About the Role
Coordinate and monitor ocean freight shipments from shipment booking through delivery, ensuring on-time performance, excellent customer service, and compliant documentation.
Job Responsibilities
Operations
- Plan, book, and monitor ocean shipments daily to ensure on-time performance
- Track and trace shipments; provide proactive status updates to customers and internal stakeholders.
- Schedule pickups with shippers and consolidate shipments as needed; optimize routing and carrier selections.
- Coordinate with warehousing, inland transport, and port/cargo handling to ensure smooth handoffs, where applicable
- Monitor exception management (detentions, demurrage, port congestion) and implement corrective actions.
- Maintain and improve standard operating procedures (SOPs) for ocean operations.
Customer Service
- Serve as main point of contact for customers on ocean freight shipments; respond to inquiries.
- Provide accurate quotes, service level expectations, and price breakdowns; negotiate with carriers when required.
- Manage customer expectations by communicating risks, delays, and alternative options clearly and proactively.
- Build and maintain strong customer relationships to foster retention and upsell additional services (e.g., customs brokerage).
- Escalate and resolve service issues (delays, damage, documentation gaps) with timely root-cause analysis and action plans.
Documentation & Compliance
- Prepare and review import/export documentation ensuring accuracy and compliance.
- Ensure all shipments have compliant and complete documentation for customs clearance.
- Coordinate with customs brokers and agents to ensure swift clearance; track clearance status and resolve holds.
- Ensure proper insurance placement and documentation.
- Maintain shipment records, filing, and document retention in accordance with company policy and regulatory requirements.
- Collect and verify carrier rate receipts, free time, and demurrage terms; manage billing accuracy for customers.
- Update and maintain customer-specific documents, templates, and checklists.
Collaboration & Continual Improvement
- Coordinate with Sales to confirm customer requirements, service commitments, and pricing.
- Work with Finance/Billing to ensure accurate invoicing and timely payments.
- Identify process bottlenecks and propose automation or standardization (e.g., KPI tracking).
- Monitor KPI performance and drive improvements.
Job Requirements
- Bachelor's degree or diploma in Logistics or a related field
- 25 years of experience in ocean freight forwarding, NVOCC operations, or a logistics operations role
- Solid understanding of endtoend ocean freight processes
- Familiarity with CargoWise One systems and workflows
- Knowledge of customs clearance procedures and the role of customs brokers
- Strong understanding of international shipping documentation requirements
- Strong communication and customer service skills, with the ability to manage inquiries professionally
- High attention to detail and strong accuracy in preparing and reviewing documentation
- Effective problemsolving abilities with a proactive approach to handling exceptions
- Basic data analysis skills, including the ability to generate operational reports and dashboards
