Business Development Manager TFS

We are hiring

At BlackForest Solutions, we deliver hazardous and non-hazardous waste management solutions worldwide, with a fast-growing Trans-Frontier Shipments (TFS) department that moves materials across borders under the Basel Convention and the EU Waste Shipment Regulation. We are looking for an International Business Development Manager to drive the next chapter of the TFS unit, scaling our container shipment business globally (including handling parts of operations) and converting one-off project leads into a structured pipeline.

We are looking for a Swiss Army knife.

Your tasks

Core responsibility
Business Development & Co-Leadership
Lead generation and conversion across the container and one-off project lines, partner network development, attendance at trade fairs, and active shaping of TFS strategy and processes.

Supporting responsibility
Container Shipment Management and Operations
Hands-on management of standing container routes, coordination with disposal and recycling facilities, notification validity tracking, financial controlling and invoicing.

Your Tasks
01 Business Development and Lead Conversion

1. Identify and qualify new TFS opportunities globally, on both the container shipment side and on bespoke one-off projects
2. Build and own a structured deal pipeline from inbound inquiry to signed contract, in coordination with the Tenders and International Project Development teams
3. Develop and maintain relationships with waste generators, brokers, treatment facilities and competent authorities across Europe and globally
4. Represent BFS at industry trade fairs and conferences (e.g. IFAT, ISWA, regional events) and convert exposure into concrete leads
5. Develop commercial proposals together with the technical team, including pricing, route logic and notification feasibility

02 Container Shipment Management and Operations

1. Run the operational side of the BFS standing container business, with planned expansion into additional routes and geographies
2. Coordinate with disposal and recycling facilities on shipment scheduling, documentation and quality issues
3. Monitor Basel Convention notification validity across active routes and manage the renewal process
4. Maintain the Container Tracking Tool and the financial controlling cycle, including outbound invoicing to waste generators and cross-checking of inbound invoices from treatment facilities
5. Drive the standardisation and automation of the container business workflow together with the team

03 TFS Department Co-Leadership

1. Help define and execute the TFS strategy alongside the Managing Director, contributing to the long-term direction and growth of the department
2. Mentor and coordinate with TFS consultants on commercial topics, partner relations and process improvements
3. Identify and build internal capability gaps (e.g. ADR/IMDG certifications, DGSA availability, country-specific expertise) into the team setup
4. Contribute to the productisation of Basel notification workflows and other automation initiatives that scale the department

04 Partner and Stakeholder Engagement

1. Build and maintain trusted relationships with treatment facilities across Europe and globally, including regular onsite visits
2. Coordinate with competent authorities (UBA, state authorities, importing country authorities) on notification submissions, consent tracking and renewals
3. Represent BFS to clients, brokers and partners, ensuring that BFS is the default partner for cross-border hazardous waste requests in target markets
4. Maintain a clean CRM record of partners, leads and references, accessible to the wider BFS team

Your profile

Your Profile

• Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in any of the following, or a related field: Environmental Engineering, Sustainability Management, Business Development, International Trade, or Logistics Management.

• Experience

1. 5+ years in business development, sales, or project management in an international context. Background in hazardous waste, environmental consulting, international logistics, trade compliance or a related field is a strong advantage
2. Verifiable commercial track record: deals closed, contracts signed, routes or projects established. Not advisory exposure but actual ownership of the outcome
3. Able to manage a deal end-to-end (inquiry to contract) and a project end-to-end (kick-off to invoicing) with structured follow-through. You will work hands-on on Basel notification procedures and build that knowledge with the team over time

• Languages

Fluent English required. German, Spanish, French or Arabic are a strong advantage given the geographies BFS operates in.

• Technical

The following technical knowledge and experience is needed for the role, but not a hard prerequisite. We provide structured onboarding and training on the job. These are the areas we expect you to be comfortable in or to grow into quickly:

1. Familiarity with the Basel Convention, EU Waste Shipment Regulation 1013/2006, and dangerous goods regulations (ADR, IMDG), including dangerous goods packaging and shipment. 
2. Experience in international logistics. 
3. Solid Microsoft 365 skills, CRM experience, and an openness to AI-supported workflows (Claude, automation tooling).

• Soft Skills

1. Structured and organised: tracks what matters, follows through, closes loops without being chased
2. Culturally fluent: comfortable shifting register between counterparts in Lagos, Hamburg, and Manila in the same week. Global South to Global North is a real range and you navigate it naturally
3. Clear communicator: written and verbal, across cultures and seniority levels
4. Entrepreneurial ownership: moves things forward without waiting for instructions, but knows when to flag and escalate
5. Intellectually curious: Basel Convention procedures can be learned. The willingness to learn them, and to learn fast, is not optional

• Location

Based in Europe. Remote-first setup, with regular travel to clients, facilities and the Berlin HQ.

What we offer

What We Offer

1. Co-lead a department in growth mode - Real ownership of strategy, processes and pipeline in a unit with clear potential and strong tailwinds.
2. Globally active, multicultural team - Colleagues from over a dozen countries, project offices in Rio de Janeiro, Mumbai and Dubai, and partners across more than 100 countries.
3. Flexible, remote-first setup - Work from your European home base with regular travel to clients, partners and the Berlin HQ. We measure outcomes, not hours.
4. Real social and environmental impact - Every shipment that moves through us solves a concrete waste problem. We work on projects that matter.
5. Open communication and co-creation - A bee-culture organisation, transparent and self-organised, where ideas flow freely and decisions are made close to the work.
6. State-of-the-art AI and IT setup - We are actively building AI-based workflows. You will be part of that build.

About us

BlackForest Solutions GmbH (BFS), established in 2016 and headquartered in Berlin, is a specialized environmental company that develops waste management strategies and services through its Trans-Frontier Shipments (TFS) and Technical Consultancy (TC) units — with an integrated, on-the-ground Operations focus embedded in both. With project offices in Rio de Janeiro, Dubai, and Mumbai, we employ over 25 international, multidisciplinary professionals and partner with senior specialists to deliver sustainable solutions worldwide, particularly in emerging economies.
Our extensive portfolio covers municipal solid, organic, plastic, packaging, e-waste, medical, industrial, and hazardous materials, with notable expertise in the Middle East, North Africa, West Africa, South Asia, and Latin America.

rainbowforest.org/blackforest-solutions

     Please apply through our Personio portal with the following materials:    

1. CV       
2. Short motivation statement: why TFS, why BFS, and what specific experience makes you the right fit (written, max 1 page, or any other format if you prefer: video, slides, audio. We very much appreciate creative applications  
3. Indication of availability and salary expectation

We review applications on a rolling basis. Quality matters more to us than speed, so we will take the time to find the right person. You are welcome to reach out with questions before applying.