Senior Sales & Market Development Specialist (Ports, Marine, Heavy Lift and Logistics) - Cape Town, Western Cape

SUMMARY:
Must be an experienced Senior Technical Sales & Market Development Specialist to lead the development of Heavy Lift, Crane, Maritime & Ports and Abnormal Transport market.
This role will be responsible for driving new business opportunities, gaining market intelligence and to establish a sustainable presence in Cape Town and surrounding regions.

POSITION INFO:
The ideal candidate will have strong connections in the freight forwarding, maritime, and logistics industries, will understand the port and industrial project environment.
This is a high-impact role for someone who thrives in challenging markets and can combine commercial sales ability with strategic market insight.

Key Focus of the Role:
In the first 2–3 months, the successful candidate will focus heavily on market intelligence gathering and strategic planning, including:

• Understanding industry and business opportunities in the Western Cape & City of Cape Town -Maritime, Port & Harbour, Sea freight, Logistics, Crane Rentals, Heavy lift and Transport solutions
• Identifying key clients, freight forwarders, shipping lines and EPC contractors
• Determining the optimal location for a yard in Cape Town
• Assessing fleet and equipment requirements for the region
• Recommending the appropriate team structure and operational footprint
• Building a sustainable and profitable Cape Town operation.

• Develop and execute a business development strategy for the Western Cape region.
• Identify business opportunities in ports, marine, mining, renewable energy, construction, gas and petrochemical sectors.
• Establish relationships with freight forwarding companies, shipping lines and logistics operators.
• Secure projects requiring heavy lifting, crane rental, abnormal load transport and specialized logistics solutions.
• Provide technical lifting and transport solutions for complex projects.
• Develop and implement a Sales strategy for Cape Town operations.
• Work closely with operational teams to ensure successful project delivery.
• Identify opportunities for long-term strategic partnerships within the logistics and port sectors.
• Must be able to build good interpersonal relationships and build a strong team within the yard.

• Minimum 7+ years’ experience in technical sales, business development or project logistics.
• Strong background in ports, maritime operations, heavy lifting, or abnormal transport.
• Experience within freight forwarding or logistics networks is highly advantageous.
• Established relationships within shipping lines, freight forwarders and port operators.
• Proven ability to secure large industrial or infrastructure projects.

• Strong understanding of the Cape Town logistics maritime and port environment
• Strategic thinker with strong market analysis capabilities
• Willingness to travel across Western Cape and Africa
• Ability to operate independently and drive results in a highly competitive industry, excellent people skills, strong business acumen