Interra International Hiring for Global Trade Operations Specialist Job at Atlanta, GA Full Time

The Global Trade Operations Specialist is responsible for developing and maintaining excellent customer service to internal and external customers while processing export and/or import shipments to move products globally. The Global Trade Operations Specialist coordinates and schedules domestic and/or international shipments, and is responsible for making efficient and economic transportation decisions. The specialist works with foreign offices, customers, suppliers and service providers, such as warehouse, ocean, drayage, and trucking providers to ensure that cargo is properly scheduled through all operational steps while upholding governmental compliance requirements.

The Global Trade Operations Specialist is responsible for coordinating and resolving all export cargo documentation issues related to the prompt and accurate release of cargo, working with suppliers and customers, government agencies, foreign locations, and global ocean freight providers. He/She submits and reviews accuracy of negotiable bills of lading, associated health and other certifications, and creates commercial documents to ensure proper release at shipment destination.

KEY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Coordinate Routing of Export and/or Bookings:
Secure Carrier

• Determines mode(s) of transportation required for delivery of product
• Manages daily processing of freight transactions
• Serves as Subject Matter Expert (SME) for logistics in area of geographic responsibility, providing leadership for all daily logistics related issues to manage expectations inherent in moving freight domestically and internationally

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Adhere to Trade Terms_

• Ensures payment to suppliers based on terms
• Reviews trade terms to understand pricing guidelines and timelines for transportation.
• Captures all costs associated with a shipment including freight cost, detention charges, storage charges, surcharges and demurrage
• Routes cargo in accordance with legal and customer requirements including cargo characteristics, transport mode, equipment type, service level, least cost, transit time, loading and offloading requirements
• Determines most appropriate method for delivering documents to customer based on transportation method and transit times in order to align with trade terms

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Optimize Trade Logistics_

• Aligns personal work process to new regulations and procedures impacting area of responsibility
• Cultivates and manages relationships with service and government agencies providers to enable greater efficiencies and cost savings.
• Advises on new processes or procedures to align with new regulations and procedures impacting area of responsibility
• Cultivates and manages relationships with logistics providers to enable greater efficiencies and cost savings. Conducts spot negotiations when appropriate.
• Partners with suppliers and service providers while holding them accountable to provide timely and accurate service
• Continuously reviews and analyzes data and day-to-day processes for opportunities to improve quality and service. Proposes improvement projects
• Researches and offers optimal transportation modes, routings, equipment and frequency
• Proactively contacts Sales teams in order to effectively prioritize and schedule work.
• Drives efficiency in working with Logistics Providers/Partners; balancing cost effectiveness, quality of the services provided and customer expectations.
• Maintains daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly report

Track Deliveries:
Monitor Delivery of Shipments

• Maintains active knowledge of status and location of all products for transactions handled at all times
• Manages transactions within Interra order system
• Proactively communicates with customers regarding required documents for delivery of goods.
• Proactively communicates with customers regarding service or delivery issues
• Identifies changes or issues in service or delivery and alerts Sales team to communicate to customer or develop resolution plan
• Manages tactical logistics issues, recommend solutions, and communicate follow-up
• Partners internally to ensure seamless customer experience

Prepare Items for Shipping Documentation:
Create Customer Invoice

• Monitors ordering system for new orders
• Reviews all elements of trade logistics and trade terms to ensure accuracy in invoicing.
• Initiates creation of shipping documentation, including creating customer invoice in sales system.
• Prior to posting sales invoice, clarifies information on sales order and requests Sales to update information in the system as needed.

Secure information to Create Documents for Export Bookings

• Determines documents required for each transaction and takes action to complete them or coordinates with suppliers to ensure completion.
• Aligns personal work plan to transit times in order to ensure timely delivery of documents to customer.
• Seeks assistance from internal teams and/or more senior operations team members to expedite receipt of information for documents if needed.
• Maintains accurate list of documents required by country, trade lane and/or customer to ensure most efficient process.
• Communicates with service providers to obtain necessary documents
• Creates or coordinates creation of commercial documents and submits for timely and accurate clearance at origin and destination by trade authorities

Provide Customer Service:
Issue Resolution

• Manages compliance and documentation issues and escalates issues to Logistics, Sales or more senior members of the team as needed.
• Identifies logistical issues and seeks solutions
• Partners with Sales to develop and implement resolution plans and activities.
• Provides timely, relevant information to Sales team regarding issues so that the Sales team can effectively communicate with their customer.
• Communicates any issues to all relevant internal parties and ensures their participation in resolution of issues if needed.
• Investigates claims/disputes in collaboration with the Claims department.

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Customer Communications_

• Provides consistent and timely communication to all customers pertaining to all aspects of container movement.
• Coordinates shipping update for customer in collaboration with Sales and Compliance teams as requested.
• Partners with Sales and Purchasing teams to further understand vendors, products, and customers to aid in relationship development and customer service

REQUIRED SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Competencies

• Gains and Uses Insight – Seeks to understand customers, suppliers or service providers and the market and applies insights to achieve business results
• Drives Innovation – Formulates innovative ideas and approaches to processes, systems or services; seeks and implements opportunities to improve, streamline or re-invent work processes; tries different and creative ways to deal with issues and opportunities.
• Delivers Flawless Execution – Actively manages work to ensure the right time and right price for all operations services; demonstrates passion for delivering superior results; strives to continuously improve processes, systems or services.
• Builds Value-Based Relationships – Identifies and cultivates internal and external alliances that lead to successful outcomes for the organization and its customers and suppliers; positions the organization for future success by identifying new opportunities through relationships.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Ability to prioritize and quickly resolve issues.
• Demonstrates keen attention to detail; shows concern for all aspects of the job; accurately checking processes and tasks
• Ability to use information tools to obtain the needed information to evaluate performance and access relevant data.
• Knowledge of MS Office, especially Word and Excel
• Ability to complete and process necessary forms and documents (i.e. expense reports, invoices) within appropriate time frames.
• Rapport Building – Ability to build rapport with customers and suppliers over the phone without meeting face-to-face.
• Compliance Knowledge – Knowledge of applicable governmental regulations to the trade lane.
• Knowledge of and ability to properly use INCO Terms
• Active Listening – listening with a strict focus and asking intelligent follow-up questions to help empathize with prospects to offer the best solution for the customer.
• Influencing – Ability to persuade or motivate others to solve problems, build solutions that create results and create positive outcomes and value.
• Ability to communicate effectively in order to impress a sense of urgency and/or obtain needed information in a timely manner

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience
• No experience required
• Must pass reference and background check
• Availability to respond to work-related inquiries outside of normal working hours.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in transportation, international business, supply chain, or related field

• 3+ years of experience in logistics for international trade, ocean, import/export, or trucking

• Six Sigma certification

• Language Abilities: Spanish and English Fluency

Interra is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a drug-free workplace. For more information, please view our website.

Job Type: Full-time