posted 13 november 2026
Air Product Head
Key Responsibilities
1. Air Product Strategy & Business Growth
* Develop and implement the overall strategy for the Air Freight Product. * Drive revenue, volume, market share, and profitability growth for the Air Product. * Identify new trade lanes, industries, customer segments, and business opportunitie...
* Identify opportunities for consolidation, direct airline contracts, block-space agreements.
2. Airline & Vendor Management
* Develop and maintain strong relationships with airlines, GSA, co-loaders, overseas agents, and other strategic partners.
* Negotiate competitive buying rates, contracts, credit terms, capacity commitments, and service agreements.
* Secure adequate capacity during peak seasons and high-demand periods. * Monitor airline schedules, capacity, service levels, surcharges, and market developments.
* Evaluate airline performance and negotiate corrective actions wherever required. 3. Pricing & Yield Management
* Own the Air Freight pricing strategy and ensure competitive market positioning. * Develop and maintain buying and selling rate structures.
* Monitor market rates, fuel surcharges, security charges, handling charges, and other applicable costs.
* Ensure timely and accurate quotations to Sales and customers.
* Establish pricing guidelines and approval mechanisms.
* Optimize yield and contribution by trade lane, customer, commodity, and airline. * Balance volume growth with targeted gross margins and profitability. 4. Revenue & Profitability
* Achieve annual and monthly Air Product revenue and profitability targets. * Monitor tonnage, revenue, gross profit, yield, contribution, and customer profitability.
* Prepare annual business plans, budgets, forecasts, and growth strategies. * Identify underperforming trade lanes and take corrective actions.
* Improve product profitability through better buying, consolidation, capacity utilization, and yield management.
5. Sales Support & Customer Acquisition
* Work closely with Regional / Branch Sales teams to generate new Air Freight business.
* Support Sales in large customer negotiations, tenders, RFQs, and strategic opportunities.
* Participate in customer meetings with key accounts and large prospects. * Develop customized Air Freight solutions based on customer requirements. * Support acquisition of large accounts and increase Air Freight share from existing customers.
* Conduct regular reviews of major Air Freight customers and opportunities. 6. Trade Lane Development
* Develop strategic trade lanes based on market demand and profitability. * Identify opportunities in key markets such as Asia, Europe, Middle East, North America, Africa, and other relevant regions.
* Develop consolidation and gateway strategies to improve cost and transit time. * Work with overseas offices and agents to improve end-to-end Air Freight solutions. 7. Operations & Service Quality
* Coordinate with Air Freight Operations to ensure smooth execution of shipments. * Monitor shipment performance, transit time, documentation, capacity availability, and service quality.
* Identify recurring operational issues and implement corrective measures. * Ensure customer commitments made by the Product team are operationally achievable.
* Develop SOPs and service standards for key customers and trade lanes. 8. Team Management
* Lead and manage the Air Product / Pricing / Procurement team.
* Define team targets, responsibilities, and performance metrics.
* Coach and develop team members on market trends, airline products, pricing, and customer solutions.
* Conduct regular performance reviews and ensure achievement of team objectives. * Build a strong and commercially focused product team.
9. Market Intelligence
* Continuously monitor Air Freight market trends, capacity, demand, pricing, fuel costs, airline developments, and competitor activities.
* Track changes in international trade, customs requirements, airline networks, and industry regulations.
* Provide market intelligence and strategic recommendations to senior management. * Identify opportunities arising from changes in market capacity and trade flows. 10. MIS & Performance Reporting
* Prepare regular Air Product performance reports and dashboards.
* Monitor:
o Tonnage
o Revenue
o Gross Profit
o Yield per KG
o Contribution margin
o Trade lane performance
o Airline performance
o Customer profitability
o Capacity utilization
o Sales pipeline
* Provide monthly business reviews and forecasts to Management.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
* Air Freight revenue achievement
* Tonnage / volume growth
* Gross profit and contribution
* Yield per KG
* New customer acquisition
* New trade lane development
* Airline buying rate competitiveness
* Capacity utilization
* Customer retention
* Key account growth
* Pricing turnaround time
* Airline / vendor performance
* Shipment service quality
* Collection and credit discipline
Candidate Profile
Education
* Graduate / Postgraduate in Logistics, Supply Chain, International Business, Commerce, or related discipline.
* MBA in Supply Chain / International Business / Sales & Marketing will be an advantage.
Experience
* Minimum 20 years of relevant experience in Air Freight / Freight Forwarding * Strong experience in Air Product Management, Air Freight Procurement, Pricing, or Business Development.
* Proven experience managing airline relationships and international trade lanes.
* Experience managing revenue, profitability, and product strategy at a national or regional level.
* Experience managing a team is preferred.
Required Skills
* Strong knowledge of Air Freight and International Freight Forwarding * Excellent airline and vendor negotiation skills
* Air Freight pricing and yield management
* Strong commercial and financial acumen
* Trade lane and capacity management
* Customer solution development
* Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
* Excellent communication and negotiation skills
* Sales and business-development orientation
* Leadership and team-management capabilities
Preferred Industry Background
Candidates from the following sectors are preferred:
* International Freight Forwarding
* Air Freight Forwarding
* Global Logistics
* 3PL / Supply Chain
* Express Logistics
* Cargo / Airline Industry
Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate should be a strong commercial Air Freight professional who can combine product knowledge with business development and profitability management. The person should have strong relationships with airlines and industry partners and be capable of building the Air Product into a high-growth and high-margin business vertical.
Location: HQ, Chennai
Travel: Willingness to travel nationally and internationally as required.
