Chief Operating Officer

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) will provide day-to-day leadership and oversee the execution of the company’s operational and commercial activities. The role is responsible for driving operational efficiency, ensuring consistent service delivery, supporting profitable growth, and building the systems, processes, and organisational capabilities required for business expansion.

Business Leadership & Day-to-Day Management

● Oversee the day-to-day running of the Company, ensuring business targets and operational priorities are achieved.

● Make key business decisions and serve as the senior decision-maker in the CEO’s absence.

● Drive business performance and execution, enabling the CEO to focus on fundraising and strategic growth.

Commercial & Client-Facing Leadership

● Build and maintain relationships with key customers, strategic accounts, carriers, partners and investors.

● Drive sales conversion, business development, customer retention and revenue growth.

● Represent the company in commercial negotiations and high-level stakeholder engagements.

End-to-End Operational Excellence

● Oversee the complete shipment lifecycle, from booking and documentation to execution and final delivery.

● Identify and resolve operational bottlenecks to improve turnaround time, efficiency and reliability.

● Ensure import and export shipments are delivered within agreed timelines, budgets and service standards.

Cross-Functional Cohesion

● Coordinate Sales, Commercial, Service Delivery and Finance to ensure seamless business operations.

● Establish clear workflows, responsibilities and hand-off procedures across departments.

● Resolve cross-functional issues promptly to prevent transaction delays, errors and revenue leakage.

The P&L of Operations

● Work alongside the CEO to achieve and sustain business profitability.

● Monitor cost-to-serve, margins, demurrage, operational leakage and other key financial indicators.

● Implement cost-control and efficiency measures to improve profitability and cash discipline

Process and SOP Discipline

● Develop, standardise and enforce SOPs across operational processes, lanes and locations.

● Establish clear ownership, escalation procedures and accountability for operational exceptions.

● Review and improve processes regularly to eliminate inefficiencies and ensure consistent execution.

The Operations Team

● Lead, coach and manage the Service Delivery, Operations and partner-facing teams.

● Set performance targets, monitor results and hold team members accountable for delivery.

● Develop capable team leads and deputies to ensure operational continuity and reduce dependence on individual employees.

Service Delivery & Customer Experience

● Ensure consistent service delivery in line with agreed Service Level Agreements (SLAs).

● Communicate shipment delays and operational issues proactively to customers.

● Resolve customer complaints promptly and implement measures to improve customer satisfaction and retention.

Systems & Data

● Oversee the effective use of the company's operating systems, including the transition to Backoffice 2.0

● Ensure accurate operational data, reporting and performance tracking across business activities.

● Use data and performance insights to strengthen operational control and drive continuous improvement.

Vendor & Partner Performance

● Manage relationships with carriers, trucking companies, terminals and other logistics partners.

● Negotiate competitive rates and secure reliable service capacity to meet business requirements.

● Monitor vendor performance and maintain a diverse partner network to support operational efficiency and peak-season demands

Requirements

Educational Requirement

● Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Engineering, Finance or a related discipline.

● A Master's degree in Business Administration (MBA) or a relevant postgraduate qualification is an added advantage.

Experience

● At least 10 years of progressive operations experience in logistics, freight forwarding or a similar high-growth sector.

● At least 4–5 years in a senior leadership role with direct P&L or business-unit ownership.

● Experience in African cross-border logistics or a multi-country operating footprint.

● Experience taking a business through an operating system/ERP adoption as a tool for control, not as an end in itself.

● A record of operating within tight cash constraints and still delivering.