Job description

Preferred Candidate Profile

• Nationality: Philippines
• Residence Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
• License: Valid UAE Driving License (Required)

What We’re Looking For

• Experience: 7+ years of experience in international trading, automotive sales, or supply chain management, with at least 3+ years in a senior management capacity.
• Department Building: Proven track record of hiring, building, and managing cross-functional teams (specifically sales, procurement, or logistics).
• Industry Knowledge: Deep understanding of the global automotive trade. Specific experience with Electric Vehicles (EVs) or the automotive export market is highly preferred.
• Geographic Expertise: Prior experience or familiarity with the dynamics of trading/doing business with either China or African markets.
• Startup DNA: You are hands-on, comfortable with ambiguity, and willing to execute the ground-level work while simultaneously building the strategic vision.
• Language: Fluent English is required. Proficiency in Arabic is highly desired. Additional language skills (e.g., Tagalog, Mandarin, or French) are a strong plus given our cross-border operations and diverse team.

Skills

Technical & Hard Skills

1. International Automotive Trade & Customs

• EV Logistics Knowledge: Understanding the specific complexities of shipping Electric Vehicles, particularly UN38.3 compliance for handling and transporting large lithium-ion batteries via ocean freight.
• Trade Documentation: Mastery of international trade documents such as Letters of Credit (L/Cs), Bills of Lading (B/L), Certificates of Conformity (CoC), and Incoterms (e.g., FOB, CIF).
• African Customs Regulations: Familiarity with the varied import regulations, age restrictions on vehicles, and left-hand vs. right-hand drive requirements across different African regions.

2. Supply Chain & Procurement Management

• Chinese Sourcing Networks: Experience negotiating directly with Chinese automotive OEMs, trading houses, or wholesalers (e.g., BYD, Geely, Changan, or independent export agents).
• P&L and Pricing Architecture: Ability to build pricing sheets that account for volatile ocean freight rates, local African tariffs, currency fluctuations, and startup profit margins.

3. Localization & Regulatory Compliance

• UAE Corporate Literacy: Deep understanding of Dubai/UAE free zone and mainland trade laws, export-reexport procedures, and managing corporate bank accounts for international trade.

Soft Skills & Leadership

1. Cross-Cultural Negotiation

• The China-Africa Bridge: The unique ability to adapt communication styles. They must be able to navigate the relationship-driven business culture (Guanxi) of Chinese suppliers while simultaneously building high-trust partnerships with African B2B buyers.

2. "0-to-1" Team Architecture (Startup DNA)

• Talent Scouting: Because you plan to hire Procurement, Logistics, and Sales teams next, this manager must have a proven eye for talent and the ability to design KPIs from scratch.
• High Adaptability & Grit: Startups are chaotic. They need the mental agility to solve sudden roadblocks (e.g., a port delay in Mombasa or a sudden policy change in China) without a corporate playbook.

3. Multilingual Agility

• Language Blending: The ability to use English as the primary business language, Arabic to navigate local UAE documentation and North African clients, and potentially Tagalog to build a strong, cohesive culture with any future operational staff.