Ocean Freight Apprentice

DHL Global Forwarding; Dublin; On-site; EUR 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

The Ocean Operations Apprentice role at DHL Global Forwarding in Dublin focuses on booking LCL/FCL shipments, organising pickups and deliveries, and ensuring customer requirements are met with accurate documentation and timely shipment tracking.

You will support day-to-day operations under the Oceanfreight Operations Manager, contribute to KPI achievement, manage invoices, and collaborate with internal teams to deliver reliable logistics services while developing practical expertise in

Qualifications

• Extensive knowledge of OFR Operations.
• Strong MS Office and administrative skills.
• Excellent attention to detail and accuracy.
• Excellent command of English.

Responsibilities

• Book LCL and FCL shipments with shipping lines/agents/overseas offices.
• Organise pickups and deliveries for shipments.
• Ensure customer requirements are met and documents completed timely.
• Shipment tracking and status updates.
• Handle customer complaints and resolve invoice queries.

Skills

MS Office

Administrative skills

Attention to detail

OFR Operations knowledge

Education

H7/O6 or above in Leaving Cert subjects

QQI Level 5 or 6 in cognate areas

Job description

Organisational Background Information

• Booking LCL and FCL shipments with shipping lines / agents / overseas offices
• Organising pickups and deliveries
• Ensures customer requirements are met & documents are completed in a timely & efficient manner
• Shipment tracking

Role Title

Ocean Operations Apprentice

Business Unit

DHL Global Forwarding

Location

Cedar Drive, Dublin

Scope of Role

• Booking LCL and FCL shipments with shipping lines / agents / overseas offices
• Organising pickups and deliveries
• Ensures customer requirements are met & documents are completed in a timely & efficient manner
• Shipment tracking
• Customer complaint handling
• Resolving invoice queries

Reports to

Oceanfreight Operations Manager

Dotted Reporting line

N/A

Direct Line Reports

N/A

Days & Hours of Work

4 days office based, one day in university 9.00 – 17.30 during academic year, and Monday to Friday 9.00 – 17.30 otherwise

Role Profiler

Head of Oceanfreight

Key Accountabilities Key Deliverables

• Maintains excellent relationships with suppliers (internal/external), as appropriate
• Responsible for compliance with CDZ regulations as part of Export / Import process
• Management of accounts payable invoices
• Ensure full compliance re: managing & achieving local & regional KPIs
• Responsible for opening, invoicing, closing & filing all shipments in line with standard procedure
• Manage customer specific billing & EDI invoicing processes
• Manage 3rd party shipments / billings where appropriate.
• Advise Ocean Operations Manager / Product & Customer Service re: performance issues of suppliers & proposes solutions to improve/correct performance
• Participate in the implementation of operational processes and perform work to the standards of Good Distribution practice (GDP) for Life Science business, as required.
• Ensure operational compliance to all revenue and international trade legislative requirements, in addition to all DGF IE policies and procedures (H&S, Quality, Environmental, HR, etc), and work in a manner that supports the Company environment programme

Customer Deliverables

• Be familiar with & ensure all customer requirements are understood, documented, and implemented on a daily basis.
• Be the first point of contact with customer for any bookings, queries, quotations or concerns in relation to their shipments.
• Responsible for managing all door-to-door activities relating to all shipments booked by assigned customers
• To ensure all exceptions are managed and communicated to the customer in a speedy and timely fashion.
• Work closely & collaboratively with all internal teams (transport, product, finance, GSC,) to ensure customer requirements are met and elevate where necessary.
• Work closely with all overseas teams to ensure all expectations are met and elevate where necessary.
• Work with assigned customers to be open, honest, and build long term, strong relationships.
• To ensure all written correspondence made with the customer reflects an excellent command of the English language
• Setting high standards of service deliverables and communication for assigned customers.
• Have an in-depth knowledge of the different modes of transport and proactively offer service solutions to customer.
• Ensure all complaints raised by the customer are fully investigated, with root cause and corrective action documented on GCCS
• Ensure all operational irregularities are document on GCCS
• Listen to the customer and manage customer complaints in a calm and non-confrontational manner
• Ensure operational compliance to all revenue and international trade legislative requirements, and all requirements under Data Protection Legislation in addition to all DGF IE policies and procedures (H&S, Quality, Environmental, HR, etc), and work in a manner that supports the Company environment programme

