Ocean Freight Supervisor – Mississauga, ON
Ocean Freight Supervisor – International Freight Forwarder – Mississauga – Exclusive –
Our client, a global leader with over 1,000 employees worldwide, is establishing its Canadian headquarters and seeking a seasoned professional to build, lead, and scale their new Ocean Freight division. This is a foundational leadership role for an individual who in a start-up environment but who is backed by the resources and stability of a global company.
You will be entrusted with the end-to-end launch and management of our client’s ocean service operations. Your mandate extends beyond coordination to encompass team leadership, process creation, and strategic growth. This is a high-impact role where your success will directly shape the company’s market entry and rapid expansion across Canada.
If you are driven by building something significant, our client is eager to discuss how you can define and lead this critical chapter of their success.
Email: kevin@buckleysearch.com or anna@buckleysearch.com
Key Responsibilities:
- Department Leadership & Launch: Spearhead the launch and ongoing management of the Canadian ocean freight department, establishing operational procedures and service standards.
- Strategic Operations Oversight: Manage the entire ocean freight lifecycle (90% Export, 10% Import), ensuring efficiency, compliance, and exceptional customer service for national and international accounts.
- Vendor & Carrier Relations: Lead the negotiation of strategic rates and service contracts with ocean carriers and trucking partners to optimize cost and service quality.
- Client & Stakeholder Management: Act as the senior point of contact for key client accounts and major operational issues, ensuring swift resolution and maintaining strong relationships.
- Financial & Performance Accountability: Oversee department profitability, monitoring for major accounts, invoice auditing, and ensuring timely billing and collections.
- Process & Compliance: Develop, implement, and enforce Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the Canadian ocean team and ensure adherence across the internal global network.
- Escalation & Reporting: Provide regular performance reports to senior management and strategically escalate issues with proposed solutions.
Qualifications & Experience:
- Minimum of 7-10 years of progressive experience in ocean freight forwarding, with a proven track record in a Senior Coordinator or Team Lead capacity.
- Expert knowledge of ocean export documentation, regulations, Incoterms, and the end-to-end supply chain.
- Strong leadership and people management skills, with a dedication to mentoring and developing team members.
- Proficiency with freight forwarding software (CargoWise is a strong asset) and superior communication and problem-solving abilities.
Compensation & Benefits:
- A competitive salary band of $70,000 – $82,000+
- A performance-based incentive plan.
- A comprehensive company benefits package.
- A unique career opportunity to build a department and grow into a senior leadership role as the company expands.
This is a vacant position. AI is not used to pre-select or pre-screen candidates, this is done by our consultants.