Import Manager jobs
Trading with foreign jurisdictions has been in existence as long as humanity, and it has always come with its rafts of laws and regulations to make sure all imports and exports are legal. In modern times, despite opening up borders and relaxing duties, importation is still a job that requires expert administrators with a deep knowledge of the law surrounding their sector.
From a business perspective, the import manager’s most important role is to ensure all imports land in their allotted places on time and in one piece. Since warehousing can be an expensive business, ensuring imports are timed perfectly to keep them moving and profits growing will be vital. The import manager will also be in charge of ensuring deliveries are correct as ordered and are not damaged, and remedial action will be required if anything is amiss.
The import manager may also have buying responsibilities, keeping an eye on prices, seeking out more efficient deals and negotiating rates with existing or new suppliers. But in every aspect of the job, the need to observe both UK and international law will be the overarching requirement, as failure to observe it could threaten the company’s future and profits.
The skills required
The role of the import manager will be divided between business critical, financial management and ensuring the correct paperwork is in order regarding import law. It is therefore a multi-stranded job, which will necessarily suit people able to switch between roles several times a day.
A thorough knowledge of import law, particularly law surrounding the specific goods and the jurisdictions being dealt with, will be essential, especially in smaller companies, where the import manager might not have a large team to assist with this element. However in larger companies some of the specific roles might be filled by specialists in particular goods or markets, so more general management skills will be valued.
An ability to keep track of complex logistical operations will be required, and as this will be largely computerised, so will a good grasp of modern IT systems.
Import Manager Jobs in Oxford
The county town of Oxford and famous throughout the world for its university, Oxford is actually a thriving, self-contained city with a diversity of industries not directly related to its county status or education sector. It has been a successful city for so long that its architecture spans the millennia, and since much of the most important buildings were churches, it got the name “city of dreaming spires”.
Without doubt the university and its related activities (bars, cafes, hotels, shops, theatres etc.) is the key single employer of the city, and the university heritage also plays into its thriving tourism industry. All this contributes to the thriving nature of the city, which is busy all the year round.
But a major industry just to the south east of the city centre is car manufacturing, at the Cowley BMW plant, home of the new Mini. The plant used to be the Morris Motors plant during the First World War, and this attracted a railway and other communications to serve it. During World War Two the plant made training planes for the RAF. After the war mergers and acquisitions changed the company to BMC, then British Leyland, Austin Rover, the Rover Group and finally BMW (but locals still call the factory Morris’s).
With a thriving, ever changing population and various high-tech and heavy industries, Oxford often throws up Import Manager positions to help oil the wheels of commerce. It’s certainly an exciting place to live and work.
Popular locations
Cast UK’s logistics opportunities
Employers approach Cast UK to find candidates because they’re confident that we can fill their managerial and executive vacancies. We were founded by specialists in the logistics, supply chain and procurement trade, and our consultants are also drawn from these backgrounds, so we know what employers and candidates are looking for.
At any time, we have jobs and candidates in all areas of the UK, so we are perfectly placed to find you work wherever you are. Whether you’re moving house or simply looking for more job fulfilment or to advance your career, there’s more than likely an employer who’s looking for the skills you have.
Please get in touch if you’re looking for a job in logistics; there’s a good chance there will be a vacancy now or in the near future.
To find out more about how Cast UK can help you recruit an Import Manager for your business or find you a job as an Import Manager then contact one of our consultant team on 0333 121 3345.
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