Deep Sea Import Operator / Key Account Co-Ordinator

Alma Personnel; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Alma Personnel seeks a hands-on Key Account Coordinator to support a major retail import account across customs, compliance, reporting and billing. You will work closely with customers, suppliers, shipping lines, hauliers, warehouses and internal teams, providing back-office support and occasional supervisory duties.

The role covers UK import customs declarations, invoicing and ensuring deadlines are met. You may lead in absence periods and support regulatory audits and European movements as

Qualifications

• Customs and regulatory compliance essential for daily operations.
• Deep-sea import freight forwarding experience required.
• High accuracy and attention to detail in all tasks.
• Professional communication with customers and suppliers.
• Ability to multitask and meet deadlines in a busy team.
• Strong spreadsheet and reporting skills.
• Experience with CargoWise is desirable.
• Food import familiarity and IPAFFS/CHEDs knowledge desirable.
• SharePoint or Web Tracker document visibility experience desirable.
• Previous work supporting a major key account desirable.

Responsibilities

• Create and maintain freight jobs using pro-forma invoices and supplier docs.
• Chase suppliers for bookings, docs and outstanding information.
• Maintain shipment trackers, schedules and visibility reports.
• Handle UK import customs declarations and related documents.
• Review declaration accuracy and manage duty/deferment needs.
• Support audits and regulatory requirements for HMRC and customers.
• Assist European movements and related customs requirements as needed.
• Prepare weekly shipment schedules and status reports for customers.
• Produce monthly management reports on delivery activity and costs.
• Provide operational cover for Account Supervisor during absences.
• Monitor vessel schedules and ETA changes; update customers promptly.
• Coordinate with shipping lines, hauliers and warehouses.
• Use CargoWise to keep records; use SharePoint/Web Tracker for visibility.
• Prepare ad hoc reporting and customer presentations as required.

Skills

Customs compliance

Deep-sea import freight forwarding

Attention to detail

Professional communication

Multitasking

Spreadsheet skills

Account coordination

Tools

CargoWise

SharePoint

Web Tracker

Job description

The Key Account Coordinator / Key Account Specialist is a hands on, detail-focused role that requires close co-ordination with customers, suppliers, shipping lines, hauliers, warehouses, internal teams and regulatory authorities, providing back-office support for a major retail import account including customs, compliance, reporting, billing.

The role also offers supervisory responsibility during absence periods and other business requirements.

Duties Include:

• Create and maintain freight jobs using pro-forma invoices, purchase order information and supplier documentation
• Chase suppliers and shippers for booking confirmations, shipping instructions, documentation and outstanding information
• Maintain shipment trackers, schedules and customer visibility reports, ensuring milestones and outstanding actions remain current
• Complete and control UK import customs declarations, including the review of commercial invoices, packing lists, bills of lading, commodity information, origin data and customs valuation information
• Check declaration accuracy, manage duty and deferment requirements and *escalate* discrepancies before submission
• Support HMRC or customer audits through accurate document collation and record retention.
• Support European movements and the associated customs or regulatory requirements where required.
• Prepare weekly shipment schedules and operational status reports for the customer
• Produce monthly management reports covering delivery activity, insurance, quay rent, container or shipping line information and related account measures
• Prepare dummy costings and estimated landed cost information using complete commercial and shipment data
• Provide operational cover for the Account Supervisor during annual leave or other absence
• Monitor vessel schedules, shipment progress and ETA changes, providing timely updates to the customer and internal teams
• Liaise with shipping lines regarding releases, bills of lading, charges and operational exceptions
• Coordinate hauliers, delivery bookings, warehouses, cold stores and delivery previews
• Use CargoWise to maintain accurate operational, customs, costing and billing records
• Use SharePoint, Web Tracker or equivalent platforms to maintain document control and customer visibility
• Provide account-specific presentations, process support and ad hoc reporting when required.

Experience and Skills Required:

• Customs and Regulatory Compliance - Essential
• Deep-sea import freight forwarding - Essential
• A high level of accuracy and attention to detail - Essential
• Confident and professional customer communication - Essential
• Ability to multitask and meet deadlines - Essential
• Competent spreadsheet and reporting skills - Essential
• CargoWise experience - Desirable
• Food import experience - Desirable
• Experience of IPAFFS, CHEDs and Port Health requirements - Desirable
• Experience of SharePoint, Web Tracker or comparable document management and customer visibility systems - Desirable
• Previous experience supporting a major key account - Desirable