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 Poole
If you think the word Poole has the same roots as the word “pool”, you’d be absolutely right, of course. The Devon town is on the South coast of England and is merged completely with Bournemouth to its east. In fact, the Bournemouth Arts University and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra are located in Poole, although they are definitively two separate towns.
The west side of Poole faces a natural harbour (Upton and Creekmore Lakes) within a larger natural harbour, and ferries leave the south of the town for St Helier (Jersey), Cherbourg and St Peter Port (Guernsey). Shipping, sailing and ferries are therefore important industries in the town, and this inevitably leads to Import Coordinator positions becoming available on a regular basis.
Although much of the town is now employed in the service industries, Poole does have a strong manufacturing heritage, and this still accounts for nearly a fifth of its employment. Again, this is good news for logistics, supply chain and procurement employment. The town is the base of motor yacht builder Sunseeker, which employs nearly 2000 people. Several companies have their HQs in Poole, including, bathroom consumables company Lush, lighting company Mathmos, plastics company sealed air and Hamworthy Heating and Combustion. Siemens also has a large presence in the town.
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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