Opportunities in United Arab Emirates

At OBT Group, we’re looking for a commercially driven Business Development Manager to grow our shipping and logistics business between Greater China and Africa. This is a highly international, client facing role for someone who understands the shipping and logistics world, knows how to build business in Greater China and can turn relationships and market knowledge into genuine commercial opportunities. You’ll work closely with our teams across Africa while developing relationships with freight forwarders, ship owners, charterers, manufacturers, traders and project partners across Greater China. This is a role for someone who wants to be in the market: meeting customers, opening doors, developing opportunities and connecting our Asian clients with OBT’s extensive African network.

Fluent Mandarin and strong professional English are essential for this position.

Responsibilities

• Build and develop relationships with key decision makers across OBT’s international freight forwarding network in Greater China, driving trade into and out of Africa. • Act as OBT’s Africa partner in the region, helping freight forwarding clients identify and develop new Africa business with their customers. • Identify and win new business from freight forwarders, manufacturers, traders and other organisations with significant China to Africa trade flows. • Develop project logistics opportunities across infrastructure, energy, mining and other major sectors, working with Chinese suppliers and project partners. • Work with internal teams on logistics solutions, consolidation products and freight negotiations with airlines and shipping lines. • Build relationships with Chinese decision makers operating across Africa and connect commercial opportunities into OBT’s local network. Shipping • Develop relationships with Chinese ship owners, operators and charterers, positioning OBT as a trusted ship agency partner across Africa. • Use intelligence from our African offices and wider network to identify new shipping opportunities and take OBT’s capabilities proactively to the Chinese market. • Regularly meet vessel owners, operators, charterers and other key shipping stakeholders across Greater China. • Keep customers informed of relevant port developments, restrictions, vessel line ups and changing market conditions across OBT’s African locations. • Work closely with our local operations teams when customer matters require commercial escalation or coordination in China. Qualifications & Experience • Fluent Chinese and strong professional English are essential • Strong commercial experience within shipping, logistics, freight forwarding, ship agency or international trade • Proven ability to develop new business and build senior client relationships • Good understanding of the Greater China market and how to navigate commercial relationships in the region • Shipping or ship agency experience is highly desirable • Previous exposure to Africa or China–Africa trade would be a strong advantage • Confident working across different countries, cultures and business environments • Commercially minded, proactive and comfortable creating opportunities rather than waiting for them • Willing and able to travel extensively across Greater China and Africa, approximately 60% of the role

Why OBT?

This isn't a traditional Business Development role focused on one local market. You’ll be connecting two major trading regions, building relationships across China and Africa and helping shape how OBT develops its Asian business. If you know the shipping and logistics market, speak fluent Chinese and English, enjoy being in front of customers and want a role where you can genuinely build something, we’d love to hear from you.

Benefits

What We Offer ​• Competitive salary and comprehensive medical insurance • Company phone, SIM and all necessary business tools • Significant international exposure across Asia and Africa • The opportunity to build and influence a strategically important growth market for OBT • Direct exposure to shipping, logistics and major project opportunities across some of the world’s fastest developing trade corridors • The opportunity to join an established pan-African shipping and logistics group with an international footprint and an entrepreneurial way of working