Westbound Logistics Services is an award-winning leader in the freight and logistics industry, with offices across the UK, China and Europe.
We are looking for an experienced FCL Import Supervisor to join our Sea Freight Import department in Basildon.
This is a hands-on operational role for someone with strong FCL import experience who is ready to take greater responsibility for the day-to-day performance of the department and support the development of the wider team.
Alongside managing FCL shipments and key customer accounts, you will help coordinate workloads, maintain operational standards, support colleagues and ensure shipments are handled efficiently from origin through to final delivery.
The successful candidate will have a strong understanding of FCL import operations, shipping line relationships and container management, together with the confidence to make decisions, resolve problems and provide guidance within a busy operational environment.
Key Responsibilities
- Support the day-to-day running of the FCL Import department, helping to ensure workloads are effectively managed and service standards maintained
- Manage FCL import shipments from origin through to final delivery in the UK
- Provide operational support, guidance and knowledge to members of the FCL team
- Monitor departmental workloads and priorities, helping to ensure shipments and customer requirements are handled effectively
- Liaise closely with Westbound overseas offices, including our China operations
- Develop and maintain effective working relationships with shipping lines and key service providers
- Understand and monitor container allocations, commitments, availability and carrier performance
- Coordinate customs clearance, transport, warehousing and final delivery requirements
- Proactively identify and resolve operational issues, including more complex shipments and service exceptions
- Act as an escalation point for operational and customer issues where appropriate
- Maintain a strong understanding of key client requirements and ensure operational delivery supports commitments made by the commercial team
- Work closely with Sales and other internal teams to support the successful onboarding and ongoing servicing of key customer accounts
- Help maintain high standards of accuracy, productivity and customer service across the department
- Identify opportunities to improve processes, workflows and operational efficiency
- Liaise with Accounts and other internal departments to ensure customer accounts and cargo releases are managed correctly
- Ensure accurate shipment records and documentation are maintained, including Bills of Lading and associated import documentation
Team Support & Development
An important part of this role will be helping to create a knowledgeable, collaborative and accountable FCL team.
The successful candidate will be expected to:
- Support and develop colleagues through day-to-day guidance and knowledge sharing
- Help ensure new and existing team members understand operational procedures and customer requirements
- Encourage good communication, accountability and teamwork
- Work closely with senior management to identify training or operational development requirements
- Help maintain a positive, solutions-focused working environment
Experience & Knowledge
We are looking for someone with:
- Strong previous experience in FCL import freight forwarding
- A thorough working knowledge of the end-to-end FCL import process
- Good knowledge of Bills of Lading, shipping documentation and import procedures
- An understanding of UK customs clearance processes
- Experience dealing directly with shipping lines, hauliers, warehouses and overseas agents
- A good understanding of container allocations, carrier commitments and shipping line performance
- Experience handling key or commercially important customer accounts
- Strong organisational and problem-solving skills
- The ability to prioritise workloads and remain effective within a busy operational environment
Previous experience supporting, supervising or developing colleagues would be advantageous.
Personal Attributes
We are looking for someone who is:
- Confident and approachable with strong communication skills
- Comfortable taking responsibility and making operational decisions
- Commercially aware and able to understand the wider impact of operational performance
- Proactive rather than reactive when dealing with problems
- Calm and solutions-focused under pressure
- Comfortable communicating directly with customers, suppliers and colleagues
- Able to motivate and support others while remaining actively involved in day-to-day operations
- Focused on both customer service and operational performance
Salary
Negotiable during the interview process and dependent upon experience.
Probation
6 months, with an ongoing review at 3 months.
Benefits
- 20 days paid holiday per year, excluding bank holidays
- Following completion of the first full year of employment, an additional day's holiday is gained each year, capped at 25 days excluding bank holidays
- Contributory pension following successful completion of probation
- NHS Top-Up health scheme following successful completion of probation
If you have strong FCL import experience and are looking for an opportunity to take greater ownership, support a team and play an important role in the continued development of a growing import operation, we'd like to hear from you.
Apply [email protected]
Pay: £32,000.00-£42,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Canteen
- Casual dress
- Free parking
- Health & wellbeing programme
- On-site gym
- On-site parking
Application question(s):
- We are seeking candidates that live within a commutable distance from our offices in Basildon, Essex only
Work Location: In person
