Sea Freight Operations Manager
Clarion Shipping
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Job summary
Clarion Shipping Services – USA is seeking a seasoned Operations Manager for Sea Freight to lead end-to-end USA import/export ocean freight operations. You will manage an operational team, coordinate with shipping lines, brokers, and overseas agents, and drive on-time performance and shipment profitability.
You will oversee documentation, compliance, and exceptional customer service while partnering with the Branch Manager and global operations to scale activities across the US market.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Logistics, Supply Chain or related field required.
- 5–8+ years in freight forwarding / ocean freight operations preferred, US market experience helps.
- Strong knowledge of shipping documentation and international trade processes.
- Excellent communication and customer service skills are essential.
- Proficient in MS Office and freight forwarding ERP systems.
Responsibilities
- Lead end-to-end sea freight operations for USA imports and exports.
- Oversee booking, documentation, vessel schedules, tracking and delivery coordination.
- Coordinate with shipping lines, NVOCCs, co-loaders, brokers, terminals and truckers.
- Ensure timely submission of shipping instructions, B/Ls, and other docs.
- Monitor vessel movements, delays and risk; manage escalation and issue resolution.
- Manage origin, destination and local delivery teams for seamless operations.
- Supervise import/export clearance, containers, drayage and final delivery.
- Develop SOPs, KPIs and performance standards for the team.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
Reporting to: Branch Manager / Country Head
Company: Clarion Shipping Services – USA
Department: Sea Freight Operations
Employment Type: Full-Time
The Operations Manager – Sea Freight will be responsible for managing and overseeing Clarion Shipping Services’ end-to-end sea freight operations in the USA, covering both import and export shipments.
The role requires a strong understanding of international ocean freight, shipping documentation, customs processes, carrier operations, overseas agent coordination, customer service, and shipment profitability.
The successful candidate will lead the day-to-day sea freight operations team, ensure operational excellence, maintain strong relationships with shipping lines, NVOCCs, overseas agents, customs brokers, trucking companies and customers, and ensure shipments are handled accurately, efficiently, and within agreed SLAs.
The position is both managerial and operational, requiring the candidate to be actively involved in complex shipments and capable of resolving operational issues independently.
- Manage the complete lifecycle of FCL and LCL import and export shipments.
- Oversee booking, documentation, container planning, vessel schedules, shipment tracking and delivery coordination.
- Coordinate with shipping lines, NVOCCs, co-loaders, freight agents, terminals, truckers and warehouses.
- Ensure timely submission of shipping instructions, VGM, bills of lading and other required documentation.
- Monitor vessel departures, transshipment, arrival, discharge and final delivery.
- Proactively identify shipment delays, rollovers, port congestion and other operational risks.
- Ensure accurate and timely updating of shipment milestones in the company’s systems.
- Handle exceptions and operational escalations from customers and overseas partners.
- Ensure smooth coordination between origin, destination and local delivery teams.
- Manage end-to-end ocean import shipments into the USA.
- Coordinate arrival notices, documentation, customs clearance and cargo release.
- Liaise with customs brokers and relevant parties to ensure timely clearance.
- Coordinate delivery orders, container pickup, drayage and final delivery.
- Monitor free time, demurrage, detention and per diem exposure.
- Proactively manage containers approaching free-time expiry.
- Coordinate with warehouses, truckers and customers for timely cargo delivery.
- Resolve customs, documentation, port and delivery-related issues.
- Manage export bookings with shipping lines and NVOCCs.
- Coordinate container pickup, loading, documentation and terminal cut-offs.
- Ensure compliance with vessel schedules and documentation deadlines.
- Coordinate with customers and overseas agents for shipping instructions.
- Ensure accurate preparation and submission of export documentation.
- Monitor cargo through vessel departure and provide timely updates to customers.
- Ensure accuracy of Bills of Lading, commercial invoices, packing lists, arrival notices and other shipping documents.
- Ensure all operational activities comply with applicable US laws, regulations and company policies.
- Work closely with customs brokers and compliance teams.
- Maintain proper shipment records and documentation.
- Ensure compliance with carrier and port requirements.
- Identify documentation discrepancies before they result in delays or additional costs.
Develop and maintain strong working relationships with:
- NVOCCs
- Overseas agents
- Customs brokers
- Warehouses
- Port and terminal operators
- Negotiate operational solutions and service recovery where required.
- Monitor vendor performance, service quality and cost.
- Escalate recurring vendor issues and recommend corrective actions.
- Support the commercial team with carrier schedules, transit times and operational capabilities.
- Act as a key operational point of contact for assigned customers.
- Provide proactive shipment updates and exception management.
- Ensure customer queries are answered promptly and professionally.
- Resolve operational complaints and service issues.
