Customs Brokerage Operations Manager

“We’re not in the shipping business; we’re in the information business” -Peter Rose, Expeditors Founder Global supply chain management is what we do, but at the heart of Expeditors you will find professionalism, leadership, and a friendly environment, all of which foster an innovative, customer service-based approach to logistics. - 15,000 trained professionals - 250+ locations worldwide - Fortune 500 - Globally unified systems Administration and Personnel Management · Manage and monitor service execution within the Customs brokerage department · Manage capacity and resource needs for the department · Ensure that department is properly staffed, structured and organized · Manage timely and effective staff evaluations and reviews · Provide feedback, coaching, mentoring to staff on an ongoing basis · Manage staff for continual growth in skills and expertise · Prepare and execute personal goals · Assist staff in preparing personal goals · Make certain that all staff members complete annual training in required timeframes · Make certain that new employees receive all mandatory training in required timeframes · Maintain highest compliance levels for all necessary and applicable Customs and other government agency controls and requirements · Ensure that company controls, policies, procedures, processes, applications, tools, and systems are understood and implemented · Ensure that the company’s third party broker program is properly managed within the branch · Ensure oversight, including self-assessments and daily monitoring so that issues are resolved at the root cause level · Prepare and execute department business plan and goals Operations, Compliance and Customs Expertise · Provide deskside training to department as needed in these specific areas: o National customs regulations o Expeditors’ customs policies, controls, procedures and processes o Operational and customer service execution o Customer communication, interaction, development and maintenance, o Expeditors’ applications, tools, systems and their usage o Client specific requirements · If using third party brokers, provide clear instructions, procedures and expectations regarding both Expeditors’ and customer requirements · If required, review and sign entries prior to submission to Customs · Work with staff on capacity and efficiency issues · Make certain that all new clients are set up properly with any of the following that apply: power of attorney, letter of authorization, importers’ worksheet, DLSOP, and/or standard operating procedures · Make certain that client specific instructions are clear and detailed to ensure that desk level staff can properly process entries and invoice for services · Control department’s interface with Customs authorities · Make certain that files are logged correctly and timely with proper codes, trace types and events as needed · Review all entry rejections, EDI rejections, or other discrepancies in business unit to make certain that they are resubmitted timely and correctly · Monitor and review post entry activity with branch compliance manager · Make certain that discrepancies are monitored and resolved timely and correctly · Work with branch compliance manager to understand and trend discrepancy root causes and implement necessary training · Ensure there is a workflow or management reports to oversee and manage the operation · Control workflow within business unit · Control document receipt and distribution within business unit both for hard copy and electronic documents · Ensure that all correspondence within business unit is handled timely and professionally · Escalate necessary issues to District or Branch Manager · Develop optimum efficient processes without sacrificing compliance, oversight or controls · Stay current with developments and changes in regulations or company offerings; educate staff as these happen · Understand requirements of participating government agencies · Ensure all employees have proper training in other government agency requirements Finance · Ensure that all files are timely billed and correctly · Ensure that all billing and billing packages are timely mailed or electronically transmitted including the correct and complete documents and backup · Manage execution of credit policy · Review department P and L on a monthly basis and understand composition of clients, revenue, and file type and complexity for customs entries · Review all billed not paid and paid not billed items for proper handling and closing · Review entries for proper use of bill codes, GL codes and file types · Review customer A/R for area of responsibility and depending upon structure, be prepared to communicate with customers regarding either late payments or invoice discrepancies · Review invoices from third party brokers against their tariffs Sales and Marketing (and Growth) · Maintain and develop relationship with current brokerage customers · Work with sales, customer retention and development, and account management to maintain and develop relationships with current customers, and to develop and bring new customers into the department · Work with T&I and account management to make certain that customer requirements are both understood and properly implemented · Prepare effective customer presentations and updates · Communicate clearly and often with sales, customer retention, account management and T&I to provide information on status of service levels, execution, and future opportunities Experience and Education Suggested: · Degree or equivalent · Minimum 10 years’ experience in Customs brokerage · Has completed country specific certification in Customs brokerage if available · Hands-on knowledge of Customs clearance function · Strong interpersonal and communication skills · Ability to articulate clearly through written and oral communication and presentations · Ability to relate to clients, service providers and employees at all levels · Understanding of data and reports or outputs used from data · PC skills including word processing and spreadsheet applications · Hands-on user skills with Expeditors’ applications as needed · English fluency Bachelors degree with 5+ year of working experience. - Good knowledge of customs brokerage process, customs legislation – especially with regards to classification, valuation and origin - Understanding of ocean, road and air documentation process - Effective interpersonal skills - Pro-active approach, strong organizational and computer skills - Good computer skills (MS Excel, MS Word) - Fluent in English Expeditors offers excellent benefits: - Paid Vacation, Holiday, Sick Time - Health Plan: Medical - Life Insurance - Employee Stock Purchase Plan - Training and Personnel Development Program - Growth opportunities within the company - Employee Referral Program Bonus