Operations Manager – Freight & Customs

Job Description

DFreight is a rapidly growing digital freight startup in the Middle East, providing innovative solutions for the shipping and logistics industry. The platform we are creating smartly uses cutting-edge technology to streamline processes, reduce costs, and enhance the customer experience. We are building a team of forward-thinking, digitally savvy, motivated logistics experts who are excited to grow the company, and their own careers.

We are currently seeking an experienced and dynamic manager to lead our freight and customs operations teams in Dubai, for the UAE. Our ideal candidate has hands on experience of freight operations, building high-performing teams, leading continuous improvement initiatives, and executing company strategy. This person is deeply curious to learn and create impact, and is comfortable working in the sometimes-ambiguous environment that is a startup. This role reports to the Director of Operations and will work closely with the Commercial and Product teams to achieve the company’s goals.

Responsibilities:

• Build, coach and develop a team of high performing supply chain operations professionals responsible for the complete movements of Ocean FCL, Ocean LCL, Air, and Land shipments, including Import and Export Customs.
• Identify and take ownership of opportunities to improve operational efficiency and quality. Build a culture and practice of continuous improvement within operations and with the wider business. Empower your people to identify and own areas of improvement.
• Monitor and improve client satisfaction, AND operational cost-to-serve.

• Work with the business to define, develop and adhere to the right internal and external processes, KPIs and SLAs to drive our business towards continuous improvements in shipment quality.
• Collaborate with Product/Tech teams to define future product requirements and drive adoption and continuous improvement of our freight management platform.
• Work with sales and account management to ensure consistency between what we sell and what we deliver. Nurture trusting relationships and feedback loops between teams to ensure the right expectations are both set and met.
• Cultivate strong working relationships with our supply chain partners across the board – our agents, truckers, carriers, and other vendors.
• Oversee daily operational rhythms, handle operational escalations, and support the team and clients as required.

• Lead weekly and monthly business reviews.
• Drive a culture of client obsession – ensure we deliver what we have promised.

You Are:

• An expert in executing end to end Air, Ocean and Land shipments. You understand the requirements for domestic and import/export shipments in the UAE.
• Happy to dig in at the shipment level to support the team or understand what is going on when issues arise.
• Impressively organised and an excellent communicator. You think and communicate in a structured way that helps others quickly understand what you are doing and what you need to make progress.
• Tech-savvy with a strong understanding of digital platforms and technologies
• Hands-on, energetic, a “force of nature”, with a passion for innovation in the freight industry

• Living in or willing to relocate to Dubai.
• An excellent communicator who can build and maintain strong relationships with customers and partners.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, and adapting to changing business needs.
• A caring leader and people manager, who can inspire, motivate, and develop teams.

We offer a competitive salary package, along with opportunities for professional growth and development in a fast-growing environment. If you are a self-driven and results-oriented leader with a passion for the freight industry and the Middle East region, and you are interested in changing the face of freight forwarding in the Middle East, we would love to hear from you.