Manager, Global Bulk Shipping & Logistics

Company Overview
Our client is a leading global manufacturing and industrial solutions organization serving the mining, minerals processing, and heavy industries sectors. With a significant international footprint, the company operates complex supply chain networks across multiple regions and relies on sophisticated freight, shipping, and logistics strategies to support the movement of raw materials, consumables, and finished products to customers worldwide.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and execution of global ocean freight and logistics strategies across dry bulk, breakbulk, containerized, and project cargo movements.
• Manage international freight procurement activities, including RFQs, tender processes, carrier selection, contract negotiations, and performance management.
• Oversee vessel chartering, freight contracting, and transportation planning to ensure optimal cost, service, and capacity utilization.
• Conduct freight market intelligence and analysis, including vessel supply-demand dynamics, bunker trends, port congestion, and geopolitical impacts on trade lanes.
• Provide technical expertise on charter party terms, laytime calculations, demurrage, detention, freight claims, and dispute resolution.
• Collaborate closely with Procurement, Commercial, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Customer Service teams to support inventory planning and customer delivery requirements.
• Drive logistics network optimization initiatives through route analysis, modal selection, consolidation opportunities, and freight benchmarking.
• Establish and monitor transportation KPIs, including OTIF, freight cost per tonne, landed cost, carrier performance, and logistics efficiency metrics.
• Identify and mitigate operational, commercial, and compliance risks associated with global transportation activities.
• Develop and maintain strategic relationships with shipowners, carriers, freight forwarders, brokers, and third-party logistics providers.
• Support business expansion initiatives by evaluating logistics feasibility, transportation infrastructure, and supply chain capabilities across new markets.
• Ensure compliance with international trade regulations, customs requirements, Incoterms, sanctions controls, and corporate governance standards.

Key Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Maritime Studies, Engineering, Business, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in international freight, chartering, shipping, logistics, or supply chain management within commodity, mining, metals, manufacturing, industrial, or energy sectors.
• Technical knowledge of dry bulk, breakbulk, container shipping, ocean freight procurement, and carrier contract management.
• Demonstrated experience managing freight tenders, strategic sourcing initiatives, and transportation cost optimization programs on a regional or global scale.
• Sound understanding of charter party agreements, vessel operations, laytime calculations, demurrage management, marine logistics, and international trade practices.
• Proficient in freight analytics, transportation modelling, landed cost analysis, and logistics performance measurement.
• Experience managing complex global logistics networks involving multiple manufacturing sites, distribution hubs, and international customer locations.
• Commercial acumen with proven negotiation capabilities involving carriers, shipping lines, vessel owners, and logistics service providers.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence and collaborate across cross-functional and multicultural teams.
• Advanced proficiency in ERP, TMS, freight management systems, and data-driven decision-making tools.