Shipping Manager jobs
With goods being transported all over the world, it is important to stay on top of a shipping operation, particularly with regard to the legal paperwork and invoicing. This will be the job of a shipping manager. He or she will see through to delivery and will be entrusted with making sure all such paperwork is in order and flagging up any potential problems.
The shipping manager will oversee a team, probably made up of staff with expertise in dealing with a range of jurisdictions, especially when the company exports and imports widely. The specific understanding of a handful of nations’ customs law is enough to occupy a small team, let alone dozens of countries’. Reporting to the senior management, the shipping manager will have to deal with the day to day running of the department but also implement new strategies as they arise.
The role will also require a good deal of budget management, and part of the job will be to maintain efficiency and introduce new measures to improve efficiency. With fuel costs skyrocketing, this is more important than ever.
The skills required
A good knowledge of international import and export law will be an advantage, whether general or focused on the specific jurisdictions the company deals with. The shipping manager might well have to oversee or build a team around him or her to ensure that all legal bases are covered.
Successful shipping managers often come from backgrounds involved with international shipping rather than general managership, as the skill set required is focused on the technical side rather than the personnel management, important though this is. Likewise, a history of deep involvement with the products being distributed could help more than experience of management, as different products are regulated by different departments and require specific paperwork to stay on the right side of the law.
Shipping Manager Jobs in Torquay
Torquay is located on the East-facing coastal area of Devon, in the area called Torbay. Exeter is 17 miles (27 km) to the north and Plymouth is 27 miles (43 k) to the west. Torquay was a tiny fishing and farming village until the Napoleonic wars, when the Royal Navy would take anchor in the bay and the members of the upper ranks would often go to shore in the area. It soon gained a reputation as being a healthy place to stay and by the 19th century, just in time for the arrival of the railways it became a famous spa town and later, a tourist resort. Nowadays it has a static population of around 65,000 but in high season this can swell to 200,000, the size of a small city.
Tourist towns almost always have great logistical requirements, which is why Shipping Manager jobs can sometimes become available in the town or the surrounding area. Torquay is not particularly industrialised, but there are several trading estates dotted around the outskirts. Plymouth and Exeter are better employers and are both nearby, which does make Torquay a popular commuter town, and people living there seeking non-tourism related work will often look north and west.
For its population, Torquay has produced a fair number of world-famous people. Top of the pile is thriller author Agatha Christie, for whom a mile of plaques, the “Agatha Christie Mile”, is dedicated. Peter Cook, one half of Pete and Dud, was born in the town, as was comedy actor Miranda Hart and model Lily Cole. Sketches of The Goodies and Monty Python’s Flying Circus were filmed there, and it was during one of the latter’s stays that the team happened upon a grumpy hotelier who became the inspiration for Basil Fawlty, TV’s most famous Torquay-based hotel owner.
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Cast UK’s logistics opportunities
As our founders come from the logistics, procurement and supply chain sectors, and our consultants also come from the same fields, Cast UK understand the needs of employers and candidates alike. As we only deal with these connected fields, we have become a go-to recruitment consultancy form many employers, many of whom trust us to create a shortlist through our in-house personnel management.
Candidates approach us looking for work for a range of reasons, from seeking fulfilment to moving house to looking for a promotion. The positions we offer cover the whole of the UK, so please check out what’s available in your region and feel free to get in touch if you’ve seen something you’re interested in – we might just have the perfect job on offer.
To find out more about how Cast UK can help you recruit a Shipping Manager for your business or find you a job as a Shipping Manager then contact one of our consultant team on 0333 121 3345.
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