Manager, Freight & Shipping Strategy
Manager, Freight & Shipping Strategy
Location: Dubai, Beirut, or Doha– with regular travel to key load/discharge ports
Role Purpose
The Manager, Freight & Shipping Strategy will be the Group’s lead expert on bulk freight and shipping. He/she will design and execute the freight strategy for all bulk and related products and will develop a roadmap for potential vessel ownership or long-term time-charter tonnage.
This is a senior, hands-on, individual contributor role that combines:
• Strategic design of the Group’s freight and shipping platform; and
• Day-to-day execution of freight arrangements and support to commercial teams.
Key Responsibilities
1. Freight Strategy & Planning
• Develop a comprehensive freight strategy for all bulk and related commodity flows, including:
– Optimal vessel size selection (Supramax/Ultramax and others where relevant).
– Preferred routes and ports, including loading and discharge terminals.
– The optimal mix of COAs, time charters, and spot voyages.
• Build freight cost models for existing and planned trade flows, including:
– Cost per ton by route and vessel type.
– Sensitivity analyses to bunker price changes, port costs, and voyage durations.
• Prepare clear recommendation papers for senior management/Board on:
– “Own vs charter” strategies.
– Number, type, and age profile of vessels if ownership is pursued.
– Structuring options (ownership, bareboat, long-term charter, or hybrids).
2. Day-to-Day Freight Design & Execution
• Translate sales, offtake and supply contracts into concrete shipping plans and schedules.
• Work closely with commercial, mining/production, and logistics teams to ensure that vessel planning is fully aligned with:
– Production schedules.
– Port capabilities and constraints.
– Buyer delivery windows.
• Negotiate and fix:
– Voyage charters for specific shipments.
– COAs for medium- to long-term volume commitments.
– Time charters for strategic tonnage cover where appropriate.
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with:
– Leading shipbrokers and shipowners.
– Port agents, surveyors and port captains.
• Ensure that each shipment is structured to:
– Achieve competitive freight costs.
– Minimise demurrage and operational risk.
– Protect the Group’s commercial and legal position.
3. Shipping Economics, Benchmarking & Reporting
• Build and maintain voyage economics and freight benchmarking tools and dashboards.
• Track and analyse:
– Actual cost per ton by route, vessel and counterpart.
– Time charter equivalent (TCE) vs market indices.
– Demurrage/dispatch performance and major drivers.
• Monitor freight markets (Baltic indices, regional routes, relevant segments) and produce concise market intelligence for management.
• Produce monthly and quarterly reports covering:
– Average freight costs vs internal benchmarks.
– Realised savings vs alternative chartering strategies.
– Key incidents, claims, and operational learnings.
4. Vessel Ownership / Long-Term Tonnage Program (if pursued)
• Lead the design of any ship acquisition, bareboat or long-term time-charter program, including:
– Definition of fleet size, vessel types and technical specifications.
– Evaluation of newbuild vs second-hand options.
– Comparison of ownership vs bareboat vs long-term T/C economics.
• Coordinate with Group Finance and external advisors to:
– Analyse bank financing, leasing and JV structures.
– Evaluate cash flows, payback, IRR and covenant implications.
• Support the selection and negotiation of:
– Technical managers and crewing companies.
– P&I clubs, H&M insurers and other key service providers.
• From the owner’s side, monitor:
– Vessel performance (speed, consumption, off-hire).
– Drydock planning and major capex decisions.
– Insurance coverage, claims and major incidents (with legal support).
5. Operational Support & Risk Management
• Provide expert guidance on:
– Port capabilities and limitations for bulk products (drafts, storage, loading rates).
– Cargo handling, trimming and stowage plans.
– Cargo quality, sampling and documentation requirements.
• Support or supervise:
– Laytime statements and demurrage/dispatch calculations.
– Negotiation and settlement of demurrage and performance claims.
• Ensure that freight and shipping arrangements comply with:
– Sanctions regimes and export controls.
– Safety and environmental standards.
– Internal risk and compliance policies.
6. Platform & Team Building
• As the freight and shipping function grows, develop:
– A roadmap for adding operations, analytics and support roles.
– Job descriptions and role definitions for future team members.
• Mentor and develop junior staff once hired and help establish:
– Processes, reporting standards and performance KPIs.
– A professional shipping culture aligned with Group values.
Job Details
| Posted Date: | 2025-12-08 |
| Job Location: | United Arab Emirates – Dubai |
Preferred Candidate
| Career Level: | Management |
