Ocean Freight Supervisort-Mandarin Required

CREATIVE INNOVATION INC; Ontario (CA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Job summary

CREATIVE INNOVATION INC is seeking an Ocean Freight Supervisor to oversee sourcing, capacity procurement, carrier coordination, and end-to-end ocean shipments from China to the United States. The ideal candidate negotiates rates with carriers and manages shipments from booking through delivery to U.S.

warehouses, combining commercial and operational expertise to secure capacity and minimize delays. The role demands hands-on experience with ocean carriers, knowledge of FCL/LCL, and the ability to

Qualifications

• Requires hands-on experience in ocean freight from China to the U.S.
• Proven ability to coordinate end-to-end shipments and manage carrier relationships.
• Strong negotiation and cost-control capabilities in international logistics.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain relationships with ocean carriers, freight forwarders, brokers, and drayage providers.
• Negotiate rates and service terms; manage space commitments, surcharges, and payment terms.
• Plan capacity, confirm routing, sailing schedules and ports; secure vessel space and bookings.
• Coordinate shipments from booking to delivery including export/import processes and warehouse handoff.
• Review and track booking confirmations, Bills of Lading, and shipping documents for accuracy.
• Resolve exceptions such as delayed sailings, demurrage, or detention; coordinate corrective actions.
• Verify charges across providers; identify opportunities for savings across routes.
• Maintain rate records and supply chain data; collaborate with teams in China and the U.S. to improve processes.

Skills

Leadership

Supplier sourcing

Rate negotiation

Booking coordination

Documentation accuracy

Problem solving

English-Mandarin

Cross-border shipping

Time zone coordination

Job description

Benefits:

• Competitive salary
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Vision insurance

Position Overview

We are seeking an Ocean Freight Supervisor to oversee transportation sourcing, capacity procurement, carrier coordination, and end-to-end ocean freight shipments from China to the United States. The ideal candidate will have hands-on experience working directly with ocean carriers, negotiating rates, and managing shipments from booking through delivery to U.S. warehouses. This role requires both commercial skills and operational expertise to secure capacity, resolve exceptions, and ensure timely, cost-effective delivery.

Key Responsibilities

1. Carrier and Service Provider Development Develop and maintain relationships with ocean carriers, freight forwarders, customs brokers, and U.S. drayage providers to support regular shipping volumes and peak-season capacity needs.
2. Rate Negotiation and Commercial Coordination Obtain and compare quotations, negotiate rates, and participate in discussions on space commitments, free time, surcharges, payment terms, and service requirements. Coordinate agreement implementation and monitor performance against agreed terms.
3. Capacity Planning and Booking Review shipping forecasts and confirm routing, sailing schedules, container types and quantities, and origin and destination ports. Secure vessel space and equipment, arrange bookings, and coordinate schedule changes.
4. End-to-End Shipment Coordination Independently coordinate shipments from booking through empty container pickup, loading, origin trucking, export customs clearance, terminal gate-in, ocean transit, U.S. customs clearance, container pickup, and warehouse delivery.
5. Documentation and Milestone Management Review booking confirmations, bills of lading, and shipping documents for accuracy. Track documentation and terminal cutoffs, customs and cargo release, container availability, delivery appointments, and empty container returns to prevent delays and unnecessary charges.
6. Exception Resolution Resolve rolled bookings, sailing delays, customs examinations, container pickup issues, demurrage and detention, and warehouse delivery delays. Coordinate corrective actions and follow up on billing disputes and claims.
7. Cost Control and Invoice Review Verify ocean freight, drayage, customs brokerage, and other logistics charges. Compare total transportation costs across providers and routing options and identify cost-saving opportunities.
8. Supplier Performance and Process Improvement Maintain rate records, shipment data, and supplier information. Evaluate providers based on pricing, reliability, transit time, and responsiveness, and work with teams in China and the U.S. to improve operational processes.

Qualifications

• At least 3 years of relevant experience in ocean freight, international logistics, or cross-border transportation, with the ability to independently coordinate capacity and shipments for assigned trade lanes or accounts.
• Hands-on experience managing ocean shipments from China to the U.S., covering the full process from booking through final warehouse delivery.
• Direct experience working with ocean carriers, including rate negotiation and space coordination, with involvement in service contract discussions or contract execution.
• Strong knowledge of FCL and LCL shipments, booking confirmations, bills of lading, export and import customs procedures, cargo release, drayage, and warehouse delivery requirements.
• Familiarity with U.S. destination operations, including coordination among customs brokers, terminals, carriers, drayage providers, and warehouses, as well as free time, empty returns, demurrage, and detention.
• Demonstrated ability to source providers, compare quotations, negotiate pricing, and evaluate transportation costs, transit times, and service reliability.
• Strong problem-solving and communication skills, with the ability to independently resolve shipment exceptions and coordinate across teams.
• Working proficiency in English and Mandarin Chinese, including business correspondence, quotations, and shipping documentation, and the ability to coordinate across China and U.S. time zones.

Preferred Qualifications

• Established relationships with ocean carriers, freight forwarders, U.S. customs brokers, or drayage providers.
• Experience securing peak-season capacity and coordinating carrier service contract execution on China–U.S. trade lanes.
• Demonstrated results in transportation cost reduction, complex shipment issue resolution, or operational process improvement.