Head of Air Freight (Freight Forwarding)

• Build and execute the annual air freight plan: volume, gross profit, lane and customer mix.
• Own the air freight budget and P&L track margin per lane, per customer and per carrier, and take corrective action when targets slip.
• Identify new products and markets (perishables, pharma, DG, e-commerce, project cargo) and decide where to invest.

2. Sales and key accounts

• Lead sales for direct shippers and key accounts; join tenders, annual contract negotiations and business reviews.
• Work with the sales team and overseas agents to grow volume on the main lanes (HCM/HAN to Europe, North America, Northeast Asia, Middle East).
• Set sales targets and pipeline review routines for the team.

3. Pricing and carrier procurement

• Negotiate BSA, allotment, spot and contract rates with airlines and GSAs; secure space for peak season.
• Approve buy and sell rates, surcharges and special quotations; protect margin without losing competitiveness.
• Maintain the rate database and weekly market review.

4. Operations and service quality

• Oversee booking, consolidation, handover, tracking, documentation and claims handling for export and import.
• Set and monitor service KPIs: on-time handover, cargo damage rate, claim cost, customer complaints.
• Coordinate with customs, airport terminals, trucking and handling partners.

5. Compliance and risk

• Ensure compliance with IATA regulations, DGR, airline and airport security rules (TSA, ACC3), and Vietnam customs requirements.
• Manage credit, cargo and claims risk with Finance and Legal; support internal and customer audits.

6. Team leadership

• Hire, coach and evaluate the team; set clear KPIs and a development path for each role.
• Build a stable second layer of managers and a succession plan.
• Work with other business units (sea freight, customs, contract logistics) on cross-selling.

Requirement:

Must have

• Bachelor's degree in International Business, Logistics, Transportation, Economics or a related field.
• At least 10 years in air freight at a freight forwarder or airline/GSA, including 3+ years managing a team or business unit with P&L responsibility.
• Proven track record in growing air freight volume and gross profit, with figures to show.
• Direct experience negotiating with airlines and GSAs (BSA, allotment, spot) and handling key accounts or tenders.
• Solid knowledge of IATA rules, DGR, airport and security procedures, and Vietnam customs processes.
• Strong negotiation, analytical and leadership skills; comfortable presenting to senior management and customers.
• Fluent English, spoken and written.

Nice to have

• Experience in pharma, perishables, electronics or project cargo.
• IATA DGR, IATA/FIATA Air Cargo diploma or similar certificates.
• Experience with TMS/ERP (e.g. CargoWise) and airline booking portals, plus Excel or Power BI for reporting.
• Network with airlines, GSAs and overseas agents in the main markets.
• Experience setting up or restructuring an air freight team.