Senior Strategic Key Account Manager – Global Freight Forwarding

Senior Strategic Key Account Manager – Global Freight Forwarding

Senior Strategic Key Account Manager – Global Freight Forwarding

Location: Schiphol Area, Netherlands

Employment Type: Full-time (40 hours/week)

Role Overview

As Strategic Key Account Manager, you are the single point of contact and ultimate business owner for our high-value global accounts. You own the customer relationship, drive revenue growth, and ensure seamless service delivery by aligning cross-functional and cross-border teams across Air, Ocean, and Warehousing.

Key Responsibilities

Account Strategy & Growth: Own strategic customer relationships at management level. Expand gross profit and market share through cross-selling, upselling, and RFQ management.

Cross-Border Coordination: Oversee operations, service commitments, and performance across Western European entities (NL, BE, DE, UK).

Implementation & Governance: Lead project kick-offs, define and enforce strictly aligned Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and drive continuous improvement.

Risk & Escalation Management: Proactively identify operational and financial risks. Ensure full transparency and rapid internal escalation to protect service levels and company interest.

Performance Reporting: Establish structured reporting cycles (daily status, weekly reviews, monthly business reviews) for internal stakeholders and client leadership.

Critical Issue Response: Serve as the escalation lead for critical, business-impacting matters to ensure business continuity.

Qualifications & Requirements

Experience: 8+ years in freight forwarding, logistics, or key account management with a proven track record handling complex global accounts.

Domain Knowledge: Deep operational understanding of Air Freight and Ocean Freight. Experience in time-critical or high-tech logistics is a strong plus.

Stakeholder Management: Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional, multi-country teams without direct line authority.

Commercial Acumen: Strong background in tender management, margin control, SLA alignment, and contract negotiation.

Languages: Fluent in English (written and spoken). Additional European or Asian languages are advantageous.

Mobility: Willingness to travel internationally for business reviews and project implementations.

What We Offer

Contract: 1-year contract with clear view to permanent employment.

Compensation: Competitive primary salary based on experience, plus 8% holiday allowance and 25 vacation days.

Benefits: Key Account incentive/bonus scheme, company lease car, laptop, and a comprehensive pension plan (70% employer contribution).