CARGO MANAGER JOB DESCRIPTION

Cargo management is straightforward to define and genuinely difficult to execute well. The Cargo Manager owns the full chain of physical freight movement - from SOP compliance and safety oversight to customer SLA delivery and P&L accountability - within a logistics, freight forwarding, or terminal environment. Most operations this role supports run across multiple authority relationships: port regulators, customs bodies, ocean carriers, and transport providers all have standing demands that must be balanced against internal budget targets. The role typically sits one level below a Regional Functional Head or CEO, with direct authority over a frontline cargo team.

As the Cargo Manager, you are accountable for safe, efficient, and commercially sound daily cargo operations, owning KPI performance across safety, service delivery, and cost control within a freight or logistics environment. You lead a direct team while maintaining structured relationships with external authorities, carriers, and key accounts, operating within a defined budget and a regulatory compliance framework.

Career Impact: Hands-on ownership of customs documentation, carrier relationships, and P&L reporting builds a verifiable track record that is directly legible to hiring managers across freight forwarding, terminal operations, and supply chain management.

Business Impact: When this role performs well, shipment irregularities decrease, SLA adherence improves, and client retention holds - when it underperforms, those metrics move visibly in the wrong direction for customers and regulators alike.

Growth Opportunity: The cross-functional scope - spanning commercial negotiation, safety governance, and operational budgeting - positions experienced Cargo Managers to step into Regional Operations Director or Country Manager roles within logistics networks.

• Own daily cargo operations across safety compliance, staffing, and service delivery to meet agreed SLA targets.
• Monitor KPIs covering operational productivity, security standards, and customer satisfaction on a regular reporting cycle.
• Develop and maintain structured relationships with port authorities, customs bodies, ocean carriers, and transport providers.
• Enforce SOP compliance and lead periodic risk assessments to identify unsafe practices and resolve irregularities.
• Manage team resourcing, labour planning, and contractor oversight within approved operational budgets.
• Drive revenue growth by coordinating with commercial teams on pricing, service agreements, and client reactivation.
• Investigate accidents and near-miss incidents, producing statistical reports and corrective action plans.
• Review operational processes continuously to improve efficiency and reduce unit cost without compromising safety.

• Bachelor's degree in Logistics, Supply Chain, Business, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.
• 3 or more years of cargo or warehouse operations management experience, with direct team leadership responsibility.
• Solid understanding of customs documentation requirements, port facility procedures, and cargo handling regulations.
• Demonstrated ability to manage operational budgets and report P&L performance to senior leadership.
• Experience developing and enforcing SOPs, safety standards, and emergency response plans in a freight environment.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to extract operational data, identify trends, and present findings clearly.
• Proven ability to manage multiple external stakeholder relationships, including regulatory authorities and key accounts.

• Background in freight forwarding, ODC or OOG cargo handling, or terminal operations within a port environment.
• Familiarity with SLA negotiation and service contract management in a B2B logistics context.
• Exposure to cross-border compliance regimes, including import/export documentation and carrier liability frameworks.
• Experience contributing to commercial strategy, including pricing structures and business development targeting inactive accounts.

• SLA adherence rate, measuring on-time and complete service delivery against contracted customer commitments.
• Safety incident rate per quarter, tracking reportable accidents and near-miss events within the managed cargo area.
• Labour cost variance against budget, reflecting resourcing efficiency across shifts and contractor deployment.
• Cargo irregularity resolution time, measuring how quickly offloads, damage events, or customs holds are closed.
• Customer retention rate across managed accounts, indicating service consistency and relationship health over time.
• Typical tools: warehouse and cargo management systems (commonly WMS platforms); reporting and data tools (commonly spreadsheet and BI applications).

• Base Salary Range: $75,000 to $105,000 annually, depending on scope and experience.
• Bonus: Annual performance bonus, typically 8 to 12% of base salary.
• Equity: Generally not offered at this level; stock options uncommon in logistics operations roles.
• Health Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage; employer contribution standard.
• PTO: 15 to 20 days annually, plus federal holidays.
• Common Perks: Fuel or travel allowance, professional development support, flexible scheduling where shift structure permits.

