General Manager – Shipping & Logistics

Location: Fiji

Employment Type: Full-time

About the Role

The Right Talent is currently recruiting on behalf of a major industrial, automotive, and logistics conglomerate with an established, heavy presence across the Pacific. We are seeking an agile and strategic General Manager – Shipping & Logistics to take full operational and commercial command of our client's maritime supply chain, freight forwarding, customs brokerage, and port operations in Fiji.

Reporting directly to the executive board, this is a heavy-hitting leadership role responsible for directing high-volume inbound freight (including vehicles, heavy machinery, and industrial parts) and managing outbound regional logistics. The successful candidate will drive fleet optimization, navigate maritime regulatory frameworks, manage port stakeholder relationships, and optimize total cost-per-ton metrics to secure continuous group profitability.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Maritime Operations: Direct the end-to-end shipping lifecycle, including vessel scheduling, port agency management, clearing and forwarding operations, and bulk/containerized cargo handling.
Commercial & P&L Accountability: Own the shipping division’s financial performance, driving revenue growth through external logistics services while aggressively managing operational costs and freight rates.
Customs Compliance & Brokerage Oversight: Enforce absolute compliance with Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (FRCS) regulations, biosecurity protocols, and maritime laws to ensure zero cargo clearance delays.
Stakeholder & Port Relations: Maintain high-level strategic relationships with port authorities, customs officials, shipping lines, and international freight networks to secure preferential service and space allocations.
Supply Chain Synchronization: Partner closely with automotive and machinery distribution divisions to forecast incoming supply volumes, streamline terminal storage, and minimize demurrage and wharfage costs.
Leadership & Safety Governance: Lead, mentor, and scale a large team of logistics professionals, customs clerks, and port operations personnel, ensuring strict alignment with international maritime safety codes ($ISPS$/$SOLAS$).

Candidate Profile

Education & Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Supply Chain Architecture, Maritime Studies, Logistics Management, or Business Administration.
- Professional certifications in Customs Brokerage, Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), or Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS) are highly advantageous.
Experience Level:
- A minimum of 10+ years of progressive shipping and logistics experience, with at least 5 years operating in a senior management capacity (GM or Head of Shipping).
- Proven experience navigating regional Pacific shipping corridors, local island networks, or emerging market port infrastructures.
Industry Domain: Deep expertise within automotive shipping, heavy machinery logistics, roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) operations, and multi-modal containerized freight.
Leadership Prowess: A commanding, highly decisive leader capable of managing high-pressure operational emergencies while simultaneously directing multi-million dollar commercial negotiations.