Country Sales Manager Freight Forwarding

Country Sales Manager Freight Forwarding

As the Country Sales Manager Freight Forwarding, you will lead and guide the national Field Sales teams to grow and strengthen the company's controlled business across all customer segments. In this role, you will develop and implement sales strategies aligned with regional and global directions, coordinate closely with international account management teams, and support customer-focused activities that enhance sustainable growth.

A key focus of this role is strong, people-centric leadership. You will enable the team to think strategically, develop solutions, and take ownership of outcomes. You will empower individuals with the tools, coaching, and mindset they need to succeed and grow, encouraging them to explore new approaches, understand the impact of their decisions, and continuously elevate their performance.

You will also represent the company at industry events, contribute to marketing initiatives, and "lead by example" by maintaining your own book of business. This position requires strong communication skills and Freight Forwarding operational experience in a fast paced, dynamic Freight-ForwardingField Sales environment.

How you will contribute:

• Lead, mentor, and support Field Sales managers across all Freight Forwarding branches, fostering a collaborative, growth-focused, and self-driven culture.
• Guide the team not only in what to achieve but how to think strategically about achieving volume, building smarter ways of working, and understanding business consequences.
• Encourage team members to "spread their wings," challenge assumptions, and proactively explore new opportunities.
• Drive and manage country-level sales activities in line with regional and global strategies.
• Set sales targets, monitor progress, and collaborate with teams to build sustainable, consistent performance.
• Review and analyze sales reports and CRM data to maintain an accurate pipeline and support informed decision-making.
• Coordinate incentive plans for Field Sales teams with regional and global stakeholders.
• Act as a key link between local Field Sales teams and regional/global account management to ensure aligned processes and excellent customer engagement.
• Promote cross-selling opportunities with product teams such as road freight, contract logistics, inland terminals, and other DP World entities.
• Manage tradelane sales activities and collaborate with relevant country counterparts.
• Support marketing and PR activities from regional and global departments.
• Represent the organization at industry events, conferences, and networking activities.
• Build and maintain a personal book of business while demonstrating best-practice behaviors in customer acquisition and retention.
• Conduct local market and competitor analysis to identify trends, opportunities, and best practices.
• Work closely with Operations to tailor SOPs to customer needs.
• Collaborate with the DP World network and partner agents to ensure strong service delivery.
• Use the CRM system to manage your own pipeline and maintain accurate, transparent activity records.
• Stay updated on local regulations, industry developments, and Freight Forwarding innovations.

What you will bring:

• A degree in any field.
• A proven track record in sales, with at least five years of recent, relevant sales management experience in Freight Forwarding.
• A minimum of 10 years of Freight Forwarding experience (mandatory).
• Experience working in the Netherlands, with an understanding of Dutch business practices, team culture, and commercial expectations.
• Strong leadership capability:
• Ability to develop people, not micromanage them.
• Ability to guide teams in strategic thinking and decision-making.
• Commitment to helping individuals grow, learn, and succeed.
• High personal drive, motivation, and resilience—someone who brings energy, pushes for results, and proactively finds ways to improve performance.
• Strong understanding of the Freight Forwarding industry and related operational processes.
• Ability to identify, develop, and close business opportunities while working cross-functionally with product and operations teams.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to prioritize multiple deadlines.
• Proficiency in MS Office applications (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Effective verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to engage with clients, carriers, partners, and internal teams.
• Fluency in the local language and English; additional languages are a plus but not required.