Airfreight Capacity Manager

Freightserve recruitment; Sunbury-on-Thames; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Freightserve recruitment in the Heathrow area is seeking an Air Export Manager to lead a fast-growing freight operation. This hands-on role oversees airline liaison, allocations, and a small team responsible for export documentation and compliance.

You will manage daily tasks, forecast volumes, optimise carrier capacity, and ensure CDS customs entries are completed accurately, coordinating with freight forwarders, airlines and customs authorities to meet strict deadlines.

Qualifications

• Experience in export logistics, freight forwarding, or supply chain.
• Proven ability to manage airline allocations and forecasting.
• Strong knowledge of international shipping regulations and customs procedures.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily export tasks and team performance.
• Audit documentation for accuracy and compliance.
• Manage airline allocations and bookings.
• Forecast daily volumes and future airline requirements.
• Complete and audit CDS customs entries.
• Coordinate with freight forwarders, airlines, and customs authorities.
• Maintain export records and resolve issues.

Skills

Air export

Leadership

Forecasting

Customs procedures

Documentation

Airline liaison

Team supervision

Communication

MS Office

Logistics software

Tools

CDS customs entry system

Job description

Freightserve recruitment are looking for an Air Export Manager for a fast growing Freight / Courier company based in the Heathrow area.

Job Summary

We are seeking a highly organised and detail-oriented Manager to join our team. This is a hands-on managerial role, responsible for overseeing and airline liaison while providing leadership and support to a team. The successful candidate will have strong experience in export logistics, airline management and allocations, forecasting, customs procedures, and international shipping documentation.

Key Responsibilities

• Supervise and support, ensuring all daily tasks are completed accurately and on time.
• Audit and check the work/documentation completed, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and adherence to company procedures.
• Airline management and allocation bookings
• Arrange the movement of freight by various transportation methods in the most profitable way
• Capacity management, negotiate and manage airline space, block space agreements, rates directly with the carriers.
• Identifying potential capacity shortages or offloads quickly securing alternative routes.
• Liaise within organization to co-ordinate transport and distribution schedules to meet the agreed delivery times
• Daily volume forecasting, critical forward-looking planning, estimating future airline and transport requirements based on historical client data, and daily forecast figures.
• Complete and audit customs entries using the CDS customs entry system.
• Liaise with freight forwarders, airlines, shipping lines, transport providers, and customs authorities to ensure shipments move efficiently.
• Maintain accurate records of export transactions and supporting documentation.
• Investigate and resolve customs or shipment-related issues in a timely manner.
• Work closely with internal departments to ensure export and transport activities run smoothly.
• Ensure all export documentation is completed accurately and submitted within required deadlines.
• Support continuous improvement within the department by maintaining high standards of accuracy, compliance, and customer service.

Skills and Experience Required

• Previous experience within export logistics, freight forwarding, supply chain, or a similar logistics environment.
• Strong knowledge of export documentation, customs procedures, and international shipping regulations.
• Previous experience in forecasting, allocation management.
• Experience using the CDS customs entry system.
• Previous experience supervising or mentoring staff would be advantageous.
• Excellent organisational skills with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to prioritise workloads and perform effectively under pressure.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to liaise confidently with internal teams, customers, carriers, and customs authorities.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and logistics management systems.
• A proactive approach with excellent problem-solving abilities.

As an agency we are fast becoming the number one Freight specialist in the UK. We have a fast growing reputation with most Freight related companies. Freightserve has been established since 1992 working within the Freight Forwarding and Shipping industry