Deputy Manager/Manager - Ocean Freight & EXIM OPS

Deputy Manager / Manager – Ocean Freight & EXIM Operations

Company: Caterpillar Signs Pvt. Ltd. – Group Bayport

Function: Supply Chain & Logistics – International Trade Operations

Location: Gandhinagar SEZ, Gujarat

Experience: 8–17 Years

Band: Deputy Manager / Manager, based on experience and candidate calibre

Reporting To: Head – Logistics / Sr. Manager – Logistics

Direct Reports: Nil initially; team-building opportunity as business volumes grow

About The Role

We are looking for an experienced Deputy Manager / Manager – Ocean Freight & EXIM Operations to take end-to-end ownership of the organization's non-express international trade operations.

The role will oversee ocean and air exports, imports, third-country/cross-trade shipments, marketplace and retail partner inbound movements, and trade compliance across India, overseas entities, and international trade lanes.

The ideal candidate should be a hands-on EXIM professional with strong experience in export, import, cross-trade operations, documentation, customs coordination, freight forwarding, and compliance.

Key Responsibilities

• Export, Import & Cross-Trade Operations
• Manage end-to-end execution of non-express international shipments from booking through delivery and invoice settlement.
• Handle sea and air export operations from the SEZ, including booking, documentation, customs filing through CHA, container stuffing, and export realization requirements.
• Manage imports of raw materials, consumables, spares, and capital goods into SEZ and DTA locations.
• Handle international inbound movements for overseas entities, including destination customs entry coordination.
• Manage third-country / cross-trade shipments, including switch Bills of Lading, neutral packing, third-party invoicing, origin documentation, and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Coordinate marketplace and retail partner inbound shipments, ensuring compliance with routing guides, ASN accuracy, appointment schedules, labeling, and load requirements.
• Documentation & Trade Compliance
• Prepare, verify, and maintain complete shipment documentation, including:
• Commercial Invoice
• Packing List
• Shipping Bill / Bill of Entry
• Bill of Lading / Air Waybill
• Certificate of Origin
• Insurance and inspection certificates
• Customer-specific documentation
• Coordinate with CHAs on HS classification, valuation, licensing requirements, and customs filings.
• Review shipping bills and customs entries before submission.
• Ensure compliance with applicable FEMA, DGFT, SEZ, customs, and merchanting-trade requirements.
• Maintain accurate, audit-ready documentation and records.
• Ensure appropriate application of Incoterms 2020 and destination-country regulatory requirements.
• Freight & Logistics Management
• Select appropriate freight mode, service, and routing based on cost, transit time, and customer commitments.
• Manage freight forwarders, CHAs, shipping lines, and overseas agents against defined service levels.
• Maintain freight rate benchmarks by lane and mode.
• Monitor shipment status through a live shipment tracker and proactively manage delays, rolled containers, transshipments, and delivery issues.
• Monitor and control free time, demurrage, and detention costs.
• Negotiate free days and proactively escalate potential cost exposures.
• Review freight and logistics invoices line-by-line before submission to Finance.
• Stakeholder & Vendor Management
• Act as the single point of contact for all internal stakeholders for non-express international shipments.
• Coordinate with Production, Quality, Finance, Customer Experience, overseas entities, and other relevant functions.
• Manage external logistics partners, freight forwarders, CHAs, and overseas agents.
• Provide timely shipment updates and clear written communication to internal and external stakeholders.
• Ensure marketplace and retail partner requirements are consistently met and proactively address chargebacks.
• Reporting & Cost Management
• Maintain accurate shipment and logistics trackers.
• Prepare periodic MIS reports covering:
• Cost per shipment by lane and mode
• Demurrage and detention
• Chargebacks
• Claims filed and recovered
• Shipment status and exceptions
• Identify cost-saving opportunities across freight, routing, and logistics operations.
• Present data-backed and costed recommendations for decisions involving logistics or trade costs.
  

Candidate Profile

We are looking for a hands-on professional who has personally executed EXIM operations rather than only supervised a team.

Candidates May Come From Either Of The Following Backgrounds

Freight Forwarding / NVOCC / CHA

• Experience with international freight forwarders, NVOCCs, consolidators, or licensed CHAs.
• Strong understanding of documentation, agent networks, destination-side coordination, and freight economics.
  
  

Corporate EXIM

• Experience managing end-to-end export, import, and cross-trade operations within an established organization.
• Experience handling multiple business units, brands, international customers, and overseas entities.
  
  

Essential Requirements

• 8–12 years of relevant experience for Deputy Manager level; Manager-level candidates may be considered based on experience and calibre.
• Hands-on experience managing both export and import operations.
• Strong exposure to third-country / cross-trade shipments or a closely comparable international trade structure.
• Strong knowledge of EXIM documentation and customs procedures.
• Experience coordinating with CHA, freight forwarders, shipping lines, and overseas agents.
• Strong written and verbal English communication skills.
• Ability to independently manage multiple stakeholders and international shipments simultaneously.
• Strong attention to detail and ownership of compliance and documentation.
  
  

Preferred Experience

• Experience in SEZ, EOU, or bonded warehouse operations.
• Overseas import filing exposure.
• Marketplace or retail partner routing-guide experience.
• Experience in a high-SKU / customized product environment.
• Exposure to international e-commerce supply chains.
  
  

Technical Knowledge

Candidates Should Have Working Knowledge Of

• Bill of Lading types, including Switch B/L and Telex Release
• Air Waybill
• Certificate of Origin – preferential and non-preferential
• Shipping Bill and Bill of Entry procedures
• SEZ and DTA customs processes
• HS classification and valuation
• Duty structures and customs query/examination/release processes
• FEMA export/import realization requirements
• DGFT regulations and schemes
• Merchanting-trade requirements
• SEZ statutory returns and record keeping
• Incoterms 2020
• Ocean and air freight rate structures and surcharges
• Free time, demurrage, and detention
• Letters of Credit at a working level
• FCL / LCL operations
• Container types and stuffing planning
• VGM, transshipment, and rolled-container recovery
• CFS and port processes
• Marketplace routing guides and ASN systems
• Advanced Excel
  
  

Education

• Graduate in any discipline.
• Post-graduation in International Business, Foreign Trade, Supply Chain, or a related field is preferred.
• Trade or customs certification will be an added advantage.
  
  

Growth Opportunity

The Selected Candidate Will Have The Opportunity To Progress To Manager – EXIM Based On Demonstrated Performance And Successful Achievement Of Defined Business Objectives, Including

• Establishing documented processes that operate independently.
• Reducing documentation errors, customs queries, demurrage, detention, and chargebacks.
• Establishing and managing cost-per-shipment benchmarks by lane and mode.
• Maintaining an audit-ready compliance framework.
• Developing and supervising junior team capability as business volumes increase.