Route Development Manager – DHL Global Forwarding – Mississauga, ON

DHL Global Forwarding (DGF) is one of the world’s foremost logistics organizations, managing complex global supply chains across air, ocean, and ground transportation. Operating out of their Mississauga, Ontario hub (YYZ), they’re now seeking a sharp, analytically driven Route Development Manager to join their Air Freight Commercial Centre team. This is a senior-level role with genuine strategic reach across regional and global trade lanes.

At the heart of this position is the intersection of commercial strategy and operational execution. You’ll be leading air freight route development initiatives, working across Sales, Pricing, Carrier Management, Gateway Operations, and Product teams to unlock profitable growth, optimize trade lane performance, and sharpen network competitiveness. If you thrive on data-driven decision making and influencing outcomes at a senior level, this role is built for you.

About the Role: Route Development Manager

As the primary focal point for Air Freight Route Development, you’ll be responsible for identifying, evaluating, prioritizing, and implementing route opportunities across assigned countries, regions, or trade lanes. You’ll develop route portfolio strategies, translate global priorities into actionable execution plans, and maintain rigorous governance over performance metrics. This role requires a rare combination of strategic foresight and granular analytical capability — from assessing gross profit per file and consolidation ratios to leading comprehensive RFQ support for major customer pursuits.

Beyond pure analysis, this role demands strong cross-functional leadership and stakeholder influence. You’ll coordinate across a broad network of internal teams and external partners, ensuring route opportunities are operationally executable, commercially sound, and aligned with carrier capabilities and network strategy. You’ll also play a mentorship role — supporting the capability development of Route Development Management teams through coaching, analytical standards, and governance frameworks.

Benefits and Salary

DHL Global Forwarding offers a competitive compensation package for this role. The base salary range is CAD $90,000–$110,000, complemented by a performance bonus and full benefits coverage. As part of Deutsche Post DHL — the world’s leading logistics provider with operations across 220+ countries — employees gain access to a truly global professional network and meaningful career growth opportunities.

Responsibilities

This role touches virtually every dimension of air freight commercial and operational strategy. Day to day, you’ll be conducting advanced trade lane analyses, supporting strategic tenders, and collaborating with teams across Sales, Pricing, Gateway Operations, and Finance. The breadth of responsibility reflects the seniority and impact of this position within DHL’s global network.

• Lead the RDM agenda for assigned regions, countries, or trade lanes, defining trade lane priorities, route opportunity roadmaps, and route portfolio strategies aligned with business objectives
• Conduct advanced trade lane analysis utilizing market intelligence, customer demand trends, route economics, carrier capacity, gateway capabilities, and competitive benchmarks
• Analyze route performance indicators including conversion rates, gross profit per file, capacity utilization, consolidation ratios, transit time reliability, and service performance
• Lead route development support for strategic RFQs, tenders, sector opportunities, and major customer pursuits, including market demand analysis, carrier dependencies, and service feasibility reviews
• Develop and maintain route development dashboards, databases, scorecards, and performance reporting tools to support data-driven decision making
• Coordinate cross-functionally with Sales, Pricing, Supplier & Carrier Management, Gateway and Station Operations, Product & Services, and Business Intelligence teams
• Identify and escalate structural issues affecting route performance, such as system gaps, network bottlenecks, capacity shortages, and misaligned commercial commitments
• Provide mentorship and coaching to route development specialists and cross-functional stakeholders, supporting capability development across RDM teams

Requirements / Skills

The ideal candidate brings substantial experience in air freight, network design, or trade lane management, paired with the analytical firepower to evaluate complex route economics and the interpersonal confidence to influence senior stakeholders across commercial and operational teams. DHL values candidates who are self-starters, culturally aware, and committed to continuous improvement.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Business Administration, Economics, Transportation, or a related field; advanced qualifications are an asset
• 6+ years of experience in Air Freight, Network Design, Route Development, Trade Lane Management, Pricing, Carrier Management, or related logistics functions
• Demonstrated experience managing complex route development initiatives and cross-functional projects with clear ownership and performance metrics
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders across commercial and operational organizations using fact-based analysis and business recommendations
• Strong communication skills — both written and verbal — with well-developed interpersonal skills including conflict management and negotiation
• Cross-cultural competence and sensitivity, with fluency in English; proficiency in additional languages is a definite asset
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and familiarity with digital-first analytical tools and continuous improvement methodologies

How to Apply

To apply, visit the official DHL Global Forwarding job posting using the link below. Make sure your resume is current and tailored to highlight your air freight and route development experience before submitting.

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