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About The Position
The role of Ocean Export Operations Agent is client facing to provide the highest-level customer experience through the processing of ocean export shipments. This involves commercial cargo with some contractor cargo. The role will rate quotes, make decisions regarding vendors, invoice amount and profit margin. The role will create SOPs, provide day-to-day coordination, execution and tracking of shipments, which could be domestic and/or international.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
- 2+ Years of transportation and/or freight forwarding experience specifically in ocean export
- Working knowledge of spot quotes, LTL, TL, and expedited ground services
- Knowledge of the NMFC and density rating
- Hands-on ability with rating and routing freight
- Understanding of major carriers, including those who serve Canada and Mexico
- Proven track record of building relationships and gaining credibility with customers and vendors
- Advanced knowledge of operating government freight
- Experience working in the USTRANSCOM program a plus
- Knowledge of: FMC, IMCO, ITA, TSA, C-TPAT, HAZMAT, US Customs Border Protection (CBP)
- Functional knowledge of international regulations and compliance procedures in air/ocean freight
- Experience negotiating rates with trucking companies, carriers, and overseas partners, etc.
- Knowledge of international and domestic geography, including countries & major cities
- Intermediate skills with Microsoft Office products
- Excels in meeting deadlines and demonstrates superior time management skills
- Natural ability to multi-task in a fast-paced work setting, strong attention to detail
- Proven analytical, problem-solving skills in a logistics environment
- Ability to work in a time-sensitive environment
- Desire and drive to learn and grow
- Highly motivated team player with an outgoing and positive work attitude
- Well organized, able to plan and effectively set priorities for implementation
- Ability to be flexible as priorities shift
- Demonstrated ability to work in a client centric environment
- Ability to relate to and successfully interact across a variety of settings and work well with a broad and diverse workforce throughout the organization
- Outstanding communication skills – Excellent verbal and written with an emphasis on listening
- Understanding and responsive to situations that require a sense of urgency
- Consistent in follow-up and follow-through
- Credible with a high level of personal integrity
- Adaptive to ICAT’s core values
Nice To Haves
- Experience working in the USTRANSCOM program a plus
Responsibilities
- Prioritize, schedule, and route shipments for transportation throughout the U.S.
- Handle cargo requirements including spot bidding and GFM knowledge for Government clients, if applicable
- Complete day-to-day coordination, execution, and tracking of shipments
- Schedule and arrange pickups and deliveries
- Book space with carriers
- Negotiate rates with trucking companies, carriers, and cartage agents
- Coordinate and complete documentation between clients, vendors, forwarders, and brokers
- Prepare shipments for turnover to tracking team members
- Prepare quotations for ICAT clients
- Track and trace freight, as well as provide estimated times of arrival and verify piece counts
- Gather proof of deliveries and enter them into the operating system
- Request and enter vendor costs into each shipment and prepare to invoice within the time frame of ICAT policy
- Keep the information in the TMS (operating platform) updated and accurate, including tracking notes, service issues, and vendor issues
- Ensure that all industry and ICAT compliance requirements are met
- Make business decisions regarding the choice of vendor, customer invoice amount, and profit margin
- Provide innovative solutions to customer service issues/barriers
- Create and assist in implementing standard operating procedures and/or automation; make suggestions for increased efficiency
- Develop and assist in implementing creative solutions to enable cost savings and improve margins
- Collaborate with management and the team to establish plans for meeting short- & long-term goals
- Build and maintain strong relationships with customers and vendors
- Join sales calls with key accounts to cultivate relationships
- Work with vendors to negotiate rates and/or handle discrepancies, and service issues
- Act as a Subject Matter Expert for operations questions from various departments
- Work with management to actively participate in team meetings and provide ideas for continued team growth and development
- Be a leader through actions, communication, and mentoring
- May be required to work after hours on call as determined by management
- Perform other duties as assigned