Alliance Personnel are seeking a detail-oriented and organised International shipping and Customs Specialist to join one of our clients based in Birmingham.

Duties:

* Own global outbound logistics: Plan and execute daily shipments (parcel, pallet, LTL/FTL, air, courier). Balance speed, cost, and reliability across lanes and service levels.

* Carrier strategy & rate management: Build and manage a panel of carriers/forwarders (e.g., DHL, FedEx, UPS, DPD, Royal Mail, freight forwarders). Run RFPs, negotiate contracts/SLAs, implement lane guides, and conduct QBRs.

* Trade compliance leadership:

* Classify products with correct HS codes; maintain the master data and justification notes.

* Apply Incoterms® 2020 correctly (e.g., DDP/DDU/DAP/FCA) per customer/channel.

* Calculate and validate duties, taxes, and tariffs; manage IOSS for EU D2C, de minimis thresholds, and duty relief/drawback where eligible.

* Ensure accurate country of origin and preferential origin proofs (e.g., EUR.1, statements on origin) where applicable.

* Oversee EORI registrations and broker powers of attorney.

* Regulatory documentation & filing: Prepare, verify, and archive all export/import documents: commercial invoices, packing lists, commodity codes, COO, MSDS/SDS, CoAs, shipping labels, and prior notices (e.g., US FDA Prior Notice for foods/supplements). Manage customs broker instructions and queries.

* D2C shipping excellence: Optimize pick-pack-ship SLAs, label generation, tracking communications, and returns flows. Reduce “where is my order” (WISMO) tickets via proactive exception handling.

* Partner & collaborator liaison: Act as primary contact for global partners/customers on shipping, delivery windows, compliance needs, and route-to-market requirements.

* Systems, data & automation: Own TMS/label platforms - ShipStation integrations with WMS/Shopify/ERP. Build dashboards for cost per shipment, on-time, damage/loss, and customs hold rates.

* Risk & quality control: Minimize damages, temperature/handling risks (where applicable), OTIF misses, and customs delays through packaging specs, carrier SOPs, and pre-clearance workflows. Manage cargo insurance and claims.

* Process & continuous improvement: Write SOPs, train teams, run root-cause analyses, and deliver measurable savings and SLA gains.

* Budgeting & forecasting: Own freight budget, accruals, and variance analysis. Forecast capacity for peak events, new product launches, and major partner orders.

What you'll bring

* 5+ years in international shipping/logistics with hands-on trade compliance ownership.

* Expert knowledge of HS classification, Incoterms® 2020, duty/VAT frameworks, IOSS, de minimis, country of origin, and customs procedures (UK/EU/US at minimum).

* Proven track record running carrier RFPs, building a carrier panel, and negotiating material savings.

* Strong documentation: commercial invoices, packing lists, COO/origin statements, licenses/certificates, FDA Prior Notice (or equivalent food/supplement filings), and broker instructions.

* Proficiency with shipping/TMS tools and ecommerce/WMS stacks (e.g., Shopify, Metapack, ShipStation, Easyship, Linnworks, Descartes, or similar). Solid Excel/Google Sheets skills for analysis.

* Calm, collaborative communicator—great with partners, carriers, and internal teams (Ops, Quality, Supply Chain, CS).

* Nice-to-have: CILT/IoE&IT, IATA/FIATA, or customs compliance certification; experience with UK CDS entries and ICS2 readiness.

Working hours: Monday to Friday 8:30am - 5:30pm, office based

PERM