Freight Forwarding Manager

Location: Birmingham Salary: £35,000 to £46,000, potentially flexible for the right person Working pattern: Ideally office based, with some flexibility once established Benefits: Pension, 25 days holiday plus bank holidays, paid parking, training, annual bonus The OpportunityA growing international business is looking for a confident Freight Forwarding Manager to take ownership of its import, export and supply chain operations. This is a broad, hands on role suited to someone who can manage daily freight activity, resolve issues quickly, improve processes and work closely with both internal teams and external partners. The business is growing its office function and needs someone who can bring structure, control and commercial awareness to a busy international supply chain operation. Key Responsibilities* Manage daily freight forwarding, import and export activity across the supply chain * Oversee inbound sea freight, with some exposure to road and air freight * Coordinate shipments from purchase requirement through to final customer delivery * Manage customs clearance, supplier documentation and shipping paperwork * Monitor containers, delivery schedules and freight movements * Liaise with freight forwarders, suppliers, factories, customers and internal stakeholders * Work closely with overseas teams to keep shipments moving efficiently * Identify issues across the supply chain and resolve them quickly * Improve systems, processes and ways of working * Maintain customs compliance records, policies and procedures * Ensure the business remains compliant with HMRC requirements * Support wider operational improvement across the company What We Are Looking For* Strong freight forwarding, import, export or international logistics experience * Strong knowledge of sea freight and customs clearance * Experience managing suppliers, freight partners or internal logistics processes * Confident communicator who can build strong relationships * Comfortable dealing with overseas factories and head office teams * Able to take responsibility, make decisions and solve problems independently * Strong attention to detail across documentation, compliance and administration * Commercially aware, proactive and organised * Able to manage changing priorities, deadlines and shipment issues * Confident using systems, ERP platforms and general IT tools * Previous supervisory or management experience within logistics would be beneficial