Customs Manager | Own and Build the Brokerage Function

Team Recruitment (Oxford) Limited; Auckland; On-site; NZD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Work from home on offer

Job summary

Jacanna Global Logistics seeks a hands-on leader to own the customs brokerage function in New Zealand. You will build a capable team, tighten processes, and drive growth in customs services while maintaining strong customer relationships and regulatory compliance.

You will stay close to the clearance and technical side, shaping how the function runs and developing internal broker capability for a self-reliant operation.

Qualifications

• Registered customs broker with broad experience across commodities and tariff classification.
• MPI and IHS knowledge, including food imports.
• Vehicle, DOU, carnet and AF9 experience is a bonus.
• Ability to explain the "why" behind a customs requirement to non-brokers.

Responsibilities

• Lead a three-broker customs team and develop capability.
• Own customs brokerage function, processes and compliance.
• Provide tariff and technical advice to customers and internal teams.
• Collaborate with sales and operations to grow offerings.

Skills

Customs broker

MPI knowledge

IHS knowledge

Food imports

Tariff classification

Leadership

Job description

Jacanna Global Logistics is a New Zealand-owned freight forwarder based in New Lynn, West Auckland. Many people in the industry know us for vehicles, and that's still an important part of what we do. What's less well known is that our general freight business is now larger than our vehicle side, and it's where our growth is heading.

We're part of a wider group with businesses across New Zealand, Australia and Japan. We're also in the middle of a real transformation, with a new operating model and new leadership roles to take us forward. For the right person, this is a rare chance to help build a freight business rather than simply maintain one.

The opportunity

This is a newly created leadership role. There's no rulebook handed down from an overseas head office and no rigid process to inherit. You'll take full ownership of the customs brokerage function, shape how it runs, and build a strong team with deep customer knowledge and relationships.

This is hands‑on. You'll lead from the front, staying close to the clearances and technical side of brokerage while driving how the function runs. A key focus will be building strong internal broker capability, developing your team's technical depth so we can rely on our own people. Alongside this, you'll tighten up processes and compliance, and work with sales and operations to grow customs brokerage as part of our offering.

Your team will be made up of three brokers. Two are experienced brokers who specialise in Japanese vehicle (RoRo) clearances and high‑volume, multi‑line retail entries from Japan. The third is a new broker who will join the team. You'll report to our Head of Operations and take on the Deputy Transitional Facility Operator role, supporting the management and compliance of our onsite TF.

What you'll be working on

Variety is a big part of this job. Alongside general import and export entries, you'll work across vehicles, DOUs, carnets, AF9s and food imports from Japan and Europe, where good IHS knowledge really matters. You'll be the go‑to for tariff and technical advice, both internally and for customers, and the key contact with NZ Customs, MPI and other agencies. As a smaller forwarder, we only say no when we genuinely can't do something, so you'll get the kind of exposure the larger players rarely offer.

About you

• You're a registered customs broker with broad experience across commodities, entry types and tariff classification.
• You have solid MPI and IHS knowledge, including experience with food imports.
• Vehicle, DOU, carnet and AF9 experience is a bonus, but the right person can pick these up.
• You can explain the "why" behind a customs requirement to people who don't speak broker.
• You're a steady, emotionally intelligent leader who's passionate about building capability, and you bring people along rather than imposing change.
• You're commercially minded and motivated by building something in a business that's evolving.

Why Jacanna

• Real ownership. In a newly created role, you'll shape the processes and a collaborative team.
• NZ-owned and adaptable. Decisions are made locally, and we shape our services to deliver for customers.
• A relaxed, straight-talking culture. We're collaborative and building a culture where people thrive, with some work from home on offer.
• A great place to be. There's a growing calendar of team events, and people are focused on our ambitious growth plans.