Senior Import/ Export Specialist

REPORTS TO:  Senior Manager Logistics & Materials

SUPERVISES:  N/A

AUTHORITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Responsible for ensuring and maintaining Austal USA’s compliance with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) requirements.

• Serve as the primary subject-matter expert for U.S. import/export regulations, customs compliance, and Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) operations

• Act as the central point of contact with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), customs brokers, freight forwarders, carriers, and internal stakeholders

• Work with the Manager Security & Export Control Administration to ensure compliance with ITAR, EAR, DFARS, FAR, and applicable trade regulations

• Manage FTZ admissions, removals, weekly entries, annual reconciliation, and reporting

• Oversee duty-free exemptions, tariff mitigation strategies, and country-of-origin determinations

• Coordinate timely and cost-efficient shipment of spare parts, vendor returns and other outbound shipments.

• Specify and enforce packaging, labeling and documentation requirements to ensure regulatory and contractual compliance for all inbound and outbound freight

• Work closely with buyers, suppliers, production control, and production personnel to coordinate timely delivery of material to production while managing inventory balance.

• Manage freight purchase orders, validate charges, and coordinate proper charging and timely payment of freight costs.

• Annually prepare requests for quote for freight and logistics services. Analyze bids and make recommendation for service provider selection.

• Ensure carrier accounts remain current through the weekly monitoring of freight invoices.

• Provide a centralized control point for all freight requirements, including scheduling, routing, optimization, consolidation, and leverage of volume for cost and service improvements.

• Coordinate timely and cost-effective shipment of production-critical material

• Specify and enforce regulatory-compliant packaging, labeling, and documentation requirements

• Develop and continuously improve logistics, transportation, and trade compliance processes

• Manage and evaluate performance of freight carriers, brokers, and third-party logistics (3PL) providers

• Maintain freight metrics and cost controls; identify continuous improvement opportunities

• Support internal and external audits, compliance reviews, and corrective actions

• Provide landed cost data for estimating and finance

QUALIFICATIONS / KNOWLEDGE / EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree in Logistics, Supply Chain Management, or a related field

• Eight (8)+ years of progressive experience in import/export compliance and logistics operations

• Demonstrated experience in managing freight carrier relationships and logistics coordination in a global supply chain, including ocean, air, and ground transportation modes (LTL, TL, parcel)

• Demonstrated experience with U.S. import/export customs clearance; experience with Department of Defense duty free certificate programs and FTZ operations strongly preferred

• Working knowledge of commercial and DOD packaging and shipping requirements

• Proven team player with strong negotiating and influencing skills

• Professional, motivated and ability to work proactively & autonomously

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to work effectively with others

• Strategic, analytical and innovative abilities with solid problem solving skills

• Familiarity with shipboard components and machinery preferred

• Proficient in Microsoft Excel and Outlook; Microsoft Access helpful

• ERP experience desirable

TOOLS:  Computer, Microsoft Computer Applications

DIRECTION EXERCISED:

DISCRETION EXERCISED:

LIAISES WITH:  Third party logistics providers, external freight carriers, suppliers, purchasing, shipping and receiving, US Customs and Border Patrol

ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES: 

• Candidates must meet the following employment eligibility guidelines to be considered for employment with Austal USA:

• 18 years of age or older at time of application

• Able to provide proof of US Person Status

• No felony convictions of Theft/Deception or Violent crimes within seven years from disposition date

• No felony convictions of Drug crimes within three years from disposition date