Global Key Account Manager (Freight Forwarding)

We are seeking a commercially driven Global Key Account Manager to lead the development and management of strategic multinational customers headquartered in or operating through Vietnam, with supply chains spanning multiple countries.

This role owns the overall account strategy, senior customer relationships, and commercial performance of assigned global accounts. The successful candidate will drive profitable growth by expanding business across countries, trade lanes, and logistics products, while aligning local, regional, and global teams to deliver consistent customer value.

Candidates with a strong background in leading multinational freight forwarding companies and proven experience managing complex global or regional accounts are highly preferred.

Key Responsibilities

1. Global Account Strategy & Ownership

• Own the strategic development and commercial performance of assigned global and multinational accounts.

• Develop and execute multi-year account strategies and annual business plans covering revenue, gross profit, retention, and share-of-wallet growth.

• Map customers’ global organizations, procurement structures, supply chain networks, and key decision-makers to identify opportunities across markets.

• Build relationships with senior stakeholders, including global and regional procurement leaders, supply chain directors, and executive sponsors.

• Establish account governance, stakeholder engagement plans, and clear responsibilities across participating countries.

2. Strategic Business Development

• Identify and secure new strategic customers while expanding existing accounts across countries, trade lanes, business units, and logistics services.

• Lead complex, consultative sales engagements involving air freight, ocean freight, customs brokerage, inland transportation, warehousing, and other relevant supply chain solutions.

• Develop executive-level value propositions supported by operational feasibility, measurable customer benefits, and sustainable profitability.

• Build a qualified pipeline of major opportunities and lead pursuits from initial engagement through contract award and implementation handover.

• Use industry knowledge and customer relationships to identify emerging investment, manufacturing, and supply chain opportunities.

3. Global Tenders & Commercial Negotiation

• Lead global and regional RFQs, RFPs, and strategic tenders for assigned accounts.

• Coordinate with country teams, Product, Pricing, Procurement, Operations, Finance, and Legal to develop competitive and commercially sound proposals.

• Define account pricing strategies and negotiate rates, service scope, contractual terms, and service-level commitments within company approval frameworks.

• Assess commercial risks, cost assumptions, capacity requirements, and margin expectations before committing to customer agreements.

• Lead contract renewals, rate reviews, and commercial discussions relating to changes in customer requirements or market conditions.

4. Integrated Logistics & Supply Chain Solutions

• Develop a thorough understanding of customers’ sourcing, manufacturing, distribution, and international transportation networks.

• Translate complex supply chain requirements into scalable logistics solutions across multiple countries and service providers.

• Work with internal specialists to identify opportunities for shipment consolidation, routing optimization, lead-time improvement, and total logistics cost reduction.

• Drive cross-selling and the development of integrated solutions that strengthen long-term customer partnerships.

• Ensure proposed solutions can be implemented effectively and supported by appropriate operational resources.

5. Regional & Global Coordination

• Act as the commercial lead for assigned accounts and align local, regional, and global stakeholders around a shared account strategy.

• Coordinate account activities across origin and destination countries, ensuring consistent customer communication and commercial execution.

• Provide direction to account teams through matrix leadership and influence across functions and geographies.

• Establish clear escalation channels and lead the resolution of significant commercial or service issues.

• Coordinate the transition of awarded business to implementation and operational teams, with agreed milestones, responsibilities, and success criteria.

6. Account Performance & Customer Governance

• Own account-level revenue and gross profit targets and monitor performance against agreed business plans.

• Track shipment volumes, profitability, pipeline conversion, service performance, and customer satisfaction.

• Lead quarterly and annual business reviews with senior customer stakeholders, presenting performance insights and development plans.

• Identify underperforming business, margin leakage, and retention risks, and implement corrective actions with relevant teams.

• Partner with Finance to manage credit exposure, overdue receivables, and payment-related customer issues.

• Maintain accurate forecasts, opportunity records, and strategic account plans in the company’s system.

Job Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Logistics, Supply Chain Management, International Business, Business Administration, or a related discipline.

• Typically 10–15 years of experience in international freight forwarding or integrated logistics, including at least 5 years managing strategic multinational, regional, or global accounts.

• Proven track record of winning and growing large corporate accounts, delivering profitable business growth, and retaining long-term customer relationships.

• Demonstrated experience managing accounts across multiple countries and coordinating with regional or global stakeholders.

• Strong experience leading complex tenders, commercial negotiations, and contract renewals involving multiple markets or logistics products.

• Strong knowledge of air and ocean freight, with a practical understanding of customs brokerage, inland transportation, warehousing, and integrated logistics solutions.

• Ability to engage confidently with senior procurement, supply chain, and executive stakeholders.

• Strong commercial judgment, including account profitability analysis, pricing strategy, contract risk assessment, and sales forecasting.

• Ability to lead cross-functional and international teams through influence in a matrix organization.

• Excellent presentation, negotiation, stakeholder management, and problem-solving skills.

• Professional working proficiency in Chinese and English, including the ability to conduct business presentations and commercial negotiations.

• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally as business requires.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with leading multinational freight forwarders

• Existing relationships with senior procurement or supply chain decision-makers in multinational manufacturing, automotive, electronics, or industrial companies.

• Experience managing automotive OEMs and their supplier networks, including complex production and delivery requirements.

• Proven success expanding Vietnam-based customer relationships into regional or global business opportunities.

• Experience securing and implementing integrated logistics contracts with substantial shipment volumes and multiple service requirements.

• Experience working with Chinese multinational companies and supporting their overseas supply chain expansion.