Freight Forwarder jobs in United Arab Emirates

Location: Dubai, Beirut, or Doha– with regular travel to key load/discharge ports

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.

1. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.

• 10–15+ years of experience in dry bulk shipping with a strong focus on chartering and commercial operations.
• Proven exposure to:
  • Supramax/Ultramax or similar vessel classes.
  • Minerals/fertilizers/commodities shipping (e.g. ores, grains, phosphates).
• Experience at one or more of:
  • A reputable shipowner or operating company.
  • A major commodity trading house.
  • A top-tier shipbroking house with direct chartering responsibilities.

• Strong commercial instincts and negotiation skills.
• Deep understanding of:
  • Charterparty forms and clauses.
  • Laytime and demurrage calculations.
  • Voyage economics and TCE calculations.
• Strong analytical and modelling skills (Excel and similar tools).
• Ability to work independently as a “one-person shipping department” initially.
• Comfortable working with lawyers, banks, technical managers, insurers and brokers.
• Excellent communication skills in English; Arabic a big plus but not mandatory.

• Entrepreneurial mindset and hands-on approach.
• High degree of integrity and discretion.
• Willingness to travel frequently to ports, counterparties and Group sites.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-moving, multi-jurisdictional environment.