HEAD / GENERAL MANAGER – CONTAINER FREIGHT STATION (CFS)
Company: GloboTrans ProLogistix Private Limited
Department: Container Freight Station (CFS)
Location: Mumbai, Maharashtra
Reports To: Director
Role Mix: 100% Sales & Business Development
Travel: Extensive travel to ports, project sites and client locations across India
Direct Reports: Vertical Sales & Business Development Team (to be finalized as per organization structure)
ROLE PURPOSE
To drive volumes, revenue and profitability for CFS operations serving JNPT/Nhava Sheva and West Coast ports by securing shipping line, freight forwarder, importer and exporter nominations, defending market share against DPD migration, and maximizing revenue from the facility's complete service portfolio.
The role will be responsible for developing strategic customer relationships, increasing container throughput, improving revenue yield, expanding the customer base and driving profitable business growth.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIESBUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & SALES – 100%
1. P&L Ownership
- Own the CFS vertical's revenue, gross margin and EBITDA targets.
- Prepare and deliver the annual business plan and quarterly forecasts.
- Drive throughput, revenue growth, profitability and yield improvement.
2. New Business Development
- Build, manage and convert a qualified pipeline of new clients.
- Identify and secure business from shipping lines, freight forwarders, importers, exporters, consignees and EXIM customers.
- Lead RFQ/RFP/tender responses, solution design, pricing and commercial negotiations through to contract closure.
- Develop strategies to increase import and export container volumes.
3. Key Account Management & Retention
- Act as the senior escalation point and relationship owner for key existing clients.
- Develop and maintain strong relationships with shipping lines, consignees, freight forwarders, customs brokers, importers and exporters.
- Drive contract renewals, Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) and year-on-year wallet-share growth.
- Proactively identify customer risks and develop retention strategies.
4. Cross-Selling & Integrated Solutions
- Identify and convert cross-selling opportunities across GloboTrans verticals, including:
- Customs
- Freight Forwarding
- Warehousing
- CFS
- SEZ/FTWZ
- Transportation
- Project Cargo
- Cranes
- Develop integrated logistics solutions that combine CFS services with GloboTrans' wider logistics capabilities.
5. Market Intelligence
- Track competitor activities, CFS tariffs, pricing trends and market developments.
- Monitor container trade flows, shipping-line strategies and industry trends.
- Track regulatory and infrastructure developments affecting CFS operations.
- Translate market intelligence into pricing, sales and service-development strategies.
6. Commercial Governance
- Ensure contracts, credit terms and rate agreements are properly documented, risk-reviewed and approved as per the Delegation of Authority (DOA).
- Monitor customer credit exposure, receivables and DSO.
- Ensure commercial commitments are aligned with approved pricing and business strategy.
- Drive timely recovery of outstanding receivables.
INTERFACE WITH OPERATIONS
1. Solution Design with Operations
- Work closely with the CFS operations team to design, cost and structure commercially viable solutions.
- Ensure every commercial commitment is operationally validated before contract signature.
- Align customer requirements, capacity, infrastructure and service-level commitments.
2. Service Reviews & Escalation
- Lead regular client service reviews and business discussions.
- Act as the commercial escalation point for customer issues.
- Coordinate with operations to resolve service gaps affecting customer retention, volumes and wallet share.
- Monitor service performance against agreed SLAs.
3. Voice of Customer
- Capture and communicate customer feedback, complaints and emerging requirements to the operations and service-development teams.
- Identify opportunities for continuous improvement based on customer feedback and market requirements.
- Ensure customer expectations are effectively translated into operational solutions.
VERTICAL-SPECIFIC COMMERCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES & EXPERTISE
1. Nomination Development
- Secure import destuffing nominations from shipping lines and consignees.
- Develop export stuffing and consolidation business from freight forwarders and exporters.
- Build and maintain senior-level relationships with:
- Shipping lines
- Shipping-line agents
- Freight forwarders
- Customs brokers
- Importers
- Exporters
- Consignees
- Develop long-term nomination and volume commitments.
2. DPD Counter-Strategy
- Develop strategies to counter Direct Port Delivery (DPD) migration.
