Operations Team Lead - Freight Forwarding

About the role

A recruiter representing an independent global freight forwarding and logistics group is hiring an Operations Team Lead for its Livorno office. The role sits in the Logistics Division and manages a desk of 6+ operations specialists with a hands-on, lead-from-the-front approach. It suits someone who wants to build and optimise operations, with a structured onboarding and training programme leading to broader operational ownership.

Key responsibilities

• Lead, mentor and motivate a team of 6+ operations specialists, balancing priorities and daily capacity
• Own the team's output so that forwarding files, customs coordination and freight movements meet quality standards and deadlines
• Enforce consistent use of the CargoWise ERP, using real-time data to find bottlenecks and improve processes
• Act as the senior escalation point for operational issues and protect service levels with key accounts

Required profile

• 5-8 years of hands-on experience in international freight forwarding or multimodal shipping (ocean, air and/or road)
• Pragmatic, detail-oriented and visible leadership style, able to coach juniors and keep the team together under pressure
• Full professional proficiency in Italian and English
• Nice to have: prior supervisory experience, niche commodity exposure or other languages

Required skills

• Confidence with enterprise TMS/ERP systems; direct CargoWise experience is a strong advantage
• Ability to interpret operational KPIs, dispatch loads and service metrics

What we offer

• Permanent contract under the CCNL Agenzie Marittime, with a target salary of EUR 45,000 - 60,000
• Flat, agile, international work environment
• Modern hybrid working after the initial onboarding phase