Shipping Documentation Executive

About this role

Shipping, Freight & Customs moves the goods: carrier relationships, bookings, documentation, customs clearance, chartering and vessel operations.

Prepare and check the documents a shipment cannot move without: bills of lading, packing lists, invoices, certificates of origin. One wrong container number holds a consignment at the port.

This is the part of trade that happens in the physical world and refuses to be tidy. Vessels get omitted, containers get held for examination, a wrong container number on a bill of lading stops a consignment at the gate, and demurrage accrues while somebody argues. The work is judged on landed cost and on how few surprises reach the buyer.

Primary responsibilities

• Prepare and check the document set for every shipment — invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin and whatever the destination requires
• Get the details exactly right, because a discrepancy holds payment or holds the cargo, and often both
• Prepare documents to letter of credit terms where one applies, to the letter
• Manage document courier and presentation to deadlines
• Maintain the document records for audit and for claims

Skills required

Day to day this role works with Attention to Detail, Data Entry, Shipping Documents and Bill of Lading.

• One or more years in shipping documentation, or a commerce degree and real care with detail
• Fast, accurate typing — most of the errors in this work are typing errors
• Two or more years preparing shipping documentation
• Invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin and destination-specific requirements
• Exact attention to detail, because a discrepancy holds payment or holds cargo, often both