Air Freight Manager

The Opportunity

Air cargo does not wait.

Flights close. Customers need answers. Documents have to be right. Rates change. Shipments move across time zones, through carriers, vendors, customs processes, internal teams, and customer expectations. When the department is well-led, it shows. When it is not, everyone feels it.

This role is for someone who knows that world and enjoys being in the middle of it.
As Air Freight Manager, you will lead a busy air freight operation with responsibility for both imports and exports. You will be the person helping the team stay organized, the work stay accurate, the customers stay informed, and the business keep moving in the right direction.

It is a hands-on leadership role for someone who has been around freight forwarding long enough to know that good air cargo management is part process, part people, part urgency, part judgment, and part relationship-building.

Position Description

In this role, you will oversee the air cargo department and take responsibility for how the work gets done from start to finish. That includes bookings, pickups, shipment files, documentation, customer updates, vendor coordination, invoicing, issue resolution, and the follow-up that keeps customers confident.

You will also look at how the department operates and where it can improve. That may mean tightening up SOPs, adjusting workflows, improving communication between team members, reviewing vendor performance, negotiating rates, or making sure the right people are covering the right work at the right time.

This is not a role that sits only behind a desk. You will work closely with your team, customers, airlines, cartage providers, vendors, suppliers, internal departments, and sales colleagues. You will also support client meetings, help identify additional business opportunities, and contribute to revenue targets and budget planning.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading the air import and export team day to day
• Making sure shipments are booked, picked up, documented, tracked, billed, and handled properly
• Keeping customer service standards high, especially when timelines are tight or issues come up
• Creating, updating, and improving SOPs for air freight activity
• Reviewing processes and finding practical ways to make the department more accurate, efficient, and consistent
• Working with airlines, cartage providers, contractors, vendors, and suppliers to maintain pricing and service expectations
• Reviewing rates, service levels, and vendor performance on an ongoing basis
• Hiring, training, coaching, and guiding team members
• Giving feedback, managing performance, and helping employees grow into stronger contributors
• Delegating work and making sure the team has proper coverage across key tasks
• Staying on top of reports, time records, administrative follow-up, and internal deadlines
• Joining customer meetings and sales visits when your operational knowledge can help move the conversation forward
• Looking for ways to grow business through additional services, trade lanes, or modes
• Supporting monthly and annual revenue goals
• Representing the company at trade shows, seminars, or networking events when needed
• Keeping communication professional, clear, and proactive with everyone involved

Experience

This role calls for someone who has real freight forwarding experience, not just a passing familiarity with air cargo.

The right person will likely bring:

• At least 5 years of freight forwarding experience, with direct experience in air cargo
• At least 3 years in a leadership, supervisory, or management role
• Strong working knowledge of air import and/or air export operations
• Comfort dealing with shipment details, customer questions, vendor follow-up, documentation, and deadlines
• Experience working with airlines, cartage companies, vendors, suppliers, and customers
• Understanding of Canadian air cargo requirements, including CBSA-related import and export processes
• Experience improving processes, writing or refining SOPs, and helping a department run more smoothly
• Confidence participating in rate discussions, vendor reviews, and service conversations
• Ability to support customer meetings and work with sales colleagues on business growth opportunities
• A calm, organized approach when several things need attention at once

Qualifications

The successful candidate should bring the knowledge, communication skills, and leadership style needed to earn trust from both the team and the customer.

Qualifications should include:

• College diploma, university degree, or equivalent experience in freight forwarding, logistics, business, commerce, supply chain, or a related area
• International business education or certification would be helpful
• IATA/ICAO Dangerous Goods certification would be an asset
• Authorized Cargo Representative certification would be an asset
• CargoWise certification or strong CargoWise experience would be an asset
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Good leadership instincts, including the ability to coach, organize, motivate, and follow up
• Strong customer service skills and attention to detail
• Good math, reporting, and analytical skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Excel and PowerPoint
• Experience with Power BI or similar tools would be useful
• Ability to learn new systems and business software
• General understanding of people management and HR-related basics
• Willingness to handle occasional overtime when air cargo demands it
• Ability to travel locally for customer visits, airport-related matters, vendor meetings, or other business needs

Education

• College diploma, university degree, or equivalent experience in freight forwarding, logistics, business, commerce, supply chain, or a related area
• International business education or certification would be helpful