Senior Account Executive

About Shippabo

Shippabo is a tech-enabled ocean freight forwarder. Founded in 2016, we have raised $22 million from Wonder Ventures, TenOneTen Ventures, Double M Partners, and Slow Ventures. Our platform gives importers one place to book, track, and manage ocean shipments, with their internal teams and their overseas suppliers working from the same data. Behind the platform sits a real forwarding operation: a dedicated ocean contracts and pricing team that negotiates carrier rates, and a team in China that works directly with shippers at origin. We’re about 40 people across the US, Canada, Vietnam, Philippines, and China. Our engineering team builds the software that makes the operation faster and more transparent than a traditional forwarder can be.

The role

This is a hunter role. You are here to source and close new importer business. We’re looking for someone who already has an active book of contacts in the importer market and knows how to convert it, and who runs a disciplined process rather than working on instinct and volume of activity alone. Our target profile is importers shipping between 100 and 2,000 TEU per year. There is no cap on territory and no cap on commission.

What you'll do

Source and close new importer accounts. Build pipeline from your existing relationships, targeted outbound, referrals, and industry channels. Own the full cycle from first conversation through signed agreement and first booking.

Run a disciplined sales process. Qualify against real criteria: annual container volume, primary lanes, current forwarder relationships, decision process, and what is actually driving a change. Move deals through defined stages with a clear next step and a mutual timeline. Keep the CRM current enough that your forecast is trusted.

Sell against the incumbent. Most importers already have a forwarder. You’ll need to find the specific failure that opens the door, whether that is poor visibility, unreliable transit, unpredictable pricing, weak origin support, or an account team that cannot answer basic questions.

Work the pricing and supply team. Bring lane requirements and volume commitments to our ocean contracts team, get competitive rates, and structure proposals that we can deliver on profitably.

Forecast accurately. Commit to numbers you can defend and hit them. Provide volume forecasts by account and lane so supply and operations can plan.

Hand off cleanly. Transition closed accounts to the account management and operations teams with the context they need to deliver on what you sold.

Stay current on the market. Track rate movements, capacity, carrier alliance changes, GRIs and peak season surcharges, and regulatory shifts, and use them in your conversations.

What we're looking for

• A track record of closing new business in ocean freight forwarding, NVOCC, or 3PL sales. You’ve carried a new business quota and hit it.
• An active book of importer contacts you can begin working immediately.
• Real ocean freight knowledge. You can hold a credible conversation with a logistics or supply chain director about lanes, transit times, contract versus spot rates, MQC commitments, and total landed cost.
• Discipline. You work a defined process, qualify out early, and manage a pipeline rather than a list of hopeful conversations.
• Comfort selling a technology-differentiated service. Part of your pitch is our platform, and you need to be able to demo it and explain why the data matters to that importer specifically.
• Self-direction. Fully remote, small team, no one managing your calendar.

How we'll support you

• CRM with dedicated support to build sales automation and workflows.
• A Marketing team supporting presentation and content development.
• A dedicated ocean contracts and pricing team negotiating carrier rates behind your deals.
• A logistics support team and an origin team in China supporting your accounts.
• Platform technology that produces the shipment insights and volume forecasting that keep customers from leaving after you win them.
• No territory restrictions and no commission cap.

Compensation 

Base salary is $110,000 to $140,000 depending on experience, with realistic Year 1 on-target earnings of $300,000 or more and no commission cap. Actual compensation is dependent upon many factors, such as training, transferable skills, work experience, business needs, location, and market demands. This range is subject to change and may be modified in the future.

Benefits for our Shipmates 
At Shippabo, our benefits are a reflection of our core values and our commitment to making healthy living affordable and accessible to everyone on board. Our team members enjoy ample Vacation and Sick time, allowing you to take the breaks you need to recharge and ensuring your well-being remains a priority as you grow with us. We also cover Health Coverage premiums for you and your dependents, offer a 401(k) Plan with matching contributions, and other perks as well!

Equal Opportunity Statement

Shippabo is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, citizenship, marital status, sex/gender, sexual preference/ orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, national origin, or any other status protected by law or regulation. If you require accommodations during the interview process, please contact careers@shippabo.com.