Director - Commercial Projects at DHL

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Team Management

• Lead, coach, and elevate a high-performing team of 20 Weight Hunters to achieve new business revenue, volume, and profit targets.
• Demonstrate agility and BITE in navigating changing market conditions and quickly pivot team priorities.
• Guide the team on account targeting, sales strategy, and high-impact negotiation techniques.
• Build a culture of accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
• Conduct regular 1:1 coaching sessions and joint customer visits to strengthen capability and performance.
• Ensure compliance with DHL Express global sales processes, systems, and ethical standards.

Strategic Business Development

• Define and execute the regional sales strategy for the heavier-weight segment across SSA.
• Identify opportunities within key verticals: industrial, technology, healthcare, automotive, and emerging sectors.
• Monitor and respond to competitor movements and evolving customer requirements.
• Collaborate with Product, Pricing, and Marketing to refine offerings and develop impactful commercial initiatives.
• Drive initiatives that increase DHL’s penetration in the B2B heavier-weight market.

Customer & Stakeholder Engagement

• Support acquisition of high-value accounts by directly engaging with strategic prospects.
• Work closely with Operations and Customer Service to ensure smooth onboarding and flawless service execution.
• Represent DHL Express at industry forums, customer engagements, and strategic networking events.
• Strengthen DHL’s market presence and reinforce our “Insanely Customer Centric” service culture.

Performance Management & Reporting

• Track team effectiveness using KPIs such as revenue growth, pipeline health, win rates, and conversion ratios.
• Ensure adherence to CRM standards, particularly Salesforce accuracy and timeliness.
• Drive forecasting discipline and contribute to monthly, quarterly, and annual planning cycles.
• Leverage analytics and business insights to identify trends and optimize performance.

People Leadership & Culture Building

• Role-model DHL’s Head, Heart & Guts philosophy—think strategically, lead with empathy, and act boldly.
• Foster a culture of trust, motivation, collaboration, and recognition.
• Champion DHL Express values: Speed, Passion, Can‑Do Spirit, Right First Time, and Positive Results.

 Key Stakeholders

• Country Senior Management Teams
• Regional Sales Teams & Regional Sales Managers
• Regional Office Functions
• External Clients & Industry Stakeholders

Management Responsibility

• Lead, coach, and inspire a team of up to 20 Business Development Specialists (RCS J) across various countries in Sub Saharan Africa.

Qualifications & Experience

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Logistics, or a related field (MBA preferred).

Experience

• 7–10 years’ experience in sales or business development in express logistics, air freight, or supply chain.
• Minimum 3 years leading sales or BD teams.
• Proven success in winning and retaining mid-to-large corporate accounts.
• Solid understanding of international express logistics and cross-border shipping.

Language Requirements

• English (required)
• French or Portuguese (advantageous)