International Shipping Specialist

Description

Alliance Personnel are seeking a detail–oriented and organised International shipping and Customs Specialist to join one of our clients based in Birmingham.

Duties:

Own global outbound logistics: Plan and execute daily shipments (parcel, pallet, LTL/FTL, air, courier). Balance speed, cost, and reliability across lanes and service levels. Carrier strategy & rate management: Build and manage a panel of carriers/forwarders (e.g., DHL, FedEx, UPS, DPD, Royal Mail, freight forwarders). Run RFPs, negotiate contracts/SLAs, implement lane guides, and conduct QBRs. Trade compliance leadership: Classify products with correct HS codes; maintain the master data and justification notes. Apply Incoterms 2020 correctly (e.g., DDP/DDU/DAP/FCA) per customer/channel. Calculate and validate duties, taxes, and tariffs; manage IOSS for EU D2C, de minimis thresholds, and duty relief/drawback where eligible. Ensure accurate country of origin and preferential origin proofs (e.g., EUR.1, statements on origin) where applicable. Oversee EORI registrations and broker powers of attorney. Regulatory documentation & filing: Prepare, verify, and archive all export/import documents: commercial invoices, packing lists, commodity codes, COO, MSDS/SDS, CoAs, shipping labels, and prior notices (e.g., US FDA Prior Notice for foods/supplements). Manage customs broker instructions and queries. D2C shipping excellence: Optimize pick–pack–ship SLAs, label generation, tracking communications, and returns flows. Reduce where is my order (WISMO) tickets via proactive exception handling. Partner & collaborator liaison: Act as primary contact for global partners/customers on shipping, delivery windows, compliance needs, and route–to–market requirements. Systems, data & automation: Own TMS/label platforms ShipStation integrations with WMS/Shopify/ERP. Build dashboards for cost per shipment, on–time, damage/loss, and customs hold rates. Risk & quality control: Minimize damages, temperature/handling risks (where applicable), OTIF misses, and customs delays through packaging specs, carrier SOPs, and pre–clearance workflows. Manage cargo insurance and claims. Process & continuous improvement: Write SOPs, train teams, run root–cause analyses, and deliver measurable savings and SLA gains. Budgeting & forecasting: Own freight budget, accruals, and variance analysis. Forecast capacity for peak events, new product launches, and major partner orders. What you ll bring

5+ years in international shipping/logistics with hands–on trade compliance ownership. Expert knowledge of HS classification, Incoterms 2020, duty/VAT frameworks, IOSS, de minimis, country of origin, and customs procedures (UK/EU/US at minimum). Proven track record running carrier RFPs, building a carrier panel, and negotiating material savings. Strong documentation: commercial invoices, packing lists, COO/origin statements, licenses/certificates, FDA Prior Notice (or equivalent food/supplement filings), and broker instructions. Proficiency with shipping/TMS tools and ecommerce/WMS stacks (e.g., Shopify, Metapack, ShipStation, Easyship, Linnworks, Descartes, or similar). Solid Excel/Google Sheets skills for analysis. Calm, collaborative communicator great with partners, carriers, and internal teams (Ops, Quality, Supply Chain, CS). Nice–to–have: CILT/IoE&IT, IATA/FIATA, or customs compliance certification; experience with UK CDS entries and ICS2 readiness. Working hours: Monday to Friday 8:30am – 5:30pm, office based

PERM

Ad ID: 5417439291