Import Manager

🌍 We're Hiring: Import Manager📍 Location: United Arab Emirates (Remote) 🕒 Employment Type: Full-Time 💼 Experience Level: Mid-Level to Senior-Level 🌐 Work Arrangement: Fully RemoteAbout UsWe are a globally connected organization committed to maintaining efficient, compliant, cost-effective, and reliable international import operations.Our teams collaborate across Import Operations, Procurement, Supply Chain, Customs, Logistics, Finance, Tax, Legal, Warehousing, Quality, Compliance, and Commercial Operations to ensure materials and products move seamlessly from international suppliers into the organization.The RoleWe are seeking an experienced Import Manager to lead end-to-end import operations, customs clearance, supplier coordination, freight management, import documentation, duty management, regulatory compliance, and inbound logistics.The successful candidate will ensure imported goods are available on time, correctly documented, efficiently cleared, properly received, and fully compliant, while continuously reducing landed costs, delays, customs risks, and unnecessary inventory exposure.Key ResponsibilitiesLead and manage the organization's import-management function.Develop and implement the import strategy.Establish import policies, procedures, controls, and governance.Manage end-to-end import processes from supplier dispatch through customs clearance, warehouse receipt, and final internal delivery.Coordinate import activities across Procurement, Supply Chain, Customs, Logistics, Finance, Tax, Warehousing, Quality, Compliance, and Operations.Establish import planning calendars and shipment-management processes.Review purchase orders and supplier shipment plans.Confirm that imported goods meet commercial, technical, regulatory, and documentation requirements.Coordinate with Procurement and suppliers to ensure orders are ready for shipment.Monitor supplier readiness and shipping schedules.Track international shipments from origin through final receipt.Identify and resolve shipment delays, documentation issues, customs holds, and transportation constraints.Establish inbound shipment schedules.Coordinate ocean, air, road, courier, and multimodal imports where applicable.Select appropriate transportation modes based on cost, lead time, product characteristics, urgency, and business requirements.Coordinate with freight forwarders, carriers, customs brokers, shipping agents, and logistics providers.Monitor booking confirmations and transportation schedules.Track estimated departure, arrival, customs clearance, and delivery dates.Escalate delayed shipments and develop recovery plans.Optimize freight consolidation and container utilization.Reduce unnecessary expedited freight and avoidable logistics costs.Negotiate freight rates and service agreements in coordination with Procurement.Monitor freight-forwarder and carrier performance.Establish service-level agreements and performance standards.Conduct regular logistics-provider performance reviews.Develop corrective actions for underperforming providers.Coordinate import documentation.Ensure commercial invoices, packing lists, bills of lading, airway bills, certificates of origin, permits, licenses, inspection certificates, and other required documents are accurate and complete.Establish document checklists by country, supplier, product, and shipment type.Conduct pre-shipment document reviews.Identify documentation discrepancies before cargo departure.Reduce customs delays caused by incomplete or inaccurate documentation.Ensure shipping documents are received within required timelines.Coordinate documentation with suppliers, freight forwarders, customs brokers, banks, warehouses, and internal stakeholders.Maintain complete import records.Manage import customs clearance.Coordinate with Customs and customs brokers to ensure timely and compliant clearance.Review import declarations and supporting documentation.Verify HS classifications, product descriptions, quantities, values, countries of origin, and applicable customs requirements.Ensure imported goods are correctly declared.Monitor customs clearance progress.Track customs queries, inspections, holds, payments, and releases.Escalate critical customs delays.Coordinate responses to customs authorities.Resolve customs documentation and declaration discrepancies.Support customs audits and inspections.Maintain accurate evidence for customs transactions.Coordinate with the Customs Manager on classification, valuation, origin, and duty matters.Manage import duties, taxes, fees, and other government charges.Review customs-duty calculations and invoices.Identify unexpected or incorrect charges.Reconcile customs payments against shipment records and financial transactions.Identify opportunities for legitimate duty optimization.Support duty exemptions, reliefs, refunds, suspensions, bonded arrangements, or other applicable programs.Coordinate with Finance and Tax on customs-duty accounting.Monitor import-related financial liabilities.Support customs valuation and related-party transaction requirements.Manage country-of-origin documentation.Ensure certificates of origin and supplier origin declarations are accurate.Verify origin requirements for applicable trade arrangements.Maintain appropriate origin records.Support preferential-duty opportunities where applicable.Manage import permits, licenses, and regulatory approvals.Identify products requiring special import authorization.Ensure permits are obtained before shipment.Monitor permit validity and renewal requirements.Coordinate with Regulatory, Legal, Quality, and Compliance teams.Prevent shipment of restricted or controlled goods without appropriate approvals.Monitor changes in import regulations.Communicate regulatory changes to Procurement, Supply Chain, Logistics, and relevant business teams.Establish import-compliance controls.Conduct periodic import-compliance reviews.Identify customs and regulatory risks.Maintain an import-risk register.Identify high-risk suppliers, products, countries, trade lanes, brokers, and transactions.Develop mitigation plans for significant import risks.Monitor risk indicators and escalation triggers.Coordinate with Procurement on supplier readiness.Review supplier shipment performance.Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)Performance will be measured through a combination of logistics, customs, cost, supply, and compliance KPIs, including:On-time import deliveryImport shipment cycle timeSupplier on-time shipmentCustoms-clearance timeImport-document accuracyCustoms declaration accuracyImport compliance rateCustoms penalties and finesImport shipment delay rateGoods-in-transit cycle timeFreight cost per shipmentFreight cost per unit/kilogramLanded-cost reductionCustoms-duty optimizationDemurrage costDetention costStorage costExpedited-freight costContainer utilizationShipment consolidation rateImport inventory availabilitySupplier logistics performanceImport-related quality incidentsCargo-damage rateImport claimsClaim-recovery rateImport forecast accuracyPermit and license complianceImport audit performanceImport-risk closure rateImport-process automationImport transaction-processing timeCandidate ProfileThe successful candidate should have experience in import management, international logistics, customs, procurement, supply chain, freight forwarding, trade compliance, or a closely related discipline.This role is suitable for a detail-oriented and commercially aware professional who can manage complex international inbound flows while balancing cost, compliance, speed, inventory availability, and supplier performance.What You'll BringProven experience managing import operations and international inbound logistics.Strong knowledge of import and customs procedures.Experience with customs clearance and customs brokers.Strong understanding of HS classification, customs valuation, country of origin, and import duties.Experience managing import documentation.Strong understanding of Incoterms and international shipping.Experience with ocean, air, road, courier, or multimodal imports.Strong freight-forwarder and carrier-management experience.Experience managing demurrage, detention, storage, and port-related costs.Strong supplier-coordination and expediting capabilities.Experience managing import permits, licenses, and regulatory approvals.Understanding of trade compliance, sanctions, restricted goods, and import controls is advantageous.CIPS, APICS/ASCM, customs, trade-compliance, or logistics certification is advantageous.Strong knowledge of UAE import procedures and GCC customs requirements is highly desirable.Experience with UAE ports, airports, free zones, and customs processes is advantageous.Arabic language proficiency is advantageous.