Location: Heathrow Area
Salary: Up to £75,000 + Excellent Benefits
Lead an Import Operation That Makes a Global Impact
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join a well-established, international logistics and freight forwarding business as an Import Operations Manager. This is a senior leadership position where you'll take ownership of a high-performing import function across air, sea and road freight, leading a large operational team while driving service excellence, operational performance and customer satisfaction.
This role is ideal for an experienced freight forwarding professional looking to step into a business where you'll have genuine influence, autonomy and the opportunity to shape the future of the operation.
You'll oversee a department of 20 indirect reports and 4 direct reports, taking responsibility for operational delivery, financial performance and the continued development of a talented team.
The Opportunity
Reporting into senior leadership, you'll be responsible for ensuring import operations run efficiently, compliantly and profitably across all transport modes. You'll play a key role in driving operational improvements, strengthening customer relationships and delivering exceptional service levels while supporting the ongoing growth of the business.
This is a business that genuinely invests in its people, embraces innovation and has an excellent reputation within the freight forwarding market. You'll be joining a collaborative leadership team with ambitious growth plans and the backing of a highly successful global organisation.
Key Responsibilities
Lead, coach and develop the import department, creating a high-performance culture focused on engagement, accountability and continuous improvement.
Oversee end-to-end import operations across air, ocean and road freight, ensuring all shipments are handled efficiently and compliantly.
Manage customs processes in line with UK regulations and recognised compliance standards.
Take ownership of departmental performance, including budgets, productivity and P&L.
Monitor operational KPIs, identifying trends and implementing improvements to enhance service delivery.
Act as the senior escalation point for operational, customer and customs-related issues.
Build strong relationships with customers, carriers, overseas partners and internal stakeholders.
Support the successful implementation of new customer accounts and operational transitions.
Develop robust SOPs, improve processes and identify opportunities to increase efficiency and profitability.
Work closely with commercial and senior leadership teams to support business growth and customer retention.
About You
We're looking for a confident operational leader with a strong background in freight forwarding and import operations.
You'll ideally have:
Significant experience managing import operations within a freight forwarding or logistics environment.
Strong knowledge of air, sea and road freight.
A solid understanding of UK customs procedures and import compliance.
Previous experience managing large operational teams, with a passion for developing people.
Commercial awareness with experience managing departmental budgets and P&L.
Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
A proactive approach to problem solving and continuous improvement.
The ability to lead through change while maintaining exceptional customer service standards.
What's on Offer?
Salary of up to £75,000
Car allowance
Private healthcare
Annual bonus opportunity
Enhanced pension
Generous annual leave allowance
Life assurance
Hybrid working flexibility
Ongoing professional development and leadership training
The opportunity to join a financially secure, globally recognised logistics organisation with genuine long-term career progression.If you're an experienced freight forwarding leader ready to take ownership of a large import operation and make a real impact within a growing international business, we'd love to hear from you.
Apply today for a confidential discussion.
WR Logistics are a leading recruitment partner for the logistics and supply chain industry, recruiting across the UK, Europe, and the USA for permanent opportunities.
WR Logistics is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy
Salary description
£65000.00 - £75000.00 per year