Location: Heathrow (office and warehouse based) · Salary: up to £60,000
The company
An independent Heathrow forwarder with over 30 years' trading history, its own warehouse and a small fleet of trucks. It built its reputation handling international shipments for some of the UK's leading fine art logistics specialists, alongside a group of general import/export clients. That heritage means exacting standards, but the operation handles all types of general cargo.
The business is 99% airfreight (around 80% export, 20% import). The owner is now looking for an operations leader to strengthen the operation and help build the next phase of growth, with a genuine ownership stake to match.
The role
You'll take full ownership of the Heathrow operation: a team of four operations staff, a full-time bookkeeper and two drivers. This is a hands-on leadership role — you'll run the desk, set the standard and step in on live shipments whenever needed, not manage from a distance.
The immediate priority is the operation itself: raising service standards, building a proactive customer-first culture and making the business ready to grow. Once that foundation is in place, you'll play a central part in driving growth — and hitting agreed milestones earns you equity in the business.
Key responsibilities
- Lead day-to-day air export and import operations at Heathrow, working live shipments alongside the team
- Lift customer service standards and reset the culture of an established team — coaching, setting expectations and tackling under-performance
- Own service quality for high-value, time-critical and specialist cargo, including fine art consignments
- Manage airline, handling agent, customs and haulier relationships to secure capacity, rates and reliability
- Oversee the warehouse and two-vehicle fleet, scheduling collections and deliveries efficiently
- Ensure compliance with security (RA/KC), customs and dangerous goods requirements
- Work with the bookkeeper on job costing, margins and billing accuracy
- Improve processes and systems so the operation can scale
- Help shape and deliver the growth plan once the operation is strengthened, including supporting client development
What we're looking for
You're probably the person currently holding operations together at a forwarder or 3PL — and you're ready to build something you own a piece of.
Essential
- Strong, recent airfreight operations experience
- Solid working knowledge of both air export and import processes, airline booking, customs and security procedures
- Experience leading or supervising an operations team, with the confidence to raise standards and drive culture change
- Hands-on mentality: comfortable rolling up your sleeves on the busiest days
- Customer-first attitude and excellent communication skills
- Commercial awareness: you understand margin, cost control and what keeps clients loyal
Desirable
- Experience with fine art, high-value or specialist cargo
- Existing client relationships, airline contacts or capabilities that would add commercial value to the business
- Ambition to grow into a senior leadership and ownership role
Package
- Basic salary up to £60,000 — more for candidates bringing clients or capabilities with clear commercial value
- Equity in the business, earned by hitting agreed milestones: a genuine stake, not just a title
- Real autonomy to shape the operation, its culture and its growth
- Long-established business with physical infrastructure and a loyal client base