Department Manager - Air & Ocean Freight

Location: Switzerland
Industry: Freight Forwarding & Logistics
Reporting To: Branch / Country Management

Our client, a well-established international freight forwarding and logistics provider, is seeking an experienced Department Manager - Air & Ocean Freight to lead and develop their forwarding operations team. This position offers the opportunity to take ownership of a key operational department, managing a team of two freight forwarding professionals while driving service excellence, customer satisfaction, and departmental profitability.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and support a team of 2 Air & Ocean Freight specialists.
• Oversee the end-to-end execution of international import and export shipments across air and sea freight.
• Ensure operational processes are delivered efficiently, accurately, and in accordance with customer requirements and company standards.
• Monitor departmental performance through KPIs, productivity, service quality, and financial results.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with customers, carriers, airlines, shipping lines, and international partner offices.
• Support business development initiatives by identifying opportunities within existing customer accounts and contributing to the growth of the branch.
• Negotiate rates and service agreements with suppliers to maintain competitive and profitable solutions.
• Ensure compliance with customs regulations, transport legislation, and internal quality procedures.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives and implement operational best practices across the department.

Candidate Profile

• Several years of experience within international freight forwarding.
• Strong operational knowledge of both Air Freight and Ocean Freight services.
• Previous supervisory, team lead, or management experience.
• Solid understanding of import, export, customs clearance, and international logistics processes.
• Commercially minded with an ability to balance customer service, operational efficiency, and profitability.
• Strong leadership and people management skills.
• Excellent communication, organisational, and problem-solving abilities.
• Experience working with freight forwarding software and transport management systems.
• Fluent in German and English; additional languages would be advantageous.

What's on Offer

• Opportunity to lead a strategically important Air & Ocean Freight department.
• High level of autonomy and responsibility within a well-established logistics environment.
• Exposure to international customers, partners, and transport networks.
• Career development opportunities within a growing and dynamic organisation.
• Competitive compensation package and benefits.

This role would suit an experienced Air Freight Supervisor, Ocean Freight Team Leader, Operations Manager, or Freight Forwarding professional looking to step into a broader leadership position with responsibility for both operational performance and team development.