Forwarding Management Manager Porto - Moreira Maia

CEVA Logistics provides global supply chain solutions to connect people, products, and providers all around the world. Present in 170+ countries and with more than 110,000 employees spread over 1,500 sites, we are proud to be a Top 5 global 3PL.

We believe that our employees are the key to our success. We want to engage and empower our diverse, global team to co-create value with our customers through our solutions in contract logistics and air, ocean, ground, and finished vehicle transport. That is why CEVA Logistics offers a dynamic and exceptional work environment that fosters personal growth, innovation, and continuous improvement.

DARE TO GROW! Join CEVA Logistics, and you will be part of a team that values imagination and continued learning and is committed to excellence in everything we do. Join us in our mission to shape the future of global logistics. As we continue growing at a fast pace, will you “Dare to Grow” with us?

• Mission: Lead and optimize domestic and international ground and rail forwarding activities from CEVA’s Porto operation, ensuring service quality, compliance, and profitability in line with company standards.

 - Key Responsibilities

• Manage day‑to‑day ground and rail forwarding operations in and out of Porto, including planning, booking, documentation, and tracking of full‑truckload, groupage, and rail consignments.

• Coordinate pick‑ups, linehaul, and last‑mile deliveries with carriers, drivers, terminals, and rail operators, ensuring on‑time, in‑full performance and proactive exception management.

• Optimize routing, network use, and load planning to improve vehicle and wagon utilization, transit times, and cost efficiency while respecting customer service requirements.

• Monitor and manage the P&L of the Porto ground and rail forwarding activity: revenue, costs (linehaul, handling, tolls, fuel, rail tariffs), margins, and productivity.

• Implement and maintain SOPs, KPIs, and best practices specific to road and rail operations (on‑time performance, damage ratio, empty‑run ratio, adherence to loading rules, etc.).

• Act as operational escalation point for key ground and rail customers; handle service incidents, claims, and disputes, and implement corrective and preventive actions.

• Collaborate closely with Sales, Pricing, Procurement, Warehousing, and Customer Service to design and deliver competitive ground and rail solutions, including tenders and new lane start‑ups.

• Manage relationships and performance of road carriers and rail partners: selection input, onboarding, service reviews, corrective action plans, and contract adherence from an operational standpoint.

• Ensure strict compliance with road transport and rail regulations, safety and security requirements, customs and trade rules (where applicable), and internal HSSE and quality policies.

• Prepare and present regular operational and financial reports for the Porto ground and rail activity, proposing and driving continuous improvement initiatives.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in logistics, transport management, supply chain, or related field is preferred.

• Several years’ experience in ground transport, rail logistics, or freight forwarding, including operational leadership of a team or a site/activity.

• Strong knowledge of European road and rail transport, routing, Incoterms, and transport documentation; familiarity with Portuguese transport regulations is an asset.

• Experience in managing or contributing to a business unit budget or P&L in a logistics or transport environment.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong leadership skills with the ability to manage planners, dispatchers, and operations staff in a busy operational environment.

• Excellent communication skills with customers, carriers, drivers, and internal teams; able to deal with operational escalations calmly and constructively.

• Solid analytical and numerical skills, comfortable working with KPIs, cost structures, and margins to support decisions.

• High attention to detail in planning, documentation, and data accuracy; strong problem‑solving skills and ability to prioritize under time pressure.

• Proficiency with TMS and transport planning tools, as well as MS Office; good command of English, with Portuguese strongly preferred.

Working Environment

• Based in Porto, working closely with local operational teams, regional management, and network colleagues.

• Role involves regular interaction with carriers, rail operators, and customers, and occasional visits to terminals, depots, and customer sites.

As a global organization, and as part of the CMA CGM Group, diversity is critical to our business success; only when we can reflect the cultures, languages, behaviors and local knowledge of our customers, we can succeed. By employing people with different experiences and abilities, we expand our knowledge and increase our creativity and innovation. 

Please note:  Legitimate CEVA Logistics recruitment processes include communication with candidates through recognized professional networks, such as LinkedIn or via an official company email address: firstname.lastname@cevalogistics.com. We recommend that you do not respond to unsolicited business propositions and/or offers from people with whom you are unfamiliar.