General Manager - Logistics & Freight Forwarding

About the role

A staffing consultancy in Nairobi is recruiting a General Manager for its client, an established logistics solutions provider with over sixty years of experience in removals, packing, warehousing, air and sea export, import freight and customs clearance. The role provides strategic and operational leadership with full P&L ownership and reports directly to the Group Managing Director and the Board. The location is Nairobi, Kenya, with regular regional travel.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and drive business plans and tactical action plans supporting the company's strategic goals.
• Own full P&L responsibility, including annual budgeting, income projections, expense management and financial performance reporting.
• Implement sales and growth strategies to expand the customer base and strengthen market position.
• Maintain a deep understanding of the competitive freight forwarding and logistics landscape, market opportunities and industry developments.
• Monitor costs closely to minimize wastage and protect against financial risk, optimizing liquidity through disciplined debt collection and expense management.
• Report regularly to the Group MD and the Board on financial performance, including variance analysis against budget.
• Recommend improvements to strategy, policy and organizational direction.
• Build and lead a high-performing team, attracting, coaching, developing and retaining talent.
• Travel regularly to regional locations to maintain oversight and strong stakeholder relationships.
• Develop and implement strategies to manage credit and operational risk.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Sales, Marketing, Business or a related field; Master's degree in a business-related discipline preferred.
• 15+ years of progressive experience in logistics, freight forwarding or clearing and forwarding, including senior leadership experience.
• Proven P&L ownership, budgeting and financial management experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading teams in multi-site or multi-functional operations.
• Strong stakeholder engagement, communication, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• High resilience and adaptability in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment.

Candidates apply by sending their CV to the recruiter's email with the subject line "General Manager"; only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.