Shipping Manager - Wakefield

Shipping Manager jobs

With goods being transported all over the world, it is important to stay on top of a shipping operation, particularly with regard to the legal paperwork and invoicing. This will be the job of a shipping manager. He or she will see through to delivery and will be entrusted with making sure all such paperwork is in order and flagging up any potential problems.

The shipping manager will oversee a team, probably made up of staff with expertise in dealing with a range of jurisdictions, especially when the company exports and imports widely. The specific understanding of a handful of nations’ customs law is enough to occupy a small team, let alone dozens of countries’. Reporting to the senior management, the shipping manager will have to deal with the day to day running of the department but also implement new strategies as they arise.

The role will also require a good deal of budget management, and part of the job will be to maintain efficiency and introduce new measures to improve efficiency. With fuel costs skyrocketing, this is more important than ever.

The skills required

A good knowledge of international import and export law will be an advantage, whether general or focused on the specific jurisdictions the company deals with. The shipping manager might well have to oversee or build a team around him or her to ensure that all legal bases are covered.

Successful shipping managers often come from backgrounds involved with international shipping rather than general managership, as the skill set required is focused on the technical side rather than the personnel management, important though this is. Likewise, a history of deep involvement with the products being distributed could help more than experience of management, as different products are regulated by different departments and require specific paperwork to stay on the right side of the law.

Shipping Manager Jobs in Wakefield

Wakefield is a city just south of Leeds that comprises the five towns of Pontefract, Castleford, Normanton, Featherstone and Knottingley, as well as other minor towns. With a population of around 325,000, it’s a moderately sized city that is overshadowed by its northern neighbour and Sheffield, which is 20 miles (31 km) to the south. Wakefield is well connected by rail and road, with the M62 and the M1 passing by its north and west respectively.

The city and its constituent towns boomed during the Industrial Revolution when vast seams of coal were discovered beneath them. The area dug hundreds of mines and this remained the key industry in the area until the 1980s when they were closed down one by one. The last remaining one is Kellingley Colliery, located at Knottingley, just east of Pontefract.

The city remains industrial, however, although the days of heavy industry are largely gone. The city’s excellent communications and central location have made it an ideal place to site warehouses, factories and distribution centres, so Shipping Manager jobs regularly appear in the Wakefield area. There are also regeneration projects going on in the city designed to diversify and stimulate the economy, and this looks set to bring further growth to an area that has had to reinvent itself completely in thirty years.

Popular locations

Cast UK’s logistics opportunities

As our founders come from the logistics, procurement and supply chain sectors, and our consultants also come from the same fields, Cast UK understand the needs of employers and candidates alike. As we only deal with these connected fields, we have become a go-to recruitment consultancy form many employers, many of whom trust us to create a shortlist through our in-house personnel management.

Candidates approach us looking for work for a range of reasons, from seeking fulfilment to moving house to looking for a promotion. The positions we offer cover the whole of the UK, so please check out what’s available in your region and feel free to get in touch if you’ve seen something you’re interested in – we might just have the perfect job on offer.

To find out more about how Cast UK can help you recruit a Shipping Manager for your business or find you a job as a Shipping Manager then contact one of our consultant team on 0333 121 3345.

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