Customs Declarant
The role of customs declarant is a highly technical and detailed one, which is essential to maintaining the flow of goods in the logistics and freight forwarding sectors where cross-border goods shipments are being made. You’ll be checking consignments before they have left the factory or warehouse, whether that’s in person or via local teams charged with ensuring everything is in order.
As a customs declarant, you’ll find yourself dealing with customers, overseas departments of your own company and suppliers on a daily basis. You’ll also be dealing with the HMRC in the UK regularly, or the equivalent customs, duty and taxation bodies in foreign countries. In some roles, the job can be much deeper, visiting manufacturers and buyers to check up on their processes, stock and paperwork and making sure it’s compliant for the proposed contracts. Often, it is all done remotely, however, and this can open the role up to hybrid working arrangements for certain declarants.
The skills required
Primarily, you’ll be experienced in customs and duty procedures, but since that is a huge subject, some companies are looking for talent that’s experienced in a certain field, for example chemicals, pharmaceuticals or aviation. The number of years’ experience desired varies from business to business, but most are looking for at least 2 years, while others want as much as 5 years in the job.
You’ll be knowledgeable in customs classification, and should know your own jurisdiction’s rules inside out, while being a fast learner when it comes to getting to grips with the rules in other nations and specialised sectors. Your attention to detail and accuracy will be second to none, and you’ll be able to communicate complicated legal concepts succinctly and unambiguously.
Customs Declarant Jobs in Portsmouth
Although it doesn’t really feel like it when you are there, Portsmouth is technically an island city, indeed the UK’s only one, located as it is on Portsea Island and separated from the Hampshire coast by a 30-metre-wide creek. Geographically, it is about as close as possible to being the perfect natural harbour, with its small inlet hiding the large, navigable Fareham Lake. And needless to say, it is one of Britain’s most influential ports, with a wealth of military and civilian history behind it. The city was heavily bombed during World War II, but was also a key staging post for the D-Day landings in 1944.
Today, Portsmouth is an international port, with ferries and freight leaving its docks for Cherbourg, Le Havre, St Helier and Santander, among others. As with any port, Customs Declarant jobs are abundant thanks to its pivotal role in the international logistics network.
The city is currently booming and undergoing a major redevelopment of its central area, with new housing and shopping centres being built. The military still plays a massive role in the city, with one in ten of its employees linked to the Navy, and the UK’s two aircraft carriers being built there. The European headquarters of IBM is based in the city, as well as he UK HQs of Zurich Financial Services and defence company Northrop Grumman.
Popular locations
Customs declarants needed now
Nothing can be left to chance with customs declarations, so logistics and import/export businesses are always looking for the most experienced declarants, and very competitive salaries are available for the right candidates.
If you’re looking at customs declarant jobs and have the skills and the experience, why not leave your details with us by registering below? We will get in touch when a relevant opening becomes available – it could be a life-changing decision.
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