Imports Administrator - Customs & Shipping

Henderson Brown Recruitment; Caddington; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 29,000; Full time

Job summary

Henderson Brown Recruitment is recruiting an Imports Administrator for a fresh produce business in Bedfordshire. You will handle customs entries, authority reporting and shipping arrangements to ensure timely clearance and movement of product.

The role requires accuracy under pressure, daily coordination with HMRC, DEFRA and Port Health, plus intermediate Excel and IT proficiency. Monday to Friday, £28,000 rising to £29,000 after probation.

Qualifications

• Import, customs, shipping or logistics admin background.
• Accuracy under pressure and ability to meet deadlines.
• Intermediate Excel and confident IT skills.

Responsibilities

• Prepare customs entries and report to HMRC and authorities.
• Track vessel schedules and shipments, sharing changes with the business.
• Liaise with shipping lines and port agents on planning and releases.
• Submit daily arrival data to HMRC and collate weights/values for payments.
• Reconcile duty deferment accounts and invoices from ships/ports.
• Manage certification (Organic, Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance) and invoicing.

Skills

Excel

IT skills

Communication

Tools

CNS

Descartes

DES

IPAFFS

FIPS

Rubicon

Job description

Imports Administrator - Customs & Shipping

An imports role where the admin is what gets fresh fruit through the port and on its way, not paperwork for its own sake.

Bedfordshire

Monday to Friday, full-time

£28,000 rising to £29,000 after probation

The Opportunity

We're supporting a well-established fresh produce business with the appointment of an Imports Administrator.

This role sits at the front end of the supply chain. Fruit arrives by vessel, and you'll make sure the customs entries, authority reporting and shipping arrangements are right, so product clears on time and keeps moving.

It's detailed, deadline-driven work. You'll be dealing directly with HMRC, DEFRA, Port Health and Plant Health, as well as shipping lines, port agents and customers.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare customs entries and report to HMRC, DEFRA, Port Health and Plant Health, resolving any issues with the authorities.
• Track vessel schedules and shipments, sharing changes with the wider business.
• Liaise with shipping lines and port agents on planning, release and PINs.
• Make daily time-sensitive arrival submissions to HMRC, and collate weights and values for C18/C285 payments.
• Reconcile the duty deferment account and the invoices from shipping lines, ports and authorities.
• Manage Organic, Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance certification, and handle customer reporting and invoicing.

What We're Looking For

You'll come from an import, customs, shipping or logistics admin background. That could be customs clearance, freight forwarding, a shipping line or port agent, or an importer's own team. Fresh produce or food experience would be an advantage but isn't essential.

What matters most is accuracy under pressure. Deadlines here are set by vessel arrivals and HMRC, so you'll need to stay calm and precise when things move quickly.

You'll need intermediate Excel, good all-round IT skills and confident written and verbal communication. Experience of CNS, Descartes, DES, IPAFFS, FIPS or Rubicon would help, but isn't required if you're keen to learn.

Why Join?

This is a chance to work at the heart of an established fresh produce business, in a role the operation depends on every day.

You'll build specialist customs and import knowledge, including authority reporting, duty and certification, which stays valuable throughout a logistics or supply chain career.

The role is Monday to Friday, with a salary of £28,000 rising to £29,000 after probation.