Operations Executive

Job Title: Commercial Operations ExecutiveLocation: Southampton | Department: OperationsReports to: Operations Manager / Branch ManagerSalary: £30,000 £38,000 + bonus, DOE | Type: Full-time, office-based with hybrid flexibility
About UsOur client are a leading UK freight forwarder with 20+ years moving air, sea, road and project cargo worldwide known for service-first operations and smart commercial thinking. The Southampton office is a key UK gateway, handling 8,000+ TEU annually across retail, automotive, and industrial clients.
The RoleThis isnt a process the paperwork ops role. We need a Commercially Minded Operations Executive who owns shipments end-to-end and spots opportunities to improve margin, win revenue, and keep clients sticky.
Youll sit between operations and sales executing flawlessly while thinking: How do we make this more profitable? What else does this client need? Wheres the risk?
Key Responsibilities
1. Operational Excellence 60%- Manage full lifecycle of air/sea/road shipments: booking, documentation, customs, tracking, POD- Liaise daily with overseas agents, shipping lines, hauliers, airlines, and UK ports mainly Southampton, Felixstowe, London Gateway- Ensure HMRC/CHIEF/CDS compliance and accurate customs entries. No surprises on duty/VAT- Proactively solve problems: delays, roll-overs, space issues, demurrage. Clients hear solutions, not problems- Maintain data integrity in [CargoWise/Wisetech/operational system] your numbers drive our reporting
2. Commercial Performance 30%- Protect margin: Query rate discrepancies, challenge unnecessary charges, optimize routing- Grow accounts: Spot upsell ops insurance, customs clearance, warehousing, DDP conversions- Flag buying opportunities: consolidations, backloads, new carrier deals- Support sales on quotes/tenders with real operational costings, not guesswork- Own client KPIs: OTIF, spend, volume trends. Join QBRs and talk like an owner
3. Team & Compliance 10%- Mentor junior ops coordinators on best practice- Adhere to AEO, ISO, BIFA standards and internal SOPs- Support out-of-hours cover on rota freight doesnt sleep
What Youll Bring
Essential:- 2-4 years freight forwarding ops experience sea freight preferred, air/road a bonus- Commercial acumen: You understand sell vs buy rates, GP, and why 1 day of demurrage kills margin- Systems savvy: CargoWise/BluJay/Debitoor or similar + strong Excel vlookups, pivot tables- Customs knowledge: CDS, CPC codes, Incoterms 2020, post-Brexit processes- Problem solver: Calm under pressure when a containers stuck in Southampton VBS chaos- Client-facing: You can explain a port strike to a FD without panicking them
Desirable:- BIFA qualified or working towards- Experience with retail, automotive, or hazardous cargo- Established carrier/agent relationships out of Southampton- Knowledge of bonded warehousing, ETSF, or 4PL models
What Success Looks Like in 12 Months1. Zero margin leakage: Your files hit GP targets, debit notes queried within 48hrs2. Client growth: 2+ existing accounts buy new services because you spotted the gap3. Trusted voice: Sales bring you to pitches because you make them look good4. Efficiency: Youve automated or improved 1 key process in the Southampton team
What We Offer- Base: £30k-£38k based on experience + performance bonus tied to GP retention/growth- Progression: Clear path to Senior Ops, Key Account Manager, or Trade Lane Manager- Development: BIFA training, Customs Academy, leadership courses we pay- Benefits: 25 days holiday + bank hols, pension 5% matched, healthcare cash plan, staff forwarder rates- Culture: No ego, no silos. Ops and sales eat lunch together. We win and lose as one team

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