Senior Customs & Forwarding Supervisor

Job Purpose

To supervise and coordinate all customs clearance, freight forwarding, and cross-border logistics activities, ensuring full compliance with Namibian, Angolan, and international customs regulations. The incumbent is responsible for managing customs brokerage operations, overseeing import and export documentation, coordinating with customs authorities and clients, and ensuring efficient movement of cargo through ports, border posts, and inland destinations.

Key Responsibilities

Customs Brokerage & Compliance

• Act as the designated qualified Namibian Customs Broker for the company.
• Manage customs clearance processes for imports, exports, temporary imports, and transit cargo.
• Ensure compliance with regulations issued by the Namibia Revenue Agency and relevant Angolan customs authorities.
• Review and approve customs declarations, tariff classifications, customs valuations, and duty calculations.
• Maintain compliance with customs legislation, trade agreements, and border control requirements.
• Liaise with customs officials to resolve clearance delays, inspections, penalties, and disputes.

Freight Forwarding Operations

• Supervise all freight forwarding activities including sea, air, road, and multimodal transport.
• Coordinate cargo movements between Namibia and Angola, including Luanda and inland destinations.
• Monitor shipment status and ensure timely delivery of cargo.
• Oversee preparation and verification of shipping documentation.
• Manage relationships with shipping lines, transporters, clearing agents, and port operators.
• Ensure compliance with customer-specific logistics requirements and contractual obligations.

Angola Operations

• Coordinate customs and forwarding activities related to Angola-bound cargo.
• Maintain working knowledge of Luanda port procedures, customs regulations, and documentation requirements.
• Manage cross-border transport movements and border clearance processes.
• Provide guidance on Angolan import requirements, permits, and regulatory compliance.
• Resolve operational challenges affecting cargo movements into or out of Angola.

Documentation Control

• Verify accuracy and completeness of:
  • Customs declarations
  • Commercial invoices
  • Packing lists
  • Bills of lading
  • Air waybills
  • Certificates of origin
  • Transit documents
  • Import and export permits
• Maintain organized customs and shipping records for audit purposes.
• Ensure all documentation is processed within statutory deadlines.

Team Leadership

• Supervise customs clerks, forwarding coordinators, and clearance personnel.
• Allocate work, monitor performance, and provide technical guidance.
• Train employees on customs procedures, compliance requirements, and company standards.
• Conduct performance reviews and identify development needs.

Client & Stakeholder Management

• Serve as primary point of contact for customs and forwarding matters.
• Provide clients with shipment updates and clearance status reports.
• Develop and maintain professional relationships with customs authorities, transport providers, port operators, and government agencies.
• Handle escalated customer issues and operational exceptions.

Reporting & Performance Management

• Prepare operational and compliance reports.
• Monitor clearance timelines, delivery performance, and customs compliance metrics.
• Identify process improvement opportunities to reduce delays and costs.
• Support internal and external audits.

Health, Safety & Quality

• Ensure compliance with company HSE policies and procedures.
• Promote safe work practices within customs and logistics operations.
• Participate in risk assessments and incident investigations when required.
• Maintain quality standards and continuous improvement initiatives.

Minimum Requirements

Education

• Diploma or Degree in Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Freight Forwarding, Customs Administration, International Trade, or related field.

Professional Requirements

• Registered and qualified Namibian Customs Broker.
• Experience with Angolan customs (Required)
• Customs and freight forwarding certifications will be advantageous.

Experience

• Minimum 7 years' experience in customs clearance and freight forwarding operations.
• Minimum 3 years' supervisory experience.
• Proven experience managing cross-border logistics between Namibia and Angola.
• Demonstrated experience handling customs and freight forwarding operations involving Luanda, Angola.
• Experience with import, export, transit, and project cargo movements.
• Knowledge of port, border, and customs operations within Southern Africa.

Technical Knowledge

• Namibian customs legislation and procedures.
• Angolan customs and import regulations.
• Tariff classification and customs valuation.
• Incoterms and international trade practices.
• Freight forwarding and transport management systems.
• Microsoft Office and customs declaration software.

Competencies

• Customs brokerage expertise
• Freight forwarding management
• Regulatory compliance
• Leadership and supervision
• Problem-solving and decision-making
• Planning and coordination
• Negotiation and stakeholder management
• Attention to detail
• Report writing and documentation control
• Communication and interpersonal skills
• Customer service orientation
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Customs clearance turnaround times
• Compliance and audit results
• On-time cargo delivery performance
• Customs declaration accuracy rate
• Reduction in penalties, fines, and delays
• Client satisfaction levels
• Team productivity and performance
• Documentation accuracy and completeness
• Cost control and operational efficiency
• Cross-border shipment success rate (Namibia–Angola)

Operational Requirements

During active operations, shall maintain a 24/7 operational manning regime by rotational shifts, including nights, weekends, and public holidays, for all operational roles required to support vessel operations, loadouts/backloads, quayside activities, yard operations, customs and materials handling, and time-sensitive drilling logistics.