Logistics Co-Ordinator

Pooky Lighting; Gloucester; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Pooky Lighting in the United Kingdom is seeking a skilled inbound supply chain professional to manage end-to-end processes for the UK and USA, ensuring products are shipped, cleared and delivered on time at the right landed cost.

You will work with Merchandising, suppliers, logistics partners and Warehouse to meet customer expectations and budgets. The role requires coordinating container plans, freight quotes, customs and compliance.

Qualifications

• Experience in fast-paced retail import or freight environments.
• Ability to manage end-to-end inbound supply chains across multiple territories.
• Strong data analysis and cost-control capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Provide annual container plans for UK and USA with Merchandising teams.
• Obtain, compare and confirm sea/air freight quotes and book shipments.
• Manage FCL and LCL shipments including decision on which to use.
• Track sailing schedules and update ETAs to stakeholders.
• Own classification and upkeep of commodity and tariff codes.
• Coordinate customs entries, duties and import VAT.
• Maintain landed cost model with Merchandising Team.

Skills

Freight logistics

Incoterms

Data analysis

Stakeholder management

Tools

Brightpearl

Inventory Planner

Job description

Hybrid: 4 days in the office, 1 day at home

Contract: 12 Months

You will be expected to manage the end-to-end inbound supply chain for the UK and USA, ensuring products are shipped, cleared and delivered into the warehouse on time and in full at the right landed cost, in conjunction with the Merchandising Team, suppliers, logistics partners and the Warehouse, to meet the customers’ expectations and business financial budgets.

You will find some of the roles responsibilities in BOLD. These responsibilities are essential to the role.

• Provide annual Container plans in conjunction with Merchandising team for both territories and communicate to the Pooky and VC&C businesses.
• Obtain, compare and confirm sea and air (where required) freight quotes, and book shipments in line with planned and forecasted intake and within planned costs.
• Manage full container loads (FCL) and less than container loads (LCL), including the decision on which to use.
• Manage container delivery from port to warehouse across both territories.
• Agree and manage shipping terms (Incoterms, for example FOB, EXW, CIF) with suppliers to control cost and risk.
• Track sailing schedules and transit times and issue revised ETAs to the Merchandising Team, update to the business and Warehousing team in both territories.
• Monitor and minimise demurrage and detention, ensuring containers are cleared and unloaded before charges accrue.
• Identify consolidation opportunities and optimise carton, pallet and container fill with suppliers.
• Manage inbound returns to suppliers and shipment claims with carriers where required.

Customs, Duty & Compliance

• Own the classification and upkeep of commodity and tariff codes for both the UK and USA.
• Ensure every new SKU is correctly classified at setup, in conjunction with the Assistant Merchandiser and Merchandise Assistant.
• Prepare and check import documentation: commercial invoices, packing lists, bills of lading and certificates of origin.
• Manage customs entries and declarations, including HMRC and CDS in the UK and CBP and ISF filings in the USA.
• Own the customs broker relationship and clearance across both territories.
• Manage duty, import VAT and postponed VAT accounting, duty deferment and any customs bonds.
• Apply preferential origin and free trade agreements where available to reduce duty.
• Seek binding tariff or advance rulings where classification is uncertain.
• Ensure inbound product compliance and correct country of origin marking (for example UKCA, CE and relevant US requirements).
• Keep across tariff and trade-rule changes affecting both territories and flag the cost impact early.

Critical Path & Deliveries

• Manage purchase order due dates against a single inbound critical path.
• Chase suppliers and factories on ex-factory readiness and ship dates in conjunction with India QC and Merchandising team.
• Book deliveries into the Warehouse or 3PL and manage inbound scheduling to avoid congestion.
• Resolve goods-in discrepancies, shortages and damages with suppliers, carriers and the Warehouse.
• Coordinate the logistics of new supplier and first-order onboarding.

Logistics Partners & Cost Control

• Act as the day-to-day contact for freight forwarders, carriers, brokers and the Warehouse.
• Tender and review freight rates and monitor partner performance against agreed service levels.
• Own the inbound freight budget, report freight spends against it, and agree accruals with Finance.
• Check and reconcile freight and duty invoices against agreed quotes.
• Maintain marine cargo insurance and hold a basic contingency plan for disruption such as port congestion or delays.
• Maintain the landed cost model that feeds product cost prices, in conjunction with the Merchandising Team.

Systems & Reporting

• Maintain the container Trello boards and a single shipment tracker as the source of truth.
• Keep Brightpearl updated with expected arrival dates and goods receipt.
• Produce weekly inbound reporting on on-time delivery, freight spend, lead times and exceptions.
• Support duty, VAT and freight audits with accurate records.
• Report on freight carbon and identify mode or routing efficiencies.

Team & Cross-functional Working

• Work in conjunction with the Merchandisers, Assistant Merchandisers and Merchandise Assistants across the UK and USA.
• Collaborate with Product and Design, Finance, the Warehouse, QC India, Artee Shades, suppliers and other cross functional teams.
• Provide inbound visibility and elevate supply risks to the Merchandising Manager.

The summary of main duties & responsibilities is not intended to be an exhaustive list of tasks performed.You may be required to undertake additional duties as are necessary to promote the smooth and efficient running of the business.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):

• Support the KPI maintenance of Crown Jewels and Essentials always being 98% in stock and Core always 92% in stock, through on-time and in-full inbound delivery.
• Deliver purchase orders and containers on time and in full (OTIF) into the warehouse to an agreed target (for example 95% on time, 98% in full).
• Keep avoidable demurrage and detention charges at zero, and total inbound freight spend within budget.
• Achieve 100% accurate and compliant customs declarations and shipping documentation, with no compliance breaches.
• Maintain landed cost within an agreed tolerance of forecast, and container fill at or above the agreed target.

Meet agreed inbound lead times and transit times by mode and route.

Skills

• Preferable experience gained in a fast-paced retail, import or freight environment, ideally within Homewares or Interiors.
• Working knowledge of international freight (air and sea), customs clearance and import documentation for the UK and, ideally, the USA.
• Understanding of commodity and tariff codes, duty, import VAT and Incoterms.
• Strong data analysis and reporting skills.
• Ability and confidence to build relationships across all levels of the business and with external partners.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, both written and verbal.
• Excellent IT skills, proficient in Microsoft Office and Excel, ideally with experience of a purchase order management or inventory system (for example Brightpearl and Inventory Planner).
• Commercially focused with high attention to detail.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple shipments and deadlines.

Willingness to learn, own, and develop the role.