Head of Air Freight Department

Job Role

The Head of Air Freight is responsible for leading, developing, and managing the company's air freight operations across Saudi Arabia. This role oversees commercial performance, airline relationships, operational excellence, compliance, and team leadership to ensure profitable growth, high service quality, and alignment with company strategy.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic & Commercial Leadership

Develop and execute the air freight business strategy in line with company objectives and KSA market dynamics.

Drive revenue growth, yield optimization, and market share expansion in import, export, and cross-trade air freight.

Identify new business opportunities, verticals, and trade lanes.

Support key account management and participate in major customer negotiations and tenders.

Operations & Service Excellence

Oversee end-to-end air freight operations, ensuring timely, cost-effective, and compliant cargo movement.

Ensure adherence to SLAs, KPIs, and customer service standards.

Manage capacity planning, space allocation, and peak-season challenges.

Implement process improvements to enhance efficiency, visibility, and service quality.

Airline & Vendor Management

Build and maintain strong relationships with airlines, GSSAs, and handling agents.

Negotiate competitive rates, allotments, and contracts with carriers.

Monitor carrier performance and resolve service or capacity issues proactively.

Financial Management

Own air freight P&L, budgeting, forecasting, and cost control.

Ensure profitable pricing strategies and margin improvement

Analyze performance reports and take corrective actions where needed.

Compliance & Risk Management

Ensure full compliance with KSA regulations, customs, GACA, IATA, and international air freight standards. Oversee dangerous goods (DGR) compliance and training where applicable.

Manage operational risks and ensure proper documentation and audit readiness.

People Leadership

Lead, mentor, and develop the air freight team across sales, operations, and customer service.

Set performance goals, conduct reviews, and build a high-performance culture.

Ensure appropriate training, succession planning, and talent development.

Key Requirements:

Education

Bachelor's degree in Logistics, Supply Chain, Business Administration, or a related field.

Experience

5 8+ years of experience in air freight forwarding, with at least 1-2 years in a senior management or leadership role.

Strong understanding of the KSA air freight market, airlines, and regulatory environment.

Proven track record of managing P&L and driving commercial growth.

Skills & Competencies

Strong leadership and people management skills.

Excellent negotiation and relationship management abilities.

Solid commercial acumen and financial understanding.

Deep knowledge of air freight operations, pricing, and compliance.

Strong communication skills in English; Arabic is a strong advantage.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Air freight revenue and gross profit growth

Customer satisfaction and service level performance

Cost control and margin improvement

Airline performance and rate competitiveness

Team performance and retention