Figures are estimates based on general US market benchmarks and may be outdated. Adjust based on location, company size, and seniority level.

Reasonable accommodations are available to applicants with disabilities throughout the hiring process and in the workplace upon request, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. All applicants are considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. A background check is required as a condition of employment. Candidates must hold valid authorization to work in the United States prior to their start date.

The Border Control Post & Cargo Manager owns all operational activity within the BCP and Cargo handling team, balancing P&L accountability, regulatory compliance, and commercial development to sustain terminal performance and stakeholder confidence. Reporting to the Operations Manager and working alongside Shift Managers, this role shapes revenue growth and inspection outcomes by leading resourcing, contractor oversight, and authority relationships across the terminal environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Be responsible for all operational activity within the Border Control Post and Cargo handling team.
• Undertake activity based costing for the elements of the work under BCP and Cargo.
• Hold P&L responsibility for the cargo team and work with the commercial team to increase revenue and business opportunities as per agreed yearly targets.
• Act as London Gateway representative and focal point on relevant authority, regulatory, Port and UK working groups.
• Achieve set operational inspection targets on daily, monthly and yearly basis in line with company standards.
• Manage resourcing, contractor oversight, and labour planning in line with inspection budgets without compromising efficiency.
• Manage on-site relationships with all authorities as terminal focal point, ensuring full compliance with all relevant regulations.
• Manage and develop improved Health and Safety working procedures within the BCP and Cargo area.
• Recruit, performance manage, develop staff, and continuously review and improve the efficiency of the operation.
• Produce and present management reports as required, including to external customers.

Education & Experience

• Tertiary education preferred.
• Previous experience operating at a mid-senior management level within a complex operational environment, including team development and budget management.
• Industry knowledge of terminals, shipping, or logistics is desirable.
• Solid understanding of statutory regulations and H&S legislation required.
• Strong IT skills including proficiency in MS Office; strong analytical skills with ability to produce and present business reports.
• Demonstrable commercial awareness with experience working with commercial teams to develop business opportunities.
• Demonstrate integrity, honesty, transparency, resilience, and a can-do approach.
• Excellent communication, organisational, and problem-solving skills with ability to manage multiple priorities under pressure.

Embedded within the regional management team and reporting to the CEO and/or Functional Head, the Cargo Manager leads day-to-day safe and efficient cargo operations, delivering against a corporate business plan that spans safety performance, staffing, and handling facilities. Working closely with commercial teams on SLAs and with internal and external customers, this role builds service delivery excellence and drives quality improvement across all operational processes.

Core Functions

• Develop and implement best practices in operational processes, systems, facilities, and resource deployment.
• Be accountable for KPIs regarding operational productivity, safety, security, customer satisfaction, and service delivery excellence.
• Ensure reliable customer service delivery by providing leadership, operational direction, and required resources.
• Maintain high standards of safety and security in line with corporate requirements, government legislation, and international best practice.
• Identify industry trends and legislative or economic factors that may disrupt service, and recommend business solutions or action plans.
• Develop professional relationships with internal and external customers and serve as a close partner to the commercial team on SLAs.
• Implement a review and risk assessment process on all SOPs to identify unsafe practices and drive quality improvement.
• Promote introduction of new processes and product enhancements to optimise quality and unit cost.
• Be responsible for accident investigation, reporting, and statistical analysis; manage and implement assigned projects.

Qualifications & Experience

• University degree or equivalent; advanced degree in a related field is advantageous.
• 6+ years of experience with a minimum of 3 years in a management role leading a team.
• Background in cargo operations, e-commerce, freight forwarding, logistics, or supply chain.
• Strong self-motivated, open-minded team player with effective people management, planning, and organising skills.
• Customer-centric with analytical mindset and sound judgement.
• Fluency in English with excellent communication skills.

Reporting to senior commercial leadership, the Cargo Manager leads the development of revenue management decision support tools and forecasting engines while driving route network analysis and performance management systems across cargo and passenger commercial teams. Partnering with Passenger Network, Load Control, Flight Dispatch, and Operations Research, this role delivers cross-divisional accountability and capacity optimisation outcomes that directly support cargo business growth and employee safety.

