Ocean Freight Specialist

Red Recruits; Felixstowe; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 38,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

21 days annual leave

Birthday day off

Death in Service benefit

Staff pension scheme

Bonus scheme up to 10%

Career development opportunities

Job summary

Red Recruits is seeking an Ocean Freight Sales Specialist to join a growing logistics provider in Felixstowe. You will prepare quotations, coordinate ocean shipments from booking to completion, and deliver first-class service to customers.

The role requires 3-4 years' experience in ocean freight, strong communication, and the ability to build lasting relationships. This is a permanent, full-time position with a salary of £35,000 - £38,000 and standard Monday to Friday hours.

Qualifications

• A minimum of 3-4 years' experience working for a freight forwarder is essential.
• Proven experience within Ocean Freight Forwarding.
• Experience preparing freight quotations and managing shipments.
• Good understanding of import and export ocean freight procedures.
• Excellent communication and customer service skills.
• Strong organisational skills with excellent attention to detail.
• Commercial awareness with the ability to build and maintain customer relationships.
• Confident using freight forwarding systems and Microsoft Office.
• Ability to prioritise workload within a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Prepare accurate and competitive ocean freight quotations for customers
• Coordinate import and export ocean freight shipments from start to finish
• Liaise with shipping lines, overseas agents, hauliers and customers
• Follow up quotations to maximise conversion opportunities
• Build and maintain strong customer relationships
• Ensure all documentation is completed accurately and within deadlines
• Work closely with the sales team to identify new business opportunities
• Provide exceptional customer service and regular shipment updates
• Ensure all files are maintained in line with company procedures
• Support continuous improvement of operational processes

Skills

Ocean Freight Forwarding

Quotation preparation

Customer service

Communication skills

Microsoft Office

Organisational skills

Tools

Freight forwarding systems

Booking systems

Job description

Ocean Freight Specialist - Quotes & Shipments

Salary: £35,000 - £38,000

Location: Felixstowe

Position: Permanent, Full Time

Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00am - 5:00pm

Start Date: ASAP

About the Role

Are you an experienced Ocean Freight professional with a strong commercial focus and a passion for delivering excellent customer service?

Our client, a well-established international freight forwarding and logistics provider, is looking for an Ocean Freight Sales Specialist to join their growing team in Felixstowe. This is an excellent opportunity for someone with proven freight forwarding experience who enjoys preparing quotations, coordinating shipments, and building lasting customer relationships.

What you'll do

As Ocean Freight Specialist, you will play a key role in supporting the sales function by preparing competitive quotations, coordinating ocean freight shipments from booking through to completion, and delivering a first-class service to customers.

Main Responsibilities

• Prepare accurate and competitive ocean freight quotations for customers
• Coordinate import and export ocean freight shipments from start to finish
• Liaise with shipping lines, overseas agents, hauliers and customers
• Follow up quotations to maximise conversion opportunities
• Build and maintain strong customer relationships
• Ensure all documentation is completed accurately and within deadlines
• Work closely with the sales team to identify new business opportunities
• Provide exceptional customer service and regular shipment updates
• Ensure all files are maintained in line with company procedures
• Support continuous improvement of operational processes

What you'll need

• A minimum of 3-4 years' experience working for a freight forwarder is essential
• Proven experience within Ocean Freight Forwarding
• Experience preparing freight quotations and managing shipments
• Good understanding of import and export ocean freight procedures
• Excellent communication and customer service skills
• Strong organisational skills with excellent attention to detail
• Commercial awareness with the ability to build and maintain customer relationships
• Confident using freight forwarding systems and Microsoft Office
• Ability to prioritise workload within a fast-paced environment

Why you'll love this role

• Competitive salary of £35,000 - £38,000
• Monday to Friday working hours, 9:00am - 5:00pm
• 21 days' annual leave, plus an additional day's holiday for your birthday
• Death in Service benefit
• Bonus scheme - up to 10% of annual salary if the branch achieves its annual budgeted target (applicable from 2027 onwards for the successful candidate)
• People's Pension statutory workplace pension scheme
• Excellent career development opportunities
• Friendly and supportive working environment
• Stable, full-time permanent position
• Immediate start available

If you're an experienced Ocean Freight Forwarding professional looking to join a successful and growing logistics business where you can make a real impact, we'd love to hear from you.