Head of Ocean Freight - North America

Job description

What You Can Expect : Ocean Product Strategy and Performance Define and execute the North America ocean freight product strategy across FCL and LCL, aligned with global objectives and regional market dynamics. Develop and strengthen the regional core carrier strategy by evaluating carrier performance, setting clear expectations, and fostering long-term, sustainable partnerships at both local and regional levels. Drive strategic alignment between country and regional procurement teams, ensuring consistent execution of capacity, pricing, and carrier strategies. Lead and develop the regional Ocean Product team, creating a high-performance culture built on ownership, accountability, and transparency. Own the regional ocean P&L, working closely with commercial, procurement, and operations leaders to deliver volume growth, margin improvement, and budgeted performance. Oversee regional capacity management and carrier allocations to maximize profitability, ensure compliance with commitments, and optimize global leverage through incentives and cost-effective freight solutions. Carrier Relationship Management Build and maintain senior-level relationships with core carriers across North America and at the global level. Strengthening collaboration between local procurement teams and carrier partners, driving consistent engagement and relationship quality across all locations. Establish and enforce a structured carrier performance management framework, including regular reviews, KPIs, and action plans aligned with global standards. Act as the final escalation point in North America for critical carrier-related operational or commercial issues. Tariffs, Rates, and Contract Management Partners with regional sales leadership and other product heads to support strategic account development, tenders, and high-impact commercial opportunities. Drive a performance-driven procurement culture that delivers competitive tariffs, rates, and contracts through robust metrics, governance, and accountability. Lead rate negotiations for key and high-volume accounts managed regionally or through global key account structures. Oversee and continuously improve procurement planning processes across FCL and LCL, from rate and space negotiations through allocation and contract performance monitoring. Business Development and Operational Escalation Support Maintain regular strategic alignment with regional and country leadership, including Sales GMs, Commercial teams, Country Managers, and the Regional CEO. Actively support commercial teams through customer engagement, particularly for strategic, regional, or globally significant accounts. Promote a culture of disciplined, calculated risk-taking within product and commercial teams to improve win rates on strategic opportunities and tenders. Shape commercial focus through targeted initiatives such as lane strategies, product differentiation, and tailored sales campaigns. Support branches and operations by leading or facilitating carrier escalations when required. Product Development, Branding, and Training Collaborate with marketing to develop customer- and sales-facing materials that strengthen product positioning and market visibility. Establish standardized processes for collecting, analyzing, and sharing market intelligence across the region to support informed decision-making. Partner with HR, training, and commercial teams to deliver practical, user-focused product and systems training for sales and operations teams. Product and Team Leadership Serve as a key member of the regional leadership team, providing clear direction and acting as a role model for product excellence and collaboration. Recruit, coach, and develop a high-performing Ocean Product team capable of delivering sustained growth and best-in-class results. Continuously monitor product performance, balancing volume growth and profitability to ensure long-term, sustainable development. Lead the implementation and consistent application of global ocean freight product policies and standards across North America. What You Bring: A minimum of 15 years of experience within the ocean freight forwarding industry, including at least 10 years in an ocean product leadership role. Exposure to both operational management and commercial strategy is a strong advantage. Proven leadership experience of 10 years or more, including building and leading teams, talent development, coaching, performance management, and navigating complex organizational dynamics. Deep understanding of global and regional ocean freight market drivers, including capacity cycles, carrier behavior, pricing dynamics, and network strategies. Strong commitment to service excellence and cost efficiency, with a continuous improvement mindset and the ability to translate insight into measurable outcomes. Customer-centric approach, with a demonstrated ability to anticipate client needs and align product and commercial strategies accordingly. Ability to balance operational execution with commercial priorities, ensuring both reliability and profitability. Agile and adaptable leadership style, comfortable operating in volatile market conditions and responding quickly to change. Self-motivated and accountable, with the discipline to operate independently while driving alignment across regions and functions. Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence at senior levels internally and externally. Excellent command of English, both written and verbal; additional languages are considered an asset. Strong analytical capabilities paired with advanced negotiation skills, particularly in high-value, high-complexity environments. Resilient under pressure, with the judgment and composure to lead through ambiguity and competing priorities. Strategic, forward-thinking mindset with a track record of delivering results through innovation and execution. Willingness to travel as required to support regional teams, customers, and carrier partners.