Head of Cargo

Overview

Role Purpose:

We are seeking an experienced and commercially driven Head of Cargo to lead and grow our cargo business unit in Cologne. This is a senior leadership position with full responsibility for operational performance, team management, and profit & loss (P&L). The ideal candidate will bring a strong freight forwarding background, preferably with proven expertise in time-critical logistics.

 

The key focus of this role is to drive the growth of our Time Critical Services portfolio, including OBC (On Board Courier), NFO (Next Flight Out), Direct Drive, and Charter solutions. You will play a pivotal role in expanding the client base in line with the company’s strategic vision.

 

Responsibilities

Accountabilities

• Lead, develop, and manage a team of cargo professionals, fostering a high-performance culture
• Own and manage the full P&L of the cargo business unit, delivering revenue and profitability in line with agreed targets
• Develop and execute sales strategies to grow the Time Critical services portfolio (OBC, NFO, Direct Drive, Charter)
• Build a strong and sustainable sales pipeline through proactive prospecting and market research across relevant industry verticals
• Actively target and win new customers, positioning the company as the preferred partner for time-critical logistics solutions
• Strengthen relationships with existing clients while identifying opportunities for cross-selling and expansion
• Provide tailored Time Critical solutions to both new and existing clients, ensuring high levels of service and responsiveness
• Collaborate with internal teams on ad-hoc projects and strategic initiatives
• Oversee day-to-day cargo operations across air, road, and multimodal freight forwarding activities
• Ensure compliance with all regulatory, safety, and operational standards
• Provide visible leadership to the Time Critical 24/7 team and also outside of the Air Partner Group – e.g. key customers, consumer reports/thought leadership and working with new product development, Sales, Technology and Marketing teams
• Attend and present at events and meetings with key influencers to generate business leads and raise the profile of Air Partner

Sales & Commercial Expectations

• Demonstrate proactive and consistent prospecting activity
• Apply strong procurement expertise to secure competitive and effective logistics solutions
• Creatively present customer-focused offers and solutions
• Exhibit strong commercial awareness and negotiation skills
• Maintain accurate and disciplined administration of the sales pipeline and processes

 

Qualifications

Candidate Requirements

 

• Minimum 10 years of experience in freight forwarding, with significant time in a leadership role
• Strong background in time-critical logistics preferred
• Proven track record of managing P&L and delivering revenue growth
• Experience leading and developing teams
• Deep understanding of cargo operations, particularly within air freight and urgent logistics solutions
• Strong commercial acumen and customer-focused mindset
• Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills
• Fluent in German and English, other languages an advantage

 

 

What We Offer

What We Offer: Compensation & Benefits

 

At Air Partner Cargo, we believe in fair compensation based on experience, skills, and qualifications.

 

The starting salary on offer for this position is EUR 81,373 + commissions together with genuine opportunities for career growth in a truly global organisation.

 

About Air Partner Group, a Wheels Up Company 

 

Founded in 1961, Air Partner Group is a world-leading international aviation services group providing a range of air charter and logistic services to industry, commerce, governments, and private individuals, as well as civil and military organisations.  

 

Air Partner Charter comprises of group charter, private jets, freight, and specialist services. Group Charter charters large airliners to move groups of any size. Private Jets offers the Company's unique pre-paid JetCard scheme and on-demand charter for up to 19 people. Cargo provides logistics solutions to fly almost anything, anywhere, at any time.

 

Air Partner works with Climate and Development experts Climate Impact Partners, to allow clients to offset carbon emissions in support of projects that not only cut carbon but also alleviate poverty and improve lives.

 

Air Partner Limited is a Wheels Up company, the leading provider of on-demand private aviation in the U.S. and one of the largest private aviation companies in the world. Wheels Up is headquartered in New York City and operates in 25 locations across three continents and employs 2,700 professionals globally. Air Partner Group is ISO 9001:2015 compliant for commercial airline and private jet solutions worldwide. More information is available on the company's website (www.airpartnergroup.com)

 

Air Partner is committed to creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive working environment for all employees, we do this via our Environmental, Social and Governance Strategy, our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion forum, and our Recruitment strategy. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, and we would love to hear from you.