Air Freight Sales Executive

Air Freight Sales Executive

We are seeking an experienced Air Freight Sales Executive to drive business development, manage key customer relationships, and coordinate end-to-end international air freight operations. The ideal candidate has solid experience in the freight forwarding industry, strong sales execution capability, and deep familiarity with air freight processes including space booking, AWB handling, cargo tracking, and exception management. This role requires bilingual proficiency in Mandarin and English to support both U.S. clients and China-based shippers.

Key Responsibilities

1. Business Development & Sales Execution

• Proactively develop new air freight customers through calls, emails, networking events, and onsite visits.
• Manage the full sales cycle from prospecting, qualification, solution presentation, quotation, negotiation, to closing.
• Build a strong pipeline and consistently achieve sales targets in the Chicago/ORD market.

2. Customer Relationship Management

• Maintain and deepen relationships with existing customers through regular communication, business reviews, and service follow-ups.
• Provide timely quotations, contract negotiation support, and professional consultation on air freight solutions.
• Handle air freight exceptions such as flight delays, space coordination, customs issues, and cargo irregularities to ensure high customer satisfaction.

3. Air Freight Operations Coordination

• Work closely with internal operations teams and airlines to follow the full air freight process:
• Space booking and flight scheduling
• AWB preparation and documentation
• Cargo tracking and status updates
• Special cargo handling (high-value, DG, e-commerce shipments)
• Ensure cargo is delivered safely, compliantly, and on time.

4. Market Intelligence & Industry Insights

• Monitor air freight market trends around Chicago and ORD Airport, including airline capacity changes, rate fluctuations, and competitive dynamics.
• Provide market insights to support pricing strategy, sales planning, and business decision-making.

5. Other Responsibilities

• Support internal reporting, CRM updates, and weekly sales reviews.
• Complete additional tasks assigned by management.

Qualifications

Required

• Minimum 2+ years of sales or business development experience in freight forwarding or logistics, specifically in international air freight.
• Strong understanding of air freight export/import processes, space booking, AWB documentation, TSA/CBP requirements, and cargo handling.
• Must have lived and worked in Chicago for at least 2 years; strong familiarity with the local business environment.
• Mandarin Chinese fluency (speaking, reading, writing) to communicate with China-based shippers and factories.
• Business-level English for professional communication and negotiation with U.S. clients.
• Proven ability to independently manage quotations, negotiations, customer follow-ups, and full sales cycle execution.
• Strong communication, relationship-building, and problem-solving skills.

Compensation: The pay range for this job is $60,000 ~ $85,000 base per year. This is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) the responsibilities of the job, your education, skills, qualifications, experience, and location.