Air Product Head
Key Responsibilities
1. Air Product Strategy & Business Growth
* Develop and implement the overall strategy for the Air Freight Product. * Drive revenue, volume, market share, and profitability growth for the Air Product. * Identify new trade lanes, industries, customer segments, and business opportunities. * Develop competitive Air Freight solutions for both import and export shipments. * Build a strong product portfolio covering major international and domestic trade lanes.
* Identify opportunities for consolidation, direct airline contracts, block-space agreements.
2. Airline & Vendor Management
* Develop and maintain strong relationships with airlines, GSA, co-loaders, overseas agents, and other strategic partners.
* Negotiate competitive buying rates, contracts, credit terms, capacity commitments, and service agreements.
* Secure adequate capacity during peak seasons and high-demand periods. * Monitor airline schedules, capacity, service levels, surcharges, and market developments.
* Evaluate airline performance and negotiate corrective actions wherever required. 3. Pricing & Yield Manag...
* Own the Air Freight pricing strategy and ensure competitive market positioning. * Develop and maintain buying and selling rate structures.
* Monitor market rates, fuel surcharges, security charges, handling charges, and other applicable costs.
* Ensure timely and accurate quotations to Sales and customers.
* Establish pricing guidelines and approval mechanisms.
* Optimize yield and contribution by trade lane, customer, commodity, and airline. * Balance volume growth with targeted gross margins and profitability. 4. Revenue & Profitability
* Achieve annual and monthly Air Product revenue and profitability targets. * Monitor tonnage, revenue, gross profit, yield, contribution, and customer profitability.
* Prepare annual business plans, budgets, forecasts, and growth strategies. * Identify underperforming trade lanes and take corrective actions.
* Improve product profitability through better buying, consolidation, capacity utilization, and yield management.
5. Sales Support & Customer Acquisition
* Work closely with Regional / Branch Sales teams to generate new Air Freight business.
* Support Sales in large customer negotiations, tenders, RFQs, and strategic opportunities.
* Participate in customer meetings with key accounts and large prospects. * Develop customized Air Freight solutions based on customer requirements. * Support acquisition of large accounts and increase Air Freight share from existing customers.
* Conduct regular reviews of major Air Freight customers and opportunities. 6. Trade Lane Development
* Develop strategic trade lanes based on market demand and profitability. * Identify opportunities in key markets such as Asia, Europe, Middle East, North America, Africa, and other relevant regions.
* Develop consolidation and gateway strategies to improve cost and transit time. * Work with overseas offices and agents to improve end-to-end Air Freight solutions. 7. Operations & Service Quality
* Coordinate with Air Freight Operations to ensure smooth execution of shipments. * Monitor shipment performance, transit time, documentation, capacity availability, and service quality.
* Identify recurring operational issues and implement corrective measures. * Ensure customer commitments made by the Product team are operationally achievable.
* Develop SOPs and service standards for key customers and trade lanes. 8. Team Management
* Lead and manage the Air Product / Pricing / Procurement team.
* Define team targets, responsibilities, and performance metrics.
* Coach and develop team members on market trends, airline products, pricing, and customer solutions.
* Conduct regular performance reviews and ensure achievement of team objectives. * Build a strong and commercially focused product team.
9. Market Intelligence
* Continuously monitor Air Freight market trends, capacity, demand, pricing, fuel costs, airline developments, and competitor activities.
* Track changes in international trade, customs requirements, airline networks, and industry regulations.
* Provide market intelligence and strategic recommendations to senior management. * Identify opportunities arising from changes in market capacity and trade flows. 10. MIS & Performance Reporting
* Prepare regular Air Product performance reports and dashboards.
* Monitor:
o Tonnage
o Revenue
o Gross Profit
o Yield per KG
o Contribution margin
o Trade lane performance
o Airline performance
o Customer profitability
o Capacity utilization
o Sales pipeline
* Provide monthly business reviews and forecasts to Management.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
* Air Freight revenue achievement
* Tonnage / volume growth
* Gross profit and contribution
* Yield per KG
* New customer acquisition
* New trade lane development
* Airline buying rate competitiveness
* Capacity utilization
* Customer retention
* Key account growth
* Pricing turnaround time
* Airline / vendor performance
* Shipment service quality
* Collection and credit discipline
Candidate Profile
Education
* Graduate / Postgraduate in Logistics, Supply Chain, International Business, Commerce, or related discipline.
* MBA in Supply Chain / International Business / Sales & Marketing will be an advantage.
Experience
* Minimum 20 years of relevant experience in Air Freight / Freight Forwarding * Strong experience in Air Product Management, Air Freight Procurement, Pricing, or Business Development.
* Proven experience managing airline relationships and international trade lanes.
* Experience managing revenue, profitability, and product strategy at a national or regional level.
* Experience managing a team is preferred.
Required Skills
* Strong knowledge of Air Freight and International Freight Forwarding * Excellent airline and vendor negotiation skills
* Air Freight pricing and yield management
* Strong commercial and financial acumen
* Trade lane and capacity management
* Customer solution development
* Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
* Excellent communication and negotiation skills
* Sales and business-development orientation
* Leadership and team-management capabilities
Preferred Industry Background
Candidates from the following sectors are preferred:
* International Freight Forwarding
* Air Freight Forwarding
* Global Logistics
* 3PL / Supply Chain
* Express Logistics
* Cargo / Airline Industry
Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate should be a strong commercial Air Freight professional who can combine product knowledge with business development and profitability management. The person should have strong relationships with airlines and industry partners and be capable of building the Air Product into a high-growth and high-margin business vertical.
Location: HQ, Chennai
Travel: Willingness to travel nationally and internationally as required.
with a randstad account, you can: