Deputy General Manager Operations, Commercial & Procurement

We are looking for an experienced Deputy General Manager to lead and oversee operations for large and strategic key accounts, manage commercial and contractual negotiations with overseas partners, and drive India land-side procurement.

The role requires a strong combination of operations leadership, commercial acumen, negotiation skills and supply-chain expertise, with the ability to manage complex international logistics requirements across multiple geographies and time zones.

The successful candidate will act as a key interface between customers, overseas logistics partners, transporters, internal operations teams and senior management.

Key Responsibilities

1. Key Account Operations

• Lead and oversee end-to-end logistics operations for large and strategic key accounts.
  
• Ensure timely, cost-effective and service-compliant execution of shipments.
  
• Act as the senior escalation point for operational issues and customer requirements.
  
• Monitor KPIs including service levels, transit performance, exceptions, claims and operational profitability.
  
• Coordinate with internal teams across freight forwarding, transportation, warehousing, customs and project logistics.
  
• Develop and implement processes to improve operational efficiency and customer experience.
  
• Conduct periodic operational reviews with key customers and identify opportunities for service improvement and account growth.
  

2. Overseas Partner Management & Commercial Negotiations

• Lead commercial and contractual negotiations with overseas agents, logistics partners and service providers.
  
• Negotiate freight rates, service agreements, credit terms, liability clauses, payment terms, SLAs and other commercial conditions.
  
• Evaluate and onboard overseas partners based on capability, service quality, pricing and financial/compliance parameters.
  
• Develop strong strategic relationships with overseas partners across multiple geographies.
  
• Resolve commercial disputes and service escalations with international partners.
  
• Identify opportunities to improve margins through partner negotiations, consolidation and alternative routing solutions.
  

3. India Land-Side Procurement

• Lead procurement of trucking, transportation, warehousing and other India land-side logistics services.
  
• Develop and manage a reliable national vendor and transporter network.
  
• Negotiate competitive rates and commercial terms while maintaining required service and compliance standards.
  
• Conduct regular market benchmarking of transportation and logistics costs.
  
• Drive vendor performance management through defined KPIs and SLAs.
  
• Identify opportunities for cost optimisation, route rationalisation, vendor consolidation and capacity improvement.
  
• Support procurement for large tenders, project cargo and strategic customer requirements.
  

4. Cross-Functional & International Coordination

• Coordinate with teams and partners across multiple international time zones.
  
• Participate in early-morning, late-evening or occasional weekend calls when required for critical customer or operational matters.
  
• Work closely with sales, pricing, finance, operations and senior management to ensure alignment between commercial commitments and operational execution.
  
• Support international business development initiatives and strategic projects.
  
• Be prepared to travel at short notice, both within India and internationally, based on business requirements.
  

5. Financial & Performance Management

• Monitor account-level profitability and identify margin leakage.
  
• Ensure commercial commitments are aligned with approved budgets and target margins.
  
• Analyse operational and procurement costs and implement corrective actions.
  
• Support management in developing pricing strategies for strategic accounts and international business.
  
• Prepare management reports covering operational performance, procurement savings, customer profitability and key risks.
  

6. Leadership & Team Management

• Lead and mentor operations and procurement teams supporting strategic accounts.
  
• Establish clear objectives, KPIs and accountability across the team.
  
• Develop a high-performance culture focused on customer service, commercial discipline and operational excellence.
  
• Train team members on international logistics processes, partner management and commercial practices.
  
• Drive continuous improvement and standardisation across operations.
  

Requirements

Key Skills & Competencies

• Strong knowledge of international freight forwarding and logistics operations.
  
• Proven experience in key account management and operational leadership.
  
• Strong commercial and contractual negotiation skills.
  
• Experience in transportation and land-side procurement.
  
• Excellent understanding of freight, trucking, warehousing and logistics cost structures.
  
• Ability to negotiate with international partners and suppliers.
  
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
  
• Excellent communication and stakeholder-management capabilities.
  
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced, international environment.
  
• Comfortable working across multiple time zones and travelling internationally at short notice.
  
• Strong commercial orientation with a focus on profitability and customer retention.
  

Qualifications & Experience

• Graduate degree in Logistics, Supply Chain, Business Administration, Commerce or a related discipline.
  
• Postgraduate qualification in Supply Chain Management / Logistics / Business Management would be an advantage.
  
• 10–15 years of relevant experience in freight forwarding, logistics, supply chain or international transportation.
  
• Prior experience managing large key accounts and international logistics partners is preferred.
  
• Experience in commercial negotiations, procurement and vendor management is essential.
  
• Experience with project logistics, cross-border logistics or complex international shipments would be an advantage.
  

Key Performance Indicators

• Key account operational performance and customer satisfaction
  
• Account profitability and EBITDA contribution
  
• Procurement savings and cost optimisation
  
• Vendor and overseas partner performance
  
• Service-level adherence
  
• Reduction in operational claims and exceptions
  
• Customer retention and account growth
  
• Successful commercial negotiations and contract renewals
  
• Team productivity and process improvement
  

Role Characteristics

Benefits