- Position value-added propositions such as:
- Last-mile delivery
- Bonded trucking
- Buffer yard facilities
- Examination support
- Storage solutions
- DPD-linked services
- Develop structured pricing and service packages to retain and grow CFS volumes.
3. Revenue & Yield Management
- Optimise revenue from:
- Ground rent
- Handling charges
- Storage
- Documentation
- Ancillary services
- Value-added services
- Design competitive tariffs and volume-linked commercial agreements.
- Balance throughput growth with storage yield and overall profitability.
- Identify opportunities to increase revenue per TEU.
4. Service Proposition
- Develop differentiated commercial propositions around the CFS's capabilities, including:
- Rail and road connectivity
- Reefer handling
- Hazmat handling
- ODC handling
- Customs interface
- E-gate systems
- Examination and inspection support
- Value-added services
- Ensure all service commitments and SLAs are validated with the operations team before being offered to customers.
5. Trade Ecosystem Engagement
- Represent the CFS with relevant port and trade ecosystem stakeholders.
- Develop relationships with:
- Port authorities
- Customs authorities
- CONCOR
- Rail operators
- Shipping lines
- Freight forwarders
- Customs brokers
- Trade associations
- Monitor policy, infrastructure and connectivity developments to identify new volume opportunities.
- Participate in industry forums and trade associations to strengthen the CFS's market presence.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (KPIs)
- TEU throughput – import/export contracted vs. capacity and budget
- New nominations secured from shipping lines and consignees
- Export stuffing/consolidation volumes secured
- Revenue per TEU
- Ancillary and value-added service revenue growth
- Revenue and gross margin vs. annual budget
- EBITDA performance
- New business revenue added (₹ Crore per annum)
- Sales pipeline coverage
- Sales conversion / win rate
- Average deal size
- Client retention rate and revenue churn
- NPS / Client Satisfaction Score
- DSO / receivables ageing within agreed norms
- Customer nomination retention and growth
- Market share / throughput growth
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
- Graduate in any discipline.
- Minimum 10 years of relevant experience in CFS, Shipping, Port Operations, Freight Forwarding, EXIM Logistics or related sectors.
- Minimum 5 years of experience in a senior leadership role with independent P&L ownership and sales targets.
- Demonstrable track record of winning and retaining institutional clients, including:
- Shipping Lines
- PSUs
- MNCs
- EPC companies
- Manufacturing companies
- Freight Forwarders
- Importers / Exporters
- EXIM trade organisations
- Strong understanding of CFS operations, container logistics, port ecosystem and EXIM trade.
- Strong commercial negotiation and contract management skills.
- Strong analytical, business development and strategic sales capabilities.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder-management skills.
- Fluent in English and Hindi.
- Willingness to travel extensively across ports, plants and client locations across India.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES
Entrepreneurial Ownership
Ability to run the CFS vertical as a business, with complete ownership of revenue, profitability, throughput, customer acquisition and retention.
Consultative Selling
Ability to understand customer supply-chain requirements and develop customised CFS and logistics solutions while engaging CXO-level stakeholders.
Operational Understanding
Strong understanding of CFS operations and the ability to ensure that commercial commitments are operationally feasible and deliverable.
Stakeholder Management
Strong ability to manage shipping lines, port authorities, customs authorities, freight forwarders, customs brokers, consignees, transporters, regulators, trade associations and internal stakeholders.
Commercial Acumen
Strong understanding of CFS pricing, tariffs, yield management, contracts, negotiations and profitability.
Integrity & Compliance
Strong compliance-first mindset with high standards of integrity, accountability and commercial governance.
Team Building
Ability to build, coach, motivate and retain a high-performing sales and business development team.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Ability to work effectively with Operations, Finance, Commercial, Customs, Freight Forwarding, Warehousing, Transport, Project Logistics and other GloboTrans business verticals.
Strategic Thinking
Ability to identify emerging market opportunities, develop competitive CFS propositions and convert them into sustainable and profitable business growth.
Benefits:
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Provident Fund
Application Question(s):
- Do you have a minimum 10 years of relevant experience in CFS, Shipping, Port Operations, Freight Forwarding, EXIM Logistics or related sectors ?
- Do you have a minimum 5 years of experience in a senior leadership role with independent P&L ownership and sales targets ?
Work Location: In person
