Commercial Freight Manager

STELARIS RESOURCES AG TÜRKİYE İSTANBUL İRTİBAT BÜROSU

Job Description – Head Freight Desk

Location: Istanbul Asia

Reporting to: Commercial Directors

Function: Commercial Support / Freight Market Intelligence

Role Purpose

To actively manage, source, and optimize container freight rates in support of commodity trading activities.

The role focuses on identifying best-in-market freight opportunities, monitoring market movements, and enabling profitable trading decisions through timely freight intelligence.

This is a commercial-facing role.

Key Responsibilities

Freight Market Intelligence

Continuously monitor container freight markets across key trade lanes

Track spot rates, contract rates, equipment availability, and blank sailings

Identify early signals of rate increases or drops and proactively alert traders

Freight Sourcing & Negotiation

Actively engage with multiple freight forwarders, NVOCCs, and shipping lines

Source spot and short-term freight opportunities aligned with trading needs

Negotiate competitive rates, free time, surcharges, and routing options

Maintain a competitive tension among service providers

Trading Support

Work closely with traders during deal structuring to validate freight assumptions

Provide fast, reliable freight inputs for bids, offers, and arbitrage opportunities

Recommend optimal routing, carriers, and timing to protect or enhance margins

Support “go / no-go” decisions based on freight market dynamics

Internal Coordination

Coordinate with operations teams to ensure execution feasibility

Maintain rate databases and lane-specific benchmarks

Develop simple dashboards or reports on freight trends and savings

Market Relationships

Build strong relationships with key freight partners

Stay informed about carrier strategies, capacity shifts, and alliance changes

Attend logistics and shipping market briefings when relevant

Ideal Candidate Profile

Experience

Minimum 10 years of experience in container freight, logistics, or shipping

Background in freight forwarding, shipping line, or large exporter/importer

Hands-on experience with spot rate negotiations and volatile markets

Exposure to commodity trades, recycled metals is a strong advantage

Skills & Competencies

Strong commercial mindset with cost and margin focus

Excellent negotiation and relationship management skills

Ability to react quickly under time pressure

Market-curious, proactive, and data-driven

Comfortable working with traders and senior stakeholders

Strong Excel and reporting skills; familiarity with freight indices is a plus

Personal Attributes

Entrepreneurial

Not afraid to challenge rates or push for better terms

High sense of ownership and accountability

Comfortable working across time zones