters.
Conduct formal staff meetings on a monthly basis to ensure alignment and address any concerns.
Succeed as key point of account management contact for TransPak customers
Minimum Education/Knowledge/Skill Requirements
A minimum of 10-15 years of experience in the International airfreight forwarding industry.
Proven experience in branch management, with full P&L responsibility.
Strong commercial acumen and experience in engaging with sales teams to drive business growth.
Experience in coordinating with global offices and managing agent relationships.
Deep understanding of TSA regulations and the ability to ensure compliance across all operations.
Proficiency in computer skills, including Excel, Word, and Outlook.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Proven leadership abilities with a vision for managing staff and leading major projects or initiatives.
Strong interpersonal skills with a collaborative management style.
A demonstrated commitment to high professional ethical standards and a diverse workplace.
A people-centric approach to management, with a strong commitment to teamwork and getting the job done.
Ability to challenge and debate issues of importance to the organization with a balanced viewpoint.
Persuasive with details and facts, and able to delegate responsibilities effectively.
Comfortable working in a diverse and dynamic environment.
Hazmat/IMO certification is desired.
If you are a dynamic leader with a passion for the airfreight industry, global coordination, and compliance, and the skills to manage and inspire a team, we encourage you to apply.
Desired Skills
Lean manufacturing or quality experience (6S, Six-sigma, TQM, etc.)
Excel proficiency and demonstrated analytical skills
Very strong written and verbal communication skills in English along with another business language
Experience and expertise in transporting dangerous goods
Ability to write ISO style procedures
Strong communicator with excellent presentation skills
Minimum of five years of management experience in at least four of the following areas:
Air freight consolidation and upper deck cargo
Airline bookings, airline systems, air export and import processes
Warehouse and fulfillment operations
International trade, documentation, incoterms and general customs rules in Asia
Lean manufacturing quality program such as six-sigma, 6S, or total quality management
Knowledge and Skills:
This is a senior manager level position. Exceptional interpersonal, analytical, problem-solving, communication, leadership, and strategic skills required. Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of international air and related modes of transport required.
Core Competencies:
Building Effective Teams
Sets and communicates goals and assigns work based upon individual strengths and contributions. Sets an example of collaboration, encourages dialogues and differences, celebrates success of team and provides recognition. Builds trust and measures results.
Business Acumen
Understands business and commerce and relates to the organization's market and strategy. Is conversant with trends in industry, technology and competition and understands positioning and tactics in the marketplace.
Customer Focus
Develops and maintains mutually respectful and trusting relationships with internal and external customers and concentrates on always meeting or exceeding their expectations. Uses customer information and feedback to continuously evolve and improve products and services. Always acts, plans and executes with the customer needs in the forefront.
Drive for Results
Clearly sees goals and objectives and manages efforts effectively to achieve them. Able to overcome barriers and to keep self and others focused. Bottom line driven and is consistently a top performer.
Innovation Management
Has a comprehensive understanding of the marketplace for innovation and solid judgment about the potential for creative ideas and suggestions. Actively fosters creativity, conducts effective brainstorming and promotes creative or innovative solutions within the organization.
Negotiating
Demonstrates diplomacy as well as being direct and forceful, has the ability to gain concessions without damaging long term relationships or dialogue. Negotiates skillfully with internal and external groups by listening and demonstrating commitment and integrity, resulting in gained trust and credibility.
Organizational Agility
Understands and personifies the culture of the organization recognizing the formal and informal channels and networks that drive relationships and progress. Knows how to make things happen and get things done while showing respect and support for policies, procedures, practices and objectives.
Planning
Able to anticipate the scope and complexity of situations or deliverables and effectively evaluates and breaks down work, develops process and controls, assigns work and schedules resources accordingly. Is prepared and expects barriers, challenges, uncontrollable variables and adjust plans accordingly, measuring results.
Presentation Skills
Is able to engage a group in a variety of settings, while being well prepared. Effectively presents the material. Creates and manages the group dynamic and is able to amend presentation strategy when it is not accomplishing the intended goal.
Strategic Agility
Sees future trends and consequences in the air freight market based upon experience that reflects breadth and depth. Is constantly processing information and data with a view to the future. Is able to articulate strategic vision to educate colleagues, superiors and stakeholders and is able to translate into tactical reality.