Sales Executive

Sales Executive

Freight Forwarding & Third-Party Logistics

Job Type Full-Time / Remote - Location Detroit, MI - Base Salary $70,000 - $100,000 - OTE $150,000 - $220,000+

Position Summary

The Sales Executive is a high-impact, revenue-generating role at the forefront of our growth strategy. This position is built for a relentless hunter who thrives on winning new business then deepening those relationships to drive long-term revenue expansion. You will prospect, pursue, and close new customers while selling our full suite of freight forwarding and third-party logistics (3PL) services, including international air and ocean freight, domestic trucking and rail, customs brokerage, warehousing and distribution, order fulfillment, and inventory management.

Success in this role is defined by two pillars: (1) aggressive new customer acquisition, and (2) sustained growth within your existing book of business. You will own the full sales cycle from cold prospecting through close and will serve as the primary commercial relationship owner for every account you bring on.

Key Responsibilities

• Prospecting & New Business Development (Primary Focus)
• Drive new revenue by actively prospecting manufacturers, distributors, importers/exporters, and retailers who can benefit from our global freight and logistics capabilities.
• Build and maintain a robust pipeline through cold calling, networking, trade events, referrals, LinkedIn outreach, and territory canvassing.
• Identify target verticals and develop tailored value propositions that position our full-service 3PL and freight forwarding capabilities against competitor offerings.
• Conduct discovery meetings to understand prospect supply chain challenges, trade lanes, freight modes, and service pain points.
• Prepare and present customized proposals, RFP responses, and rate quotes across all service lines including air freight, ocean freight (FCL/LCL), trucking/drayage, customs brokerage, and warehousing.
• Close new accounts and manage the onboarding handoff to operations, ensuring a seamless first shipment experience that sets the foundation for a long-term relationship.
• Achieve or exceed monthly and quarterly new business revenue and gross margin targets.
• Full-Service Solution Selling Across All Divisions
• Sell the company's complete portfolio of services to every account domestic and international freight, customs brokerage, warehousing/distribution, order fulfillment, inventory management, and technology-enabled supply chain solutions.
• Cross-sell and upsell additional service lines into existing accounts to increase wallet share and deepen service dependency.
• Stay current on global trade regulations, market capacity trends, carrier relationships, and pricing dynamics to credibly advise customers on optimal routing and service solutions.
• Collaborate closely with operations, pricing, and customs teams to develop competitive, executable solutions for complex shipments.
• Customer Retention & Account Growth
• Serve as the primary commercial owner for all accounts within your portfolio, building executive-level relationships to ensure long-term retention and revenue growth.
• Conduct regular business reviews with key accounts to assess performance, identify unmet needs, and present new solutions or service enhancements.
• Monitor shipment volumes, revenue, and margin trends within your book of business; proactively address declines or competitive threats.
• Partner with operations and customer service teams to resolve service failures quickly, implement corrective action plans, and protect customer satisfaction scores.
• Develop and execute account growth plans for top customers, targeting specific lanes, service expansions, or volume increases.
• CRM Discipline & Sales Reporting
• Maintain accurate, up-to-date records of all prospect and customer activity in the CRM (e.g., Salesforce), including pipeline stages, contact history, and deal values.
• Provide management with reliable weekly and monthly forecasts of new business and renewal pipeline.
• Track and report performance against new business, retention, and cross-sell KPIs.
• Contribute market intelligence and competitive insights to inform pricing strategy, service development, and territory planning.

Services You Will Sell

• International Air Freight door-to-door, airport-to-airport, time-definite, deferred, and charter options across all global trade lanes
• International Ocean Freight FCL, LCL, project cargo, breakbulk, and consolidation services
• Domestic Transportation truckload (FTL), less-than-truckload (LTL), intermodal rail, and drayage
• Local Cartage & Last-Mile Delivery pickup and delivery, port and airport drayage, transload, and final-mile ground services
• Special Projects & Project Cargo oversized, heavy-lift, and time-critical shipments requiring custom routing, multi-modal coordination, and dedicated project management across verticals including energy, aerospace, government/defense, retail, healthcare, and manufacturing
• Customs Brokerage import/export entry filing, tariff classification, compliance consulting
• Warehousing & Distribution short and long-term storage, cross-docking, pick-and-pack
• Order Fulfillment & Inventory Management e-commerce and B2B fulfillment solutions
• Technology & Visibility Solutions shipment tracking, reporting, and supply chain analytics

Qualifications & Skills

Required

• Minimum 3 years of B2B sales experience in freight forwarding, logistics, or transportation with a verifiable track record of new business generation.
• Deep understanding of freight forwarding operations including air, ocean, and domestic transportation modes.
• Demonstrated hunter mentality: proven ability to prospect cold, build a pipeline from scratch, and consistently close new logos.
• Strong commercial acumen ability to analyze customer supply chains, build business cases, and articulate ROI.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills; able to engage credibly from warehouse manager to C-suite.
• High proficiency with CRM tools (Salesforce preferred) and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Willingness to travel for client meetings, prospecting, and industry events as required.
• Valid driver's license.

Preferred

• Bachelor's or Associate's degree in Business, Logistics, International Trade, or a related field.
• Experience selling customs brokerage, warehousing, or value-added logistics services.
• Existing book of relationships with shippers, importers, exporters, or supply chain decision-makers.
• Familiarity with trade compliance, Incoterms, and international shipping documentation.

Core Competencies for Success

• Prospecting Excellence relentless in building pipeline through multiple channels
• Solution Selling consultative approach; sells outcomes, not just rates
• Competitive Drive motivated by targets, rankings, and winning new business
• Relationship Builder earns trust quickly at multiple levels within a customer organization
• Resilience handles rejection, long sales cycles, and competitive losses with a growth mindset
• Operational Collaboration partners effectively with ops, pricing, and customs to deliver on promises
• Market Awareness stays current on global trade conditions, carrier capacity, and competitor activity

Compensation & Benefits

Compensation

• Base Salary Range: $70,000 $110,000 annually (based on experience and market).
• Commission Plan: Uncapped commissions tied to new business gross margin and overall portfolio performance. On-target earnings of $150,000 $220,000+ for top performers.
• Starting pay will vary based on education, experience, skills, and demonstrated sales track record.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance for employees and families.
• Health Savings Account (HSA) with company contributions.
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA).
• Company-paid basic life insurance.
• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability insurance.