Business Development Manager - Freight Forwarding

Position: Business Development Manager (Freight Forwarding)

Location: Mumbai (Preferred) & Gurgaon

Industry: Freight Forwarding & Custom Broker

PDS Profile

PDS International Pvt. Ltd is a 25+ year-old is an Exim Logistics company with its corporate office in Gurugram and 18+ branches in India PDS offers Air and Ocean Freight-Forwarding, Customs Clearance & Exim Transportation .

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced and high-performing Business Development Manager with strong business in hand and deep domain expertise in Freight Forwarding (Sea & Air). The ideal candidate will demonstrate strong client-facing capabilities, proven negotiation skills, and the ability to drive sustainable revenue growth through strategic sales initiatives.

The role reports directly to the Department Head and carries end-to-end ownership of sales revenue, lead generation, customer acquisition, and sales cycle optimization.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate, direct, and lead business development initiatives within the defined scope and assigned geography/segment.
• Drive Business Development for Sea Freight and Air Freight services, including import, export, and cross-trade movements.
• Generate, manage, and grow Nomination Business from existing and new customers.
• Create, qualify, and convert sales leads and opportunities aligned with assigned revenue targets.
• Identify, track, and manage RFQ/RFP timelines as per customer and organizational requirements.
• Understand customer logistics needs and design customized freight forwarding solutions.
• Conduct value assessments and Proof of Concept (PoC) to demonstrate commercial and operational feasibility.
• Analyze customer requirements to identify upselling and cross-selling opportunities, increasing wallet share.
• Develop and manage complete integrated business cases across the sales lifecycle.
• Drive the sales cycle from lead generation to LOI / Contract signing.
• Prepare and present business case calculations at various stages of the sales process.
• Negotiate pricing, commercial terms, and service conditions in line with company guidelines and approval matrix.
• Build and maintain strong, long-term client relationships to ensure repeat business and referrals.

Qualifications & Skills

• Bachelors degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant industry experience.
• Minimum 5+ years of experience in Sales & Business Development, preferably in Freight Forwarding / Logistics.
• Strong understanding of Sea Freight and Air Freight operations, pricing structures, and commercial models.
• Proven ability to bring business in hand / active customer portfolio.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong negotiation, relationship management, and presentation abilities.
• Self-driven, result-oriented, and capable of performing in a fast-paced, target-driven environment.