Manager Trade Steering

About the role

The Manager Trade Steering will lead the development and execution of sales strategies that support Hapag-Lloyd’s growth objectives across Africa. You will oversee sales performance, collaborate with local and global teams, and ensure our services meet market needs.

Key responsibilities

• Develop volume and revenue budgets and forecasts; monitor overall account performance.
• Guide sales staff to achieve targets based on equipment imbalances and key accounts/commodities.
• Segment the market to identify the most profitable customer and product mix.
• Support campaign development in line with trade management and pricing.
• Identify under‑performing areas, customers or commodities and define corrective actions.
• Collaborate cross‑functionally with Trade Management, Operations, and Equipment teams.
• Drive digital transformation initiatives and optimise related systems.

Required profile

• 10‑12 years of experience in sales steering, business development or commercial management within logistics, shipping or freight forwarding, with a strong focus on Africa.
• Proven leadership and ability to manage cross‑functional teams.
• Expertise in sales performance analysis and strategic planning.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and stakeholder management skills.
• Fluency in English; additional languages (French, Arabic, Portuguese) are a plus.
• Deep cultural awareness of African markets and ability to tailor solutions.
• Container shipping liner‑operations knowledge and advanced analytics/BI experience.

Required skills

• Microsoft Excel
• CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce)
• Business intelligence tools (advanced analytics beyond QlikSense)