Role Purpose:

The Business Development Manager will be accountable for the overall direction, strategy, and performance of the branch in Uganda. Further, the manager will contribute to sustainable and maximized organizational results and performance through leading to the operational delivery of the Airfreight team and growing the product line by building a high level of brand awareness and reputation as key contact to our top clients. Additionally, the BDM will be responsible for the development and processing of all ocean freight related businesses and further maintain and develop customer relationship.

Duties and Responsibilities

General

• Develop a growth strategy focused both on financial gain and customer satisfaction.
• Developing current and long-range objectives, policies, and procedures for the organization.
• Leading and coordinating the efforts of a team of executives with a focus on strategy development.
• Assessing and reporting on company performance and developing strategies for improvement.
• Actively promoting the Company culture and values.
• Directly manage and sell to a specific portfolio of customers within the right scope of our service portfolio.
• Drive sustainable financial growth through boosting sales and forging strong relationships with clients.
• Conduct research to identify new markets and customer needs.
• Consistently look for new accounts that can be included into the portfolio but understand the need to have a consistent and focused approach.
• Act as the single and main contact for all accounts assigned to the portfolio, in respect to commercial activities.
• Build and maintain relationships with as many key contacts/decision makers as possible inside customers organization and enhance long-lasting business partnerships.
• Include key personnel into the relationship to ensure that relationships run as deep as possible into both organizations.
• Understand and translate the local needs of the Customers and share and engage within the organization.
• Development of new markets and pursuing to close business and following on one-time clients to offer repeat business as well as wooing the clients who leave to come back.
• Update all information into the CRM as required by the Company.

Airfreight

• Develop and prepare an action plan and forecast for each targeted key account client, to increase market share and deliver the growth strategy for the airfreight product, taking cognizance of client realities.
• Establishing and developing a network with potential and existing customers or key accounts and increase revenue through the identification of opportunities for growing current client business to achieve sales targets and results.
• Provide visible support in solving client concerns and challenges through facilitating the creation of airfreight forwarding solutions to meet the key account clients on going and changing needs.
• Develop and establish relationships with internal teams, sale department, etc. and through these partnerships resolve queries on forwarding accounts, thereby ensuring that seamless and quality service.
• Lead the Airfreight team through coaching, developing and motivating subordinates including follow-up of the team and individual performance against targets and objectives aligned with overall company strategy.

Ocean freight

• Update and formulate strategy in conjunction with local Managing Director and Regional Head Office Product Manager.
• Implementing of local ocean freight strategy (products, preferred carrier, market penetration targets etc.
• Establish operational framework based on corporate and organization standard processes, benchmark, and regulatory compliance procedures.
• Managing the ocean bid including pricing strategies.
• Setting KPIs and job descriptions for Ocean freight employees.
• Promote Sales and Marketing regarding identification and acquisition of local strategic accounts and attendance on key customer meetings.
• Negotiating contracts, transportation, and handling costs.
• Work closely with the sales and customer service teams to develop new potentials and to devise strategic approaches to the market.
• Promote business growth through realizing current and future business opportunities.
• Monitor/Coordinate CFS nomination for imports and, if need be, for transit shipments; pre-alert CFS on expected shipments.
• Monitor daily internal status updates on expected shipments, shipments on hand and their status, shipments delivered for internal information and reference.
• Maintain daily status updates to the customers with all relevant details and complete information.
• Follow up and intervene in any cases that are escalated from the port operation clerks team level or declarations clerk team level and follow up to conclusion.
• Check, verify and confirm correctness of all operations incoming invoices (SL, port/CFS, transport, etc.) to be further approved by BM; dispute and follow up all incorrect invoices.
• Develop and establish team spirit within the department for seamless and quality service to the client.

Education

• Higher National Diploma/BSC/BA in Business Administration, Management and Social Sciences, Sales, Marketing, or relevant field can also apply.

Skills and Qualifications

• Generally, a Hunter type of profile.
• Good analysis and judgment skills.
• Ability to work as individual but also understand a TEAM approach.
• Strong Customer facing and presentation skills.
• Ability to speak and write the native language would be an added advantage.
• Proven sales track record.
• Communication and negotiation skills.
• Ability to build rapport.
• Time management and planning skills.
• Must be outgoing and easily able to build relationships at all levels.
• Able to quickly adapt to changes.
• Multi-tasking abilities.

Experience 

• Preferably five (5) years of experience in Freight Forwarding and/or Logistics.
• Comprehensive knowledge of the clearing and forwarding industry, Incoterms, customs, and government agencies requirements.
• Experience in customer support is a plus.
• Proficiency in MS Office and CRM software.
• Proficiency in English.
• Market knowledge.
• Entrepreneurial, highly creative and hands-on individual with a proven track record of leading major organizational transformation through innovation.
• A detailed understanding of the commercial drivers in a high performing organization with strong communication and influencing skills to build relationships with employees, stakeholders, and government.
• An experienced Business Manager of diverse teams who is a risk taker with clear and robust practical decision-making ability to complex business challenges.
• An outgoing and convincing personality, a sense of urgency, drive and result orientation.