Business Development Manager - China

Role overview

Business development responsibilities

• Build relationships with decision-makers across OBT’s freight-forwarding network in Greater China.
• Help freight-forwarding clients identify and develop new Africa business.
• Win new business from freight forwarders, manufacturers, traders, and organizations with China–Africa trade flows.
• Develop project-logistics opportunities across infrastructure, energy, mining, and other major sectors.
• Work with internal teams on logistics solutions, consolidation products, and freight negotiations.
• Connect Chinese decision-makers operating across Africa with OBT’s local network.

Shipping responsibilities

• Develop relationships with Chinese ship owners, operators, and charterers and position OBT as a trusted ship-agency partner.
• Use African-office intelligence to identify shipping opportunities and take OBT’s capabilities proactively to the Chinese market.
• Meet vessel owners, operators, charterers, and other key shipping stakeholders across Greater China.
• Keep customers informed about port developments, restrictions, vessel line-ups, and market conditions across African locations.
• Coordinate with local operations teams when customer matters require commercial escalation or coordination in China.

Qualifications and experience

• Fluent Chinese and strong professional English are essential.
• Strong commercial experience in shipping, logistics, freight forwarding, ship agency, or international trade is required.
• Proven ability to develop new business and build senior client relationships is required.
• Good understanding of the Greater China market and regional commercial relationships is required.
• Shipping or ship-agency experience is desirable.
• Previous exposure to Africa or China–Africa trade is advantageous.
• The candidate should be proactive, commercially minded, and comfortable creating opportunities.

Travel expectations

• The role requires willingness and ability to travel extensively across Greater China and Africa, approximately 60% of the position.

What OBT offers

• Competitive salary and comprehensive medical insurance.
• Company phone, SIM, and necessary business tools.
• International exposure across Asia and Africa.
• Opportunity to build and influence a strategically important growth market.
• Exposure to shipping, logistics, and major project opportunities across developing trade corridors.