Freight Forwarder

Alliance Personnel; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A logistics staffing agency is seeking an experienced International Shipping and Customs Specialist based in Birmingham. The ideal candidate will have over 5 years in international logistics, expertise in trade compliance, and a proven track record in managing carrier partnerships effectively. Responsibilities include planning shipments, ensuring compliance with customs regulations, and preparing necessary documentation. The position requires proficiency in various TMS tools and excellent communication skills, and it is office-based with standard working hours.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in international shipping with trade compliance ownership.
• Expert knowledge of HS classification and customs procedures.
• Strong documentation skills required.

Responsibilities

• Plan and execute daily international shipments.
• Manage carrier strategy and negotiate contracts.
• Prepare and verify export/import documentation.

Skills

International shipping logistics

Trade compliance ownership

Carrier RFP management

HS code classification

Incoterms® 2020 knowledge

Proficient in shipping_TMS tools

Strong communication skills

Tools

ShipStation

Shopify

Metapack

Job 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 IC…

Working hours : Monday to Friday 8 : 30am - 5 : 30pm, office based

PERM