Shipping Manager

Your Recruiters; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A logistics management company in Smethwick is seeking a Shipping Manager to oversee global outbound logistics and manage carrier relationships. The role demands expertise in trade compliance with a proven track record in cost negotiation and documentation management. Candidates must have over 5 years' experience in shipping and logistics. This position offers a salary between £35,000 and £40,000 per annum depending on experience, along with various benefits including paid leave and employee discounts.

Benefits

28 days paid leave

5% company pension

Employee discounts

Onsite parking

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of experience in international shipping or logistics.
• Expert knowledge in compliance and duties.
• Strong background in carrier management and negotiations.

Responsibilities

• Manage global logistics and daily shipments.
• Build and manage relationships with carriers.
• Ensure accurate regulatory documentation and compliance.

Skills

HS classification

Negotiation

Documentation management

Carrier RFP execution

Trade compliance

Education

5+ years in international shipping/logistics

Tools

ShipStation

Excel

TMS

Shopify

Job description

Overview

Shipping Manager – permanent Contract to start ASAP!

Location : Smethwick

Salary : £35,000pa - £40,000pa (DOE)

Hours of Work : 8.30am – 5.30pm – Mon – Fri (40hrs)

Job Role

Own global outbound logistics: Plan and execute daily shipments (parcel, pallet, LTL / FTL, air, courier). Balance speed, cost, and reliability across lanes and service levels.

• Carrier strategy & rate management: Build and manage a panel of carriers / forwarders (e.g., DHL, FedEx, UPS, DPD, Royal Mail, freight forwarders). Run RFPs, negotiate contracts / SLAs, implement lane guides, and conduct QBRs.

Person Spec

• 5+ years in international shipping / logistics with hands-on trade compliance ownership.
• Expert knowledge of HS classification, Incoterms® 2020, duty / VAT frameworks, IOSS, de minimis, country of origin, and customs procedures (UK / EU / US at minimum).
• Proven track record running carrier RFPs, building a carrier panel, and negotiating material savings.
• Strong documentation: commercial invoices, packing lists, COO / origin statements, licenses / certificates, FDA Prior Notice (or equivalent food / supplement filings), and broker instructions.
• Proficiency with shipping / TMS tools and ecommerce / WMS stacks (e.g., Shopify, Metapack, ShipStation, Easyship, Linnworks, Descartes, or similar). Solid Excel / Google Sheets skills for analysis.
• Calm, collaborative communicator—great with partners, carriers, and internal teams (Ops, Quality, Supply Chain, CS).
• Nice-to-have: CILT / IoE&IT, IATA / FIATA, or customs compliance certification; experience with UK CDS entries and ICS2 readiness.

Trade compliance leadership

• Classify products with correct HS codes; maintain the master data and justification notes.
• Apply Incoterms® 2020 correctly (e.g., DDP / DDU / DAP / FCA) per customer / channel.
• Calculate and validate duties, taxes, and tariffs; manage IOSS for EU D2C, de minimis thresholds, and duty relief / drawback where eligible.
• Ensure accurate country of origin and preferential origin proofs (e.g., EUR.1, statements on origin) where applicable.
• Oversee EORI registrations and broker powers of attorney.
• Regulatory documentation & filing: Prepare, verify, and archive all export / import documents: commercial invoices, packing lists, commodity codes, COO, MSDS / SDS, CoAs, shipping labels, and prior notices (e.g., US FDA Prior Notice for foods / supplements). Manage customs broker instructions and queries.
• D2C shipping excellence: Optimize pick-pack-ship SLAs, label generation, tracking communications, and returns flows. Reduce “where is my order” (WISMO) tickets via proactive exception handling.
• Partner & collaborator liaison: Act as primary contact for global partners / customers on shipping, delivery windows, compliance needs, and route-to-market requirements.
• Systems, data & automation: Own TMS / label platforms – ShipStation integrations with WMS / Shopify / ERP. Build dashboards for cost per shipment, on-time, damage / loss, and customs hold rates.
• Risk & quality control: Minimize damages, temperature / handling risks (where applicable), OTIF misses, and customs delays through packaging specs, carrier SOPs, and pre-clearance workflows. Manage cargo insurance and claims.
• Process & continuous improvement: Write SOPs, train teams, run root-cause analyses, and deliver measurable savings and SLA gains.
• Budgeting & forecasting: Own freight budget, accruals, and variance analysis. Forecast capacity for peak events, new product launches, and major partner orders.

Success metrics

• On-time delivery (OTD / OTIF) : ≥ 98% (by lane and service level)
• Cost per shipment : ↓ year-on-year by targeted % while maintaining service
• Customs clearance : < 1% holds attributable to documentation / classification
• Damage / loss rate :
• 85%
• D2C SLA : ≥ 95% orders shipped within 24 hours after manufacture (business days)
• Partner satisfaction (CSAT / NPS) : Year-on-year improvement
• Savings delivered : Concrete £ impact from rate cards, mode / lane optimization

Benefits

• Job Type : Full Time
• Salary : £30,000 - £40,000 per annum (dependant on experience)
• 28 days Paid leave per annum
• 5% salary company pension
• 75% employee discount for Nourished Products
• Dynamic and supportive work environment that fosters accelerated personal and professional growth.
• Onsite parking

What is the Recruitment Process?

If this opportunity excites you, please send your CV to (url removed) or call us at (phone number removed) for more information. This position is available immediately and will include a face-to-face interview at company premises in Smethwick.

Ready to take your skills to the next level? Apply today and become an essential part of the team.

Your Recruiters Limited are an equal opportunity employer, celebrating diversity and committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All applicants will receive a response, with detailed feedback provided to those unsuccessful at the interview stage