File ownership

• Ensure correct operator ID is included on files handled.
• Ensure the Station Metrics Widget and LCL (Life Cycle Monitor) are checked and processed accurately in a timely manner.
• Manage and update your shipments via CW1 search grids & tasks
• Monitor Timestamp Completeness & timeliness to identify issues
• Ensure exceptions are logged in CW1 and managed.
• Ensure our service promise is maintained and build good working relationships with clients.
• Ensure autorating and autocosting are completed and accurate invoices issued.
• Drive and ensure file profitability.
• Make routing decisions in line with agreed buy & sell rates, while adhering to agreed transit times.
• Manage the 3Cs: Complaints, Claims, Compliments – be responsive and available.
• Proactively interact with internal teams and stakeholders.
• Offer innovative solutions by staying informed through Performance Dialogues, Market / Country Updates.
• Create Value for DGF and Customer through our Product Range and Upselling.
• Always be on the lookout for Continuous Process Improvement.

Relationships With Others

• Communicates in an open and honest manner.
• Treats others with respect, develops trust and values diversity.
• Demonstrates sensitivity to diversity, i.e., culture, gender, age, religion, race disability.
• Develops effective relationships with employees, peers, and managers.
• Confidence in dealing with all levels in the business over the telephone and also on a face-to-face basis.
• Ability to remain calm when dealing with difficult people.
• Good listening skills and ability to respond in a clear, respectful manner.

Teamwork

• Commitment to fulfilling their role in a team.
• Supportive approach to other team members.
• Shares information, knowledge, ideas, and experience freely with others.
• Commits to team decisions and contributes to building a team spirit.
• Works collaboratively with others to achieve team or business objectives.
• Establishes acceptable levels of quality and quantity of work; reviews, recognises and supports achievement
• Encourages and motivates team members and work colleagues

Customer Orientation

• Basis decisions on how his/her actions impact on customers and DHL.
• Builds and maintains effective relationships with customers, suppliers, and other departments.
• Focuses on the needs of customer and seeks to meet and exceed expectations.
• Quickly and practically solves problems, seeking advice where necessary.
• Appreciates what customers want and continuously strives to meet customer expectations.

Problem Solving

• Identifies issues, problems, and opportunities.
• Deep dives to identify root causes
• Applies formal problem-solving techniques
• Evaluates risk
• Gathers information and analyses cause and effect.
• Quickly and practically solves problems.
• Establishes effective work processes and measures.
• Documents and communicates awareness of the problem, solution and action taken.

Commitment to Excel

• Achieves work targets and is willing to take on additional roles/responsibilities.
• Continuously reviews current processes.
• Seeks and is open to feedback from others.
• Always behaves in a manner consistent with DHL's values.
• Demonstrates a positive attitude to change.
• Flexible approach to work.
• Looks for opportunities in a changing situation.
• Provides detailed advice to others
• Takes initiative to keep skills up to date

Procedural Skills

• Ability to organize own workload across a range of responsibilities & meet deadlines.
• Ability to select appropriate procedures.
• Ability to follow procedures.
• Ability to meet procedural deadlines.
• Ability to improve an existing procedure.
• Ability to create a procedure.

Attention to Detail

• Ability to work with lots of data to high level of accuracy.
• Ability to apply high attention to detail to written (text) documents.
• Ability to follow through on procedures and ensure completion.

Skills / Qualifications

Expected years of experience (minimum)

• Extensive knowledge of OFR Operations
• Good MS Office skills
• Strong administrative skills
• Results driven with excellent attention to detail

Expected Qualifications

• H7/O6 or above in five leaving certificate (or equivalent) subjects. A minimum of grade O6 must be obtained in English. A minimum of grade O6 or a B2 or above in Foundation level must be obtained in mathematics.
• Holders of a QQI Level 5 or Level 6 (or equivalent) in cognate areas (e.g. business, logistics and distribution, supply chain management, etc.
• Applicants may also be eligible to become apprentices via Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by people assigned to this role. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed. The Company reserves the right to revise or amend duties at any time.

We are committed to equal opportunity and reject any forms of discrimination. The basis for employee selection at DHL Group is qualification, performance, skills and experience