- Maintain strong customer relationships through reliable communication and execution.
- Identify opportunities to improve customer experience and operational efficiency.
- Coordinate closely with Clarion’s global network and overseas partners.
- Manage pre-alerts, shipment instructions and documentation.
- Ensure timely communication between origin and destination offices.
- Monitor agent performance and shipment handovers.
- Ensure overseas partners receive accurate and timely shipment information.
- Support development of reliable agent relationships in key trade lanes.
- Ensure accurate shipment costing and billing information.
- Monitor operational costs associated with each shipment.
- Minimize unnecessary demurrage, detention, storage, trucking and other accessorial costs.
- Review shipment profitability and identify cost leakage.
- Coordinate with finance for timely invoicing and cost reconciliation.
- Support the Branch Manager and Sales team with operational costing and pricing information.
- Identify opportunities to improve gross profit per shipment.
- Lead, manage and develop the Sea Freight Operations team.
- Allocate shipments and responsibilities effectively.
- Establish clear operational KPIs and performance standards.
- Conduct regular team reviews and performance discussions.
- Train team members on processes, systems and best practices.
- Ensure adequate operational coverage and workload distribution.
- Build a culture of accountability, customer service and operational excellence.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
The Operations Manager will be measured against:
- Operational KPIs
- On-time shipment milestones
- Booking confirmation turnaround time
- Documentation accuracy
- Import/export clearance turnaround
- Exception resolution time
- Shipment visibility and tracking accuracy
- Operational cost control
- Demurrage and detention reduction
- Billing accuracy
- Unbilled shipment reduction
- Customer complaint resolution time
- Response time
- SLA compliance
- Team KPIs
- Team productivity
- Staff performance
- SOP compliance
- Training completion
- Error and escalation reduction
- Bachelor’s degree in Logistics, Supply Chain Management, International Business, Business Administration or a related field.
- 5–8+ years of experience in freight forwarding / ocean freight operations, preferably with experience in the US market.
- Strong experience handling both FCL and LCL shipments.
- Strong knowledge of US import and export processes.
- Experience working with ocean carriers, NVOCCs, customs brokers and trucking companies.
- Prior team management or supervisory experience.
- Strong knowledge of shipping documentation and international trade processes.
- Excellent communication and customer service skills.
- Strong analytical, organizational and problem-solving abilities.
- Proficiency in MS Office and freight forwarding / ERP systems.
The following will be considered an advantage:
- Experience with US ports such as Los Angeles/Long Beach, New York/New Jersey, Savannah, Houston, Charleston and Miami.
- Experience with NVOCC operations.
- Experience with project cargo or specialized cargo.
- Experience managing overseas agent networks.
- Experience with freight forwarding ERP/TMS/WMS platforms.
- Knowledge of customs clearance and US trade compliance.
- Experience in developing SOPs and operational KPIs.
- Existing relationships with carriers, NVOCCs, truckers and customs brokers.
- Technical
- Ocean freight operations
- FCL/LCL management
- Import/export procedures
- Customs coordination
- Drayage and inland transportation
- Shipment costing
- Demurrage/detention management
- Leadership
- Performance management
- Decision-making
- Problem-solving
- Process improvement
- Accountability
- Personal
- Strong attention to detail
- Customer-focused mindset
- Ability to work under pressure
- Proactive approach
- High level of ownership
Within the first 6–12 months, the Operations Manager should:
- Establish a highly reliable sea freight operations process for the USA branch.
- Build strong relationships with key carriers, NVOCCs, agents, truckers and customs brokers.
- Improve shipment visibility and customer communication.
- Reduce operational errors, delays and avoidable accessorial charges.
- Build a high-performing sea freight operations team.
- Improve shipment profitability through effective cost control.
- Establish clear SOPs and operational KPIs.
- Support the USA branch in scaling its sea freight customer base and shipment volumes.
- Create a scalable operational structure capable of supporting Clarion’s growth across the US market.
The Operations Manager will work closely with:
- USA Branch Manager / Country Head
- Sales & Business Development Team
- Global Operations Team
- Overseas Clarion Offices
- Overseas Agents
- Customs Brokers
- Trucking & Drayage Partners
- Warehouses
- Finance & Accounts
- Customers
Clarion Shipping Services is a growing global logistics and freight forwarding organization with an expanding international network.
The USA Operations Manager will have the opportunity to play a key role in building and scaling Clarion’s US sea freight operations, developing operational infrastructure, strengthening the company’s global network and contributing directly to the growth of the USA branch.
This is an opportunity for an experienced freight forwarding professional who wants to take ownership of operations and grow with an ambitious international logistics organization.
Join our dynamic team at Clarion Shipping and be a part of our growth journey in shaping the future of global logistics and freight forwarding.
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