Import Coordinator
Thousands of manufacturing businesses in the UK rely on a smooth and uninterrupted flow of imports to ensure productivity is maximised. The same applies to retailers and wholesale companies too. Warehousing can take up some of the slack, but in many cases, wherever imports are optimised and storage is minimised, efficiency is at its peak. Ensuring all this happens is the import coordinator (no pressure then).
The import coordinator will be in constant contact with suppliers all around the world, making sure stocks and production levels are adequate for the projected needs of their employer. And that’s just the start of the journey – import coordinator jobs tend to require oversight of the freight import process, and that means being on the ball with transportation, usually via third party carriers.
Many import coordinator jobs will also require a degree of understanding of the paperwork and customs requirements to bring goods into the country from the various jurisdictions they deal with, although the job is often purely logistical, with the legals being covered by other specialists.
The skills required
Import coordinator job descriptions often ask for accomplished jugglers – people who can have dozens of ongoing tasks at any moment and retain a firm grasp on all of them. While you’ll usually be helped in this with software and a team of import assistants, you’ll be expected to know exactly what is coming in and how they tally with your employer’s demands.
Language skills will often be required, particularly if the employer deals with a single country. But even if your native tongue is enough to excel, you’ll still need advanced communication skills to make sure your instructions are understood – your business relies on it.
Some employers are looking for specialists in road, rail, air or sea imports, as the logistics, speed, volumes and regulations are often specific to that mode of freight transportation. Always check the description carefully.
Import Coordinator Jobs in Newport
Although Newport can trace its history back to at least medieval times, when its castle was built, it was the Industrial Revolution that turned the town into what it is now, a city of over 140,000 people. Its location on the south of Wales, adjacent to the Severn Estuary opposite Bristol, made it an ideal place for a port to transport the vast amounts of coal, as well as iron, that were being mined from South Wales. For a time, the town had a larger population than Cardiff.
Although the docks are not as busy as they used to be, the town has remained active, with a diverse range of manufacturing, service industry and governmental offices being based there. It is home to Sims Metal Management’s huge scrap recycling plant, which boasts the world’s largest car crusher and links by road, water and rail. The UK’s HQ of the Office for National Statistics and the IPO (patents office) are based there, as well as the Welsh HQs of the Charity Commission and the British Red Cross.
Panasonic and International Rectifier have large factories in Newport, and EADS’s security division, Cassadian, is also located there. With such a diverse range of industries and great communications, Import Coordinator vacancies are quite common in Newport.
Popular locations
Jobs and candidates incoming at Cast UK
If you’re looking for the perfect import coordinator, we at Cast UK specialise in transport and logistics, and have fantastic talent pools with diverse skill sets in our networks & database with diverse skill sets. Why not give us a call on 0333 121 3345?
If you’re experienced in import coordination at managerial or executive level, we want to hear from you to help you make contact with businesses looking for your skills. Click the link below to register with us – your next career move could be closer than you think.
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