Trade Support Assistant

MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company SA; Ipswich; Hybrid; GBP 21,000 - 28,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Private Health Care

Generous pension scheme

Life Assurance – 4x salary

22 days holidays

Job summary

MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company SA is seeking a Trade Support Assistant to join our West Africa and Latin America trade team in Ipswich. The role involves administrative duties, market monitoring, and close collaboration with Geneva Liners and other MSC offices to support cargo operations and reporting.

You will assist with customer queries, prepare quotations, and help streamline processes while maintaining strong relationships with customers and internal teams to drive business objectives.

Qualifications

• Excellent communication and ability to influence decisions, both internally and externally.
• Commercially minded with a drive to secure more business and build customer relationships.
• Experience in shipping is helpful; training and learning will be provided.
• High level of experience with Microsoft Office is essential for day-to-day tasks.

Responsibilities

• Handle a variety of administrative tasks for the trade team and monitor market activity.
• Prepare monthly rate sheets and daily booking reports with high accuracy and timeliness.
• Support in maintaining positive customer relationships and identify opportunities to streamline processes.
• Assist with customer queries to ensure smooth shipping and maintain account continuity.
• Ensure quotations are prepared and processed promptly and accurately.
• Coordinate with Commercial teams and MSC Geneva to provide comprehensive admin and operational support.

Skills

Communication

Customer relationship management

Microsoft Office

Open-minded

Job description

About Us

MSC is a privately owned global shipping company founded in 1970 by Gianluigi Aponte. As one of the world’s leading container shipping lines with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, MSC operates in over 675 offices across more than 155 countries worldwide with over 200,000 MSC Group employees. With access to an integrated network of road, rail and sea transport resources which stretches across the globe, the company prides itself on delivering global service with local knowledge.

MSC is a world leader in global container shipping and a company offering global service with local knowledge. MSC also provides integrated network of road, rail and sea transport resources which stretches across the globe.

Job Description:

Trade Support Assistant – Export West Africa and Latin America

Full time, permanent

We have an exciting opportunity for a Trade Support Assistant to join our West Africa and Latin America trade team in Ipswich. This role will include regular communication with Geneva Liners and other MSC offices, providing operational, regulatory, and commercial support as well as statistical analysis as and when required.

There will also be close communication with customer service and operational teams to direct and manage cargo and to ensure customers are kept fully informed as well as handling of daily, and monthly reports using OVQ.

At MSC UK, our aim is to provide a market leading service to our customers whilst embodying our company values throughout their journey with us.

How you will help us and what you can expect

Typical contribution includes handling admin tasks that come through to the team and ensuring we are competitive in line with the current market. You'll help look after a broad range of customers and will be responsible for finding solutions or directing them to the relevant internal department to assist to further develop business.

Core responsibilities would include:

• Support a variety of administrative tasks, including preparing monthly rate sheets, and monitoring market trends, including competition activity
• Preparing daily booking reports for MSC Geneva, with the highest accuracy and within timelines required
• Provide support in maintaining positive customer relationships and identifying opportunities to streamline processes where appropriate
• Assist with customer queries to ensure a smooth shipping process and maintain account continuity, supporting overall business objectives
• Ensure all quotations are prepared and processed promptly and accurately
• Maintain effective communication and coordination with Commercial teams and the wider business, including MSC Geneva, to provide comprehensive administrative and operational support

Qualifications and Experience:

Skills and experience you'll bring to us

This role would suit an open-minded individual with an enthusiastic ‘’can-do’’ attitude. Commercially minded and the desire to secure more business and build the relationships with our customers is a must. You'll be a great communicator with the ability to influence decisions both internally and externally. Previous shipping knowledge and experience is helpful; however, we will always support learning and training our people. A high level of experience within Microsoft Office is also an essential part of this role due to extensive use in different day to day tasks.

What we offer

• Competitive salary
• Private Health Care for everyone from day 1 (non contractual)
• Generous pension scheme
• Life Assurance – 4x salary
• 22 days + a day to take on Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve
• Free parking
• On-site artisan restaurant
• Discounted gym membership
• Cycle to work scheme
• Flu vaccines and eye care vouchers
• Buy or sell holiday scheme
• Christmas club saving
• MSC Cruises friends and family discount
• Full induction day and training provided
• Learning and development opportunities
• Dress for the day policy/modern office environment

Application Eligibility

This position is open to external candidates. MSC employeeswho are interested in this opportunity must refer to the Internal Global Job Board and may apply only if the same position is listed there. Please note that this role may or may not be available internally for application.

Whether you're an experienced professional or just starting your career, we have jobopportunities for everyone.

MSC is dedicated to providing equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex,national origin, age, disability or genetics.