Imports Team Leader

Opus People Solutions Ltd; Ipswich; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

Opus People Solutions Ltd is seeking an experienced Imports & Deep Sea Team Leader to guide the Deep Sea Import team and oversee daily ocean freight operations in a busy logistics environment.

The role involves managing bookings, coordinating with shipping lines and overseas agents, and maintaining service standards while developing the team and building strong customer relationships.

Qualifications

• Minimum 4-5 years' experience within freight forwarding or ocean freight operations.
• Strong Deep Sea Import experience.
• Experience leading, mentoring, or supervising team members.
• Excellent understanding of end-to-end ocean freight processes.
• Experience dealing directly with shipping lines and overseas agents.
• Strong customer service and account management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficient in freight management systems and Microsoft Office.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the day-to-day running of the Deep Sea Import team.
• Manage ocean freight shipments from booking through to final delivery.
• Coordinate with shipping lines, overseas agents, transport providers, and customers.
• Support team members with operational queries and shipment management.
• Monitor team workloads and ensure service levels are consistently achieved.
• Act as the main escalation point for shipment delays, disruptions, and customer issues.
• Maintain strong relationships with customers, suppliers, and international partners.
• Ensure all shipping documentation is completed accurately and on time.
• Track and monitor shipments, providing proactive updates to customers.
• Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency and service delivery.
• Assist with training and development of team members.
• Produce operational reports and support management with performance monitoring.
• Contribute across the wider freight operation as required.

Skills

Deep Sea Import

Team leadership

Customer relation

Freight forwarding

Multitasking

Tools

Freight management software

Microsoft Office

Job description

Imports & Deep Sea Team Leader

Lead Global Freight Operations with Worldwide Exposure - Opportunity to travel the world!

This is an opportunity to join a well-established logistics provider and play a key role in coordinating international freight movements across global supply chains. You'll be working with cargo moving around the world, building relationships with overseas partners, and helping drive operational success from origin through to final delivery.

For an experienced freight professional, this role offers genuine responsibility, leadership opportunities, and the chance to further develop a career within international logistics.

The Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced Deep Sea Team Leader to oversee day-to-day ocean freight operations within a busy and growing logistics environment.

Managing a small team, you will be responsible for ensuring import shipments are handled efficiently while maintaining exceptional service standards. This is an all-round operational role that requires someone who is hands-on, adaptable, and willing to get involved in all aspects of the freight process.

The successful candidate will lead by example, supporting the team with daily operations while also managing their own workload and customer relationships.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee the day-to-day running of the Deep Sea Import team.
• Manage ocean freight shipments from booking through to final delivery.
• Coordinate with shipping lines, overseas agents, transport providers, and customers.
• Support team members with operational queries and shipment management.
• Monitor team workloads and ensure service levels are consistently achieved.
• Act as the main escalation point for shipment delays, disruptions, and customer issues.
• Maintain strong relationships with customers, suppliers, and international partners.
• Ensure all shipping documentation is completed accurately and on time.
• Track and monitor shipments, providing proactive updates to customers.
• Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency and service delivery.
• Assist with training and development of team members.
• Produce operational reports and support management with performance monitoring.
• Contribute across the wider freight operation as required, reflecting the collaborative nature of a small team.

Essential Requirements

• Minimum 4-5 years' experience within freight forwarding or ocean freight operations.
• Strong Deep Sea Import experience.
• Previous experience leading, mentoring, or supervising team members.
• Excellent understanding of end-to-end ocean freight processes.
• Experience dealing directly with shipping lines and overseas agents.
• Strong customer service and account management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Commercial awareness and strong problem-solving capabilities.
• Excellent communication and organisational skills.
• Comfortable working within a smaller team where flexibility and teamwork are essential.
• Proficient in freight management systems and Microsoft Office.

Desirable

• Experience across both import and export operations.
• Exposure to multimodal freight movements.
• Knowledge of container operations and port logistics.
• Experience managing KPIs and operational performance.
• Freight forwarding or logistics qualifications