Senior Ocean Operations Specialist - Import & Export

HappyGlobal Service; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

HappyGlobal Service in Houston is seeking a seasoned ocean freight professional to manage end-to-end imports and exports, coordinating carriers, overseas agents, customs brokers, truckers and warehouses to hit milestones and maintain flawless service.

You will review documents, file ISF for imports, arrange bookings, and review bills of lading, while pricing options, calculating costs and gross profit, and issuing quotations within authority.

Qualifications

• Typically 3+ years of ocean freight experience with a U.S.-based freight forwarder or NVOCC.
• Hands-on experience in both imports and exports with end-to-end capability in at least one direction.
• Knowledge of U.S. ocean freight workflows, documentation, carriers, terminals, customs brokers, and warehouses.
• Ability to quote, explain pricing components and gross profit, and identify additional charges.

Responsibilities

• Manage assigned shipments and coordinate carriers, overseas agents, customs brokers, truckers and warehouses.
• Review documents for imports (ISF filing, arrival, clearance, delivery) and for exports (bookings, cutoffs, SI/VGM, AES/ITN, B/L review).
• Coordinate pricing, calculate costs, confirm charges, and issue customer quotations within authority.
• Track deadlines, handle delays or disputes, and escalate when needed to resolve issues.
• Maintain relationships, review service feedback, and support sales with quotations and repeat business.

Skills

Ocean freight experience

Imports/Exports end-to-end

Customer relationships

Bilingual English/Mandarin

Coordination across teams

Excel proficiency

Strong communication

Tools

Excel

Outlook

Freight forwarding systems

Carrier/terminal tracking tools

Job description

Own ocean freight operations, quotations and day-to-day customer relationships. Coordinate overseas teams and U.S. service providers to manage shipment milestones, documentation, costs and exceptions. Deliver reliable service while identifying opportunities to deepen existing customer relationships and grow repeat business.

Key responsibilities

1.Ocean import and export operations

Manage assigned shipments and coordinate carriers, overseas agents, customs brokers, truckers andwarehouses. For imports, review documents and coordinate ISF filing, arrival, clearance and examinations,release, pickup, delivery and empty returns; arrange CFS pickup for LCL shipments. For exports,coordinate bookings, empty pickup, loading, terminal delivery, cutoffs, applicable SI/VGM and AES/ITNmilestones, and bill of lading review and release. Work within company authorization and clearly assignedservice-provider responsibilities.

2.Pricing and cost analysis

Obtain supplier rates based on routing, equipment, weight, commodity, timing and service scope.Compare executable options and calculate complete costs and gross profit. Confirm applicable freight,local, drayage, chassis and storage charges, rate validity, free time and potential accessorials. Issuecustomer quotations within company authority.

3.Exceptions and cost control

Track last free day, free time, demurrage and detention/per diem exposure. Assess costs and risks whendelays, release issues or charge disputes arise; present practical options, drive timely decisions andescalate matters beyond your authority through resolution.

4.Customer relationships and account development

Understand existing customers’ volumes, lanes and delivery needs. Review quote outcomes and servicefeedback to identify additional opportunities. Partner with sales and product teams to support quotations,trial shipments and repeat business while protecting service quality and margins.

5.Billing and team coordination

Maintain shipment records, review vendor invoices and customer receivables, document extra chargesand support finance with reconciliation and collection follow-up. Follow credit and release procedures.Provide clear handoffs to U.S., China and Asia teams, including ownership, status, next steps anddeadlines.

Required qualifications

• Typically 3+ years of relevant ocean freight experience with a U.S.-based freight forwarder or NVOCC;demonstrated independent capability is the primary consideration.
• Hands-on experience in both imports and exports, with independent end-to-end capability in at leastone direction and practical participation in the other.
• Knowledge of U.S. ocean freight workflows and documentation, experience coordinating carriers,terminals, customs brokers, truckers and warehouses, and examples of independently resolvingexceptions.
• Practical experience sourcing rates, calculating costs and preparing customer quotations; ability toexplain pricing components, gross profit, assumptions and potential additional charges.
• Direct customer relationship experience, with specific examples of recovering orders, generating repeatbusiness, expanding service scope or increasing share of customer business.
• Clear spoken and written English and the ability to collaborate effectively with Chinese-speaking teams.Working Mandarin is required where direct support of Mandarin-speaking customers is part of theassigned scope.
• Ability to prioritize concurrent shipments, communicate proactively, escape appropriately and providecomplete handoffs; availability for full-time on-site work and agreed coordination arrangements.
• Proficiency with Excel, Outlook, freight forwarding systems, and carrier and terminal tracking tools.

Preferred qualifications

• Independent end-to-end capability in both ocean imports and exports.
• Experience working across U.S. and China time zones, Southeast Asia trade lanes, multiple U.S. ports ordoor-to-door services.
• Verifiable results in supplier negotiation, customer account growth or process improvement.