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 West Yorkshire
An English county in the region known as Yorkshire and the Humber, West Yorkshire is surrounded by Derbyshire, Lancaster, North and South Yorkshire and Greater Manchester.
It is home to a number of large metropolitan boroughs, each of which offers a variety of opportunities for those seeking Import Coordinator jobs. These include the City of Leeds, the City of Wakefield, the City of Bradford, Calderdale and Kirklees.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the region's economy relied mainly on the wool and textile industries - this was given a significant boost during the Industrial Revolution as steam power and machinery increased production dramatically. Coal mining also helped to bring wealth to the area.
Today, the West Yorkshire area is still known for manufacturing and engineering, while financial companies, call centres, the service sector, tourism and retail are also important.
Supermarkets Morrisons and Asda both have their corporate headquarters in the region, while just some of the other companies that have regional or national offices in West Yorkshire include Nestle, Cummins Turbo Technologies, Hallmark Cards, Pace plc and Syngenta AG.
Financial and professional services companies like KPMG, Norwich Union, First Direct, Direct Line, Lloyds Banking Group, Yorkshire Bank, Bradford and Bingley and Zurich also all have large operations here.
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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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