Key takeaways
- Hire in phases. The Branch Manager comes first, then core operations by mode, and sales only once the branch can deliver.
- Settle licences and security approvals before you recruit the people who depend on them, especially for customs brokerage and air cargo.
- Branches outside the major freight hubs often need candidates willing to relocate, so build that into the search and the package.
- Freight Appointments recruits whole branch teams, from Branch Manager to entry writer, and only in freight forwarding.
Why are you opening a new branch?
Your reason for opening decides who you need first. Most forwarders open a new branch for one of four reasons.
- You’re following existing customers. A key customer has opened a new site or wants local service. You need operators who can deliver from day one, because the freight already exists.
- You want to be closer to a gateway. A branch near a major airport, seaport or border crossing cuts handling time and cost. Miami, for example, is a natural gateway for Latin American trade. El Paso sits on the US–Mexico border, where trade reached $872.8 billion in 2025. Gateway branches need people with the right mode, customs and often language skills.
- You’re growing a lane or vertical. If you’re building aerospace, healthcare or project logistics business, the branch needs specialist operators and someone who understands that sector’s customers.
- You’re winning new business in a new area. With no existing freight, you need a Branch Manager with local relationships and, soon after, someone who can sell.
What does a new freight forwarding branch need before the team starts?
Getting these in place first saves you from hiring people who can’t do their job on day one.
| Area | What to check |
|---|---|
| Licences | In the US, ocean freight forwarders and NVOCCs are licensed by the Federal Maritime Commission, and customs brokerage must be carried out under a broker licensed by US Customs and Border Protection |
| Air cargo security | US forwarders tendering cargo to passenger aircraft need TSA approval as an Indirect Air Carrier. In the EU, regulated agent status covers air cargo security |
| Systems | Forwarding system access, such as CargoWise, set up and tested before the first hire starts |
| Processes | Standard operating procedures, customer handover plans and escalation routes back to an established branch |
| Location | Premises close to the gateway the branch will serve, with realistic commutes for the candidate pool |
| People | A hiring plan with the order of roles and a target date for each |
Who should you hire first, and in what order?
Most successful branches are built in three phases.
| Phase | When | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Foundation | Before launch | Branch Manager, or a senior operator who can grow into the role. Licensed customs broker cover if the branch offers brokerage |
| 2. Launch | Opening to first few months | Core operations by mode: air import, air export, ocean import, ocean export. Entry writers if you offer customs |
| 3. Growth | Once operations are stable | Business development and account managers, team leaders, extra operators as volumes grow |
Hiring sales in phase one is the most common mistake. A salesperson who wins business the branch can’t yet deliver damages your reputation in a market where nobody knows you yet.
What should you look for in a Branch Manager?
The Branch Manager sets the standard for everyone who follows, so it’s the most important hire you’ll make. Look for:
- experience running an operations team with another air and ocean forwarder. For larger branches, experience managing teams of 20 or more operators;
- ownership of results, including branch revenue, margin and customer retention;
- local carrier and customer relationships in that city or region;
- the ability to hire, because they’ll build the rest of the team;
- compliance knowledge across customs, air cargo security and any specialist cargo the branch will handle.
Questions worth asking Branch Manager candidates:
- How have you built or rebuilt an operations team, and how long did it take?
- Which local carriers and agents would you call in your first week?
- How do you decide when a branch is ready to add sales?
- Tell me about a time the branch missed its numbers. What did you change?
If you’re opening a branch outside a major freight hub
Widen the search and make relocation part of the offer. We recently recruited for a Branch Manager or Assistant Branch Manager for a top 10 global forwarder in the north-east of the US. The branch had around 50 staff across air freight, ocean freight and customs brokerage, with a base salary of $125,000 to $175,000 plus commission and bonuses.
The office was close to a major international airport, but the city isn’t a major forwarding hub. Candidates who would need to relocate were part of the search from the start.
To attract candidates to a smaller market:
- lead with the step up in responsibility, which could take years to reach in a busier hub;
- be clear about the package, including relocation support;
- explain the growth plan, so they can see where the branch is heading;
- sell the location as well as the job, because a move means a new community and a new way of life.
If you’re opening a branch at a border crossing or gateway
Hire for the gateway’s specific needs. A border branch like El Paso needs customs expertise, cross-border trucking knowledge and often fluent Spanish. A Latin American gateway like Miami needs strong air and ocean import teams and Spanish or Portuguese speakers. Writing these requirements into the brief from the start saves weeks of interviewing the wrong people.
If you need a full team in place quickly
Run it as one project, not a series of separate vacancies. When CLASQUIN needed to fill 11 vacancies, we ran five to six interviews per role, which led to 10 offers and seven hires.
To hire a team quickly:
- write a specific brief for every role, covering mode, systems, schedule and salary;
- book interview slots in advance, so strong candidates aren’t left waiting;
- give feedback quickly, with realistic timelines;
- decide on offers together, so the team’s skills fit with each other.
Be specific about what candidates will be doing. In a recent set of Atlanta operations roles, CargoWise was preferred across the board, fluent Spanish was a plus for air import and schedules ranged from hybrid to Tuesday to Saturday. Candidates respond far better to that level of detail than to a generic advert.
If you’re opening a branch in another country
Everything above still applies, but employment rules, notice periods and language expectations change too. Our guide to hiring sales staff in a new country covers notice periods in the US, Germany, the Netherlands and Australia, and how they affect your launch date.
How does Freight Appointments help you open a new branch?
Freight Appointments recruits only in freight forwarding, across the USA, Germany, Benelux and Australia. More than 900 of our candidates have been hired since 2019, and we’re rated 4.9 on Google from more than 180 reviews.
Our branch start-up recruitment covers:
- Hiring plan: which roles to hire first, in what order and by when.
- Branch Manager search: including confidential search and candidates open to relocating.
- Operations recruitment: air and ocean, import and export, and customs, including entry writers.
- Commercial hires: business development managers and account managers, timed for when the branch is ready.
- Salary benchmarking: so your offers compete in the local market.
- Screening and verification: every candidate’s experience and references are checked before you meet them.
When Gebrüder Weiss expanded in the US, we supported recruitment for its branches in Miami and El Paso. Read the case study, find out more about our branch start-up recruitment, or get in touch to talk about your plans.
FAQs
Who should you hire first when opening a new freight forwarding branch?
Usually a Branch Manager, or a senior operator who can grow into the role. They set the standards, build the team and often win the first local customers.
Should a new branch hire sales or operations first?
Operations first. Sales should join once the branch can reliably deliver the business they win.
What licences does a new freight forwarding branch need in the US?
It depends on the services offered. Ocean freight forwarders and NVOCCs are licensed by the Federal Maritime Commission, customs brokerage must be carried out under a CBP-licensed broker, and forwarders tendering air cargo to passenger aircraft need TSA approval as an Indirect Air Carrier.
How do you find a Branch Manager outside a major freight hub?
Search beyond the local market, include relocation support and lead with the step up in responsibility the role offers.
What does a freight forwarding Branch Manager earn?
One recent example, for a top 10 global forwarder in the north-east US covering around 50 staff, paid $125,000 to $175,000 base plus commission and bonuses.
Can Freight Appointments recruit a whole branch team?
Yes. We recruit Branch Managers, operations, customs and commercial roles for new branches across the USA, Germany, Benelux and Australia.