Primary Duties

• Develop and optimise cargo revenue management decision support tools and forecasting engines in collaboration with internal and external subject matter experts.
• Lead cargo route network analysis, competitive intelligence, business case development, and strategy recommendations with broader cargo and passenger commercial teams.
• Develop and implement performance management systems to drive cross-divisional accountability, improve cargo flight performance, reduce offloads, and optimise capacity utilisation.
• Establish close working relationships with Passenger Network, ACS, Load Control, Flight Dispatch, and other teams to drive awareness of cargo business needs.
• Lead through demonstration of Delta's core values and communicate the organisation's purpose in a way that highlights the impact of team contributions.
• Work with team members to develop behaviours, skills, and knowledge needed to sustain performance and prepare for new responsibilities.
• Develop both strategic and tactical plans that create a safety-conscious environment supporting employee safety and well-being.

Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Aviation, Business, Economics, Finance, Engineering, Information Systems, or a related analytical discipline.
• 7 years of relevant business experience required.
• Ability to quickly extract and analyse data, summarise conclusions, and effectively present findings.
• Able to resolve problems by balancing relevant factors and applying mathematical concepts related to cargo revenue management.
• Strong relationship and project management skills.
• Familiarity with airline economic concepts, predictive analytics, and process optimisation.
• Advanced expertise in Microsoft Office, SQL, and reporting or analytics tools such as SAS, R, Hyperion/Brio, and Cognos.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.

Sitting at the intersection of business development and freight operations, the Cargo Manager leads new revenue generation in ODC cargo, project forwarding, and special equipment, targeting volume growth from existing clients and reactivating inactive accounts through improved service. Operating across ocean carrier relationships, transport company partnerships, and internal coordination with operations, customer service, and finance teams, this role shapes market positioning and profitability in a compliance-focused freight environment.

Accountabilities

• Develop and generate new business in ODC cargo, project forwarding, and special equipment in the UAE.
• Increase revenues by growing volume from existing clients and reactivating inactive clients through improved service.
• Develop and maintain business relations with key customers and clients.
• Enhance the sales process and increase profitability with maximum focus on compliance.
• Evaluate and understand risks in advance and plan effectively to address them.
• Innovate marketing strategies to generate revenue and position the company as the first choice in the market.
• Conduct continuous research on market segments, business patterns, and competition to identify new opportunities.
• Ensure complete coordination with operations, customer service, and finance teams.
• Develop good rapport with ocean carriers and transport companies; manage pricing strategies across business verticals.
• Be responsible for collection and billing of executed jobs.

Requirements

• Good experience handling ODC/OOG cargoes on Flat Racks and Open Top Containers.
• Sound understanding of customs and documentation requirements, port facilities, route surveys, vessel selection, and cargo loading, discharging, and securing.
• Understanding of pricing techniques across various business verticals.
• Strong ability to innovate marketing strategies and identify new market opportunities.
• Effective coordination and communication skills across operations, customer service, and finance teams.

A key member of the cargo operations team, the Cargo Manager leads staff scheduling, SOP compliance, and emergency plan implementation to maintain safety standards and service continuity across warehouse and airport cargo facilities. Collaborating across customer-facing, authority, and internal meeting functions, this role delivers reliable operational performance while building strong relationships with customers and airport authorities.

Job Functions

• Effectively manage staff time to reduce dependence on overtime.
• Ensure applicable safety and quality standards are met.
• Maintain and update company and customer manuals and documentation.
• Implement and monitor the local emergency plan.
• Develop and maintain good relations with customers and airport authorities.
• Find solutions to conflicts and irregularities.
• Attend and contribute to internal meetings.
• Comply with company Standard Operating Procedures and policies.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Experience & Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required; degree preferred.
• Minimum 3 years of warehouse management experience.
• Customer focus and quality awareness.
• Solid understanding of safety and quality standards.
• Ability to deal with conflict and work under pressure with strong communication skills.
• Ability to work flexible hours.