Import Clerk

Vantage Recruitment; Slough; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

Vantage Recruitment is seeking an experienced Air Import Clerk for our Heathrow area client in Colnbrook. You will own shipment activity from paperwork to delivery, coordinate with customers and suppliers, and ensure air import documentation is completed accurately and on time, keeping freight moving through every stage of the import process.

Ideal candidates will understand HAWBs/MAWBs, customs procedures and fast-paced operations, with a proactive approach to resolving issues and clear

Qualifications

• Previous air import or freight forwarding experience is required.
• Sound understanding of customs procedures is required.
• Confidence handling import documentation is required.

Responsibilities

• Processing air import shipments and completing the relevant freight and customs documentation.
• Maintaining accurate shipment and consolidation records.
• Working with HAWBs, MAWBs and relevant IATA documentation and procedures.
• Arranging collections and deliveries with haulage providers.
• Answering customer queries and providing clear updates on shipment progress.
• Preparing quotations and negotiating ad hoc supplier rates.
• Invoicing shipments and checking supplier invoices.
• Following handling and temperature-control requirements for pharmaceutical shipments where applicable.

Skills

Air import experience

Freight forwarding

Customs procedures

Import documentation

Customer communication

Job description

Air Import Clerk / Heathrow area, Colnbrook

£35,000 to £39,000 depending on experience

Monday to Friday, 9am to 5.30pm, plus 4 hours on 1 Sunday in 3

Know your air imports and enjoy seeing a shipment through properly, from paperwork to delivery?

We're looking for an experienced Air Import Clerk to join the busy Heathrow operations team of an established international freight forwarding business.

This is an opportunity for someone who already understands the pace of air freight, takes pride in getting the detail right and knows that clear customer communication matters just as much as accurate documentation.

As Air Import Clerk, you'll take ownership of shipment activity, coordinate with customers and suppliers, and keep freight moving through each stage of the import process.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Processing air import shipments and completing the relevant freight and customs documentation.
• Maintaining accurate shipment and consolidation records.
• Working with HAWBs, MAWBs and relevant IATA documentation and procedures.
• Arranging collections and deliveries with haulage providers.
• Answering customer queries and providing clear updates on shipment progress.
• Preparing quotations and negotiating ad hoc supplier rates.
• Invoicing shipments and checking supplier invoices.
• Following handling and temperature-control requirements for pharmaceutical shipments where applicable.

What you'll bring

• To succeed as an Air Import Clerk, you'll need previous air import or freight forwarding experience, a sound understanding of customs procedures and confidence handling import documentation.
• You will be organised, accurate and comfortable managing several shipments at once. You'll also know how to handle a customer query professionally, spot a potential problem early and work with colleagues to find a solution.
• Experience with consolidations, HAWBs, MAWBs and IATA shipment procedures is important. Dangerous goods training and knowledge of letters of credit would be useful additional strengths.

The working pattern

The Air Import Clerk position works Monday to Friday, 9am to 5.30pm, with 4 hours of Sunday cover on a rota of 1 Sunday in 3.