Ocean Product Manager

Company Description
- “We’re not in the shipping business; we’re in the information business” -Peter Rose, Expeditors Founder

Global supply chain management is what we do, but at the heart of Expeditors you will find professionalism, leadership, and a friendly environment, all of which foster an innovative, customer service-based approach to logistics.
- 15,000 trained professionals
- 250+ locations worldwide
- Fortune 500
- Globally unified systems

Job Description
**Major Duties and Responsibilities**

You will be responsible for the professional handling of clients and colleagues and all duties related to the above position, which inter-alia include, but are not restricted to, the following:
**Ensuring retention of existing clients and expanding current customer base**:

- Lead the Branch Ocean Import and Ocean Export Sales effort - working with sales and on your own to identify, target and gain new business.
- Have a thorough understanding of local market pricing conditions and ensure that we continually drive our pricing down.
- Have a thorough understanding of and personal involvement with the top 10 Ocean Import and Export Customers.
- Value Added Benefits and new developments (new carriers in the market, new routing opportunities, new product developments within the Expeditors group, etc.) within the Ocean Import and Ocean Export department must be presented to existing and potential customers on a monthly basis.
- Make a minimum of five new (75%) or retention customer (25%) calls per week.
- Participate in the weekly branch sales meeting.
- Train, educate and assist branch sales staff and account management staff on Ocean Import and Ocean Export product, through joint sales calls.
- Identify potential business opportunity for Expeditors.
- Develop and grow the Ocean product in line with the global, region and branch goals.
- Ensure that the transition process is followed when any new customers are signed up.
- Ensure that Customer Retention and Development is maintained with all customers (includes quantifying the value we have added to the customer and continuous business improvements through the QMR process)

**Develop and keep abreast with the latest developments in Ocean Import **and Ocean **Export**:

- Produce a monthly report on the latest trends involving any Ocean Import and Ocean Export areas.
- Keep abreast of the latest legislation regarding Ocean Import and Ocean Export and share it with management when it occurs or on a quarterly basis.
- Benchmark Expeditors Ocean Import and Ocean Export practices with that of our global network practices.
- Monitor the financial strength or health of existing and potential customers, and to highlight or raise an alert for companies that are potentially detrimental to the business.
- Ensure Ocean Import and Ocean Export requirements on space, service and price are clearly communicated to each carrier.
- Develop and maintain relationships with “core” carriers.
- Develop joint local strategies with the carriers to ensure our account base is satisfied and our value to the carrier increases.
- Ensure our Ocean Import and Ocean Export value statement is clearly communicated to each core carrier.
- Provide local market feedback on carriers to the Regional Ocean Director.
- Develop new service offerings for Expeditors to present to our customers.
- Work on developing gateways within the network.
- Develop CPT as a gateway into South Africa and the rest of Africa.
- Document and share the major consol options that we have into and out of South Africa with the buying rates, frequency and Ocean lines used. Report back on a monthly basis on the performance of these options.
- Develop relationships with your counterparts in the key origins that we use. Promote CPT as an office that origins want to work with.

People Management:

- Retention and selection of staff in conjunction with Supervisors.
- Monthly departmental meetings must take place to address staff and other communication related issues (i.e. new developments in Ocean Import and Ocean Export, new developments in the company, changes to procedures, etc.).
- Control and manage the staff salaries, training budget, overtime, casual labour and sick leave according to company and branch norm.
- Identifying staff development needs.
- Develop solid #2 to run operations and assist in retention.

**Ensuring Operational Process Standards are adhered to as set by corporate policies, and to ensure a pass rate of 90% is achieved.**
- Overall productivity of department and per person must be in accordance to the corporate guidelines.
- Processes must be managed through the use of company tools, etc.
- Compliance with Dangerous Goods regulations (where applicable).
- Ensure that all Improvement opportunities are actioned and resolved within the deadlines.
- Ensure that we are driving continuous improvements in our processes.
- Manage the training requirement per staff member as per branch average.
- Revi