Customs and Trade Specialist

Bertelsmann-Jobs; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

Arvato in Birmingham is seeking a highly organised and detail‑oriented Customer & Trade Specialist to join our logistics team, focusing on import/export administration and day-to-day trade compliance. You will support customs documentation, liaise with internal departments and external partners, and help ensure goods move smoothly through the supply chain.

No customs expert is required at first, but a keen eye for accuracy and a willingness to learn will help you grow with us.

Qualifications

• Experience in administrative, logistics or import/export environments.
• Understanding of customs processes and international shipping is beneficial.
• Strong attention to detail and data accuracy.
• Proficient in MS Office and data entry.

Responsibilities

• Support day-to-day administration of import and export activities.
• Assist with customs declarations and clearance processes.
• Check shipping documents, invoices and trade paperwork for accuracy.
• Respond to customer enquiries about shipments and orders.
• Coordinate with transport providers, customs brokers and internal teams.
• Help ensure compliance with customs regulations and company policies.
• Maintain accurate shipment and documentation records.
• Investigate discrepancies relating to deliveries and paperwork.
• Collaborate with colleagues to improve processes and service quality.

Skills

Administrative experience

Logistics experience

Customer service experience

Attention to detail

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Outlook

Strong communication

Team player

Problem solving

Tools

SAP

Job description

Arvato is an innovative and leading global 3PL service provider in supply chain management and e-commerce. With 20,000 team members at over 100 locations, we focus on the Consumer Products, Tech, Healthcare, Automotive and Publisher industries.

You will work in an environment built on collaboration, respect, commitment and curiosity, where you can grow, contribute your ideas, and make an impact. Be part of the team that delivers logistics excellence and shapes supply chains globally. Working at Arvato means: Together, we’re on it.

Job Description

Location: Hams Hall, Coleshill, Birmingham
Salary: £28,000 per annum
Contract: Permanent, Full Time
Hours: Monday to Friday 40 hours, office hours

At Arvato, we're looking for an organised and detail-oriented Customer & Trade Specialist to join our team.

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone with experience in logistics, customer service, import/export administration or supply chain who is looking to develop their knowledge of customs processes and international trade.

Working closely with our operational teams, customers and external partners, you'll help ensure goods move smoothly through the supply chain, supporting customs documentation, import/export activities and day-to-day trade compliance requirements.

You don't need to be a customs expert, but you'll need a keen eye for detail, good organisational skills and a willingness to learn.

What You'll Be Doing

• Supporting the day-to-day administration of import and export activities, ensuring documentation is accurate and completed on time.
• Assisting with customs declarations and clearance processes, working alongside internal teams and external customs agents.
• Checking shipping documents, invoices and other trade-related paperwork for accuracy.
• Responding to customer enquiries relating to shipments, customs documentation and order movements.
• Liaising with transport providers, customs brokers and internal departments to help resolve queries and delays.
• Supporting compliance with customs regulations, import/export procedures and company policies.
• Maintaining accurate records of shipments, customs documentation and trade-related transactions.
• Helping investigate and resolve discrepancies relating to deliveries, documentation or customs clearance.
• Working collaboratively with colleagues to improve processes and ensure a high standard of customer service.

Qualifications

What We're Looking For:

• Previous experience in an administrative, logistics, supply chain, customer service -import/export environment.
• Some understanding of customs processes, import/export documentation or international shipping would be advantageous.
• Good attention to detail and the ability to work accurately with documentation and data.
• Strong communication skills and a customer-focused approach.
• Good organisational skills with the ability to prioritise tasks and meet deadlines.
• Confidence using Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and Outlook.
• A proactive approach to problem-solving and a willingness to learn new systems and processes.
• The ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team.

Desirable, but not essential:

• Familiarity with customs terminology, commodity codes or import/export procedures.
• Experience working with customs brokers or freight forwarders.
• Knowledge of SAP or other logistics and supply chain systems.
• Awareness of UK customs regulations and trade compliance requirements.

Additional Information

Disclosure requirements pertaining to the collection of your personal data:

Responsible for processing the information provided in your application is the company specified in the job advertisement, with its registered office as indicated. The company processes your data for the purpose of establishing an employment relationship on the basis of Art. 6 (1) b GDPR / Section 26 (1) sentence 1 BDSG.

The retention period for your data is determined by the statutory time limits applicable in the respective country, beginning upon completion of the recruitment process. You can find these here .

You can contact the company’s Data Protection Officer at the above-mentioned postal address.

Further information on data protection and your rights can be found here .