Overview
Senior Business Development Manager – Air & Ocean Jobs in Los Angeles Metropolitan Area at Altius Talent | Freight Forwarding Recruitment
Title: Senior Business Development Manager – Air & Ocean
Company: Altius Talent | Freight Forwarding Recruitment
Location: Los Angeles Metropolitan Area
Business Development Manager – Air & Ocean Freight Forwarding – Los Angeles, CA
Freight Forwarding | Los Angeles, CA (Greater Los Angeles / Long Beach) $100,000 – $145,000 Base + Uncapped Commission + Car Allowance | OTE $185K+
WHY THIS ROLE
Los Angeles is where this forwarder does the bulk of its US gateway volume and the branch needs a commercial operator who can match pace. The seat is being created to lead new-logo acquisition across Greater LA and the Inland Empire, with first-call rights on the transpacific ocean product (120+ weekly Asia sailings), the peak-season LAX air charter programme, and the e-commerce/FBA forwarding desk. Gateway coverage across Long Beach, LA, LAX, and Ontario.
ABOUT
Founded in 1981 in Taipei, this Asian-headquartered freight forwarder operates across 35 countries with 9,500 people. What makes the seat winnable is origin control: 18 dedicated Asian gateway offices, 120+ weekly transpacific ocean consolidations out of Shanghai, Ningbo, Yantian, and Kaohsiung, and a peak-season LAX air charter programme running August to November. Vertical depth in high-tech electronics, apparel & accessories, e-commerce/FBA, and automotive parts. The LA/LB presence goes back to 1984 and sits across two bonded facilities at Long Beach and Ontario.
WHAT YOU'LL DELIVER
- 30–40 named-account shippers across Greater LA and the Inland Empire generating 3x base salary in GP by month 18.
- 8–10 qualified first meetings per month across high-tech electronics, apparel, e-commerce/FBA, and automotive parts.
- LA branch RFQ/RFP bid desk ownership alongside pricing, targeting tenders above $350K annual revenue.
- 3x pipeline coverage in CargoWise and Salesforce against quarterly target.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR
- 4+ years commercial air and ocean freight forwarding sales, US West Coast market.
- Commercial track record you can walk through: accounts won, lanes developed, GP history, shipper relationships.
- Vertical exposure in at least one of: high-tech electronics, apparel & accessories, e-commerce/FBA, automotive parts, or consumer goods.
- Active CRM discipline in CargoWise, Salesforce, or equivalent.
- Working knowledge of AMS/ACE filings, HTS classification, LCL consolidation economics, and the commercial difference between NVOCC and master-loader operating models.
This role is focused on air and ocean freight forwarding. Candidates from adjacent product lines are welcome if you can evidence commercial credibility and willingness to reorient your pipeline.
WHAT'S ON OFFER
The compensation is built for commercial operators in the largest freight gateway in the US. Base $100,000 – $145,000 depending on experience. Uncapped commission pays 12% of GP from month one, with a 15% accelerator above quota and a $5,000 quarterly kicker for hitting pipeline coverage targets. No cap, no monthly clawback. Strong operators clear $185K+ OTE in year one and scale from there. Car allowance included. Full medical, dental, and vision from day one, 401k with 5% employer match, 20 days PTO plus US public holidays.
Hybrid work model. LA office visits as required, field-heavy coverage across Greater LA and the Inland Empire. Behind the role sits the support you need to win: a pricing desk with 24-hour turnaround, an inside sales team for lead qualification, vertical-specific marketing content, and an operations team with deep experience across Long Beach and LAX. You'll sell a product that actually has origin control and space guarantees, particularly into peak season. No scrambling to explain why the forwarder can't get boxes on the water.
Progression track to Senior BDM within 24 months and Regional Sales Manager for the West Coast thereafter. The business has a long history of promoting commercial talent into branch leadership.
