Imports Manager

SUMMARY:
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POSITION INFO:

Department: Operations

Reporting Line: Customs Affairs Operations Manager

Management Level: Operations Management

Role Context

This is an important operational leadership role responsible for the daily control and management of the Imports department. The role requires a hands-on, disciplined, and service-driven Imports Manager who can ensure that inbound import operations are managed efficiently, compliantly, and in line with required customs, operational, customer service, and network standards.

The successful candidate will be responsible for maintaining and developing Gateway Customs Affairs standards, ensuring continuous improvement in import service delivery, driving operational performance, managing escalations, and ensuring that inbound shipments are processed accurately, timeously, and in line with customs and compliance requirements.

This role requires strong imports experience, sound customs knowledge, proven operational management capability, and the ability to manage internal teams, external partners, customers, regulatory stakeholders, and customs-related service challenges in a fast-paced express logistics environment.

Purpose of the Role

The purpose of the Imports Manager role is to take responsibility for the daily control, management, and continuous improvement of the Imports department, ensuring that import operations run smoothly, efficiently, and in full alignment with required operational, customs, compliance, and customer service standards.

The role focuses on:

• Managing the daily performance and operational control of the Imports department
• Ensuring inbound shipments are processed accurately and timeously
• Maintaining and developing Gateway Customs Affairs standards
• Ensuring compliance with customs legislation, SARS requirements, and import-related regulations
• Managing import-related escalations and ensuring swift resolution of service issues
• Driving customer satisfaction through effective import service initiatives and strategies
• Ensuring operational performance meets or exceeds service, compliance, and efficiency targets
• Collaborating with internal teams and external stakeholders to support seamless import operations

Key Responsibilities

• Import Operations Management
  • Manage the daily control, workflow, and operational performance of the Imports department.
  • Ensure all inbound shipments are processed accurately, efficiently, and in line with defined service and operational standards.
  • Ensure import operations run in accordance with required procedures, timelines, customs requirements, and internal quality standards.
  • Monitor daily import operations to ensure smooth workflow, adherence to operational targets, and consistent service delivery.
  • Ensure regional service standards are consistently met or exceeded across all import-related activities.
  • Identify bottlenecks within the import process and implement corrective action to improve service levels, transit times, and operational efficiency.
  • Continuously review and refine import workflows, processes, and operational practices to improve productivity and service outcomes.
• Customs Compliance & Regulatory Control
  • Oversee the control and management of import customs cases, including SARS Stops, ensuring timely resolution and full compliance.
  • Ensure import activities are conducted in line with customs legislation, customs regulations, compliance requirements, and internal customs standards.
  • Maintain up-to-date knowledge of import regulations, customs legislation, and compliance requirements.
  • Ensure all import documentation, customs processes, and related activities are handled accurately and in line with legal and regulatory expectations.
  • Ensure customs-related risks, delays, or non-compliance issues are identified and escalated appropriately.
  • Work closely with Customs Affairs and relevant stakeholders to ensure effective customs resolution and compliance performance.

• Customer Service, Escalations & Service Excellence
  • Ensure continuous improvement of customer satisfaction through effective import service initiatives and service improvement strategies.
  • Drive import service performance that meets and exceeds customer expectations.
  • Build and maintain strong working relationships with customers, ensuring import-related concerns are handled professionally and efficiently.
  • Manage import-related escalations and ensure swift resolution of operational, customs, and service issues.
  • Ensure customer-impacting import delays, SARS Stops, shipment queries, and service failures are dealt with urgently and constructively.
  • Support the delivery of excellent service to the network and customers by ensuring the Imports function operates reliably, accurately, and responsively.
• Internal & External Stakeholder Management
  • Manage interactions with external partners and internal stakeholders to ensure seamless inbound service delivery.
  • Collaborate closely with Customer Service, Customs Affairs, Gateway teams, Operations, and other relevant internal functions to resolve issues and improve service flow.
  • Maintain strong working relationships with regulatory bodies, customs authorities, customers, external partners, and operational stakeholders.
  • Ensure communication between the Imports department and relevant stakeholders is clear, timely, and solution-focused.
  • Support cross-functional alignment to ensure inbound shipments are managed effectively from arrival through customs processing and final operational handover.
• Operational Performance, Reporting & Continuous Improvement
  • Develop, recommend, and implement process improvements to enhance efficiency and operational performance within the Imports function.
  • Lead initiatives to optimise import customs processes and ensure alignment with best practice and business objectives.
  • Use operational data, performance results, shipment trends, and service challenges to identify improvement opportunities.
  • Monitor import-related operational performance and implement corrective actions where performance falls below expected standards.
  • Ensure import operations are managed in a structured, measurable, and performance-driven manner.
  • Support continuous improvement initiatives that strengthen productivity, accuracy, customer satisfaction, compliance, and operational resilience.
• Leadership & People Management
  • Lead, manage, and support the Imports team to ensure effective resource utilisation and operational efficiency.
  • Ensure team members understand service expectations, customs requirements, operational priorities, and performance standards.
  • Drive accountability, urgency, discipline, and continuous improvement within the Imports department.
  • Support the development of team capability, operational knowledge, service awareness, and compliance understanding.
  • Ensure the Imports team operates with a clear focus on customer service, operational accuracy, customs compliance, and daily performance delivery.

Minimum Requirements

• Qualifications
  • Diploma or Degree in Management, Customs Clearance, Logistics, Supply Chain, International Trade, or a related field.

• Experience
  • Minimum 3–5 years’ experience in import operations, customs, or logistics management.
  • Minimum 5–7 years’ experience in a management role within express logistics or a logistics environment, with proven responsibility for driving operational performance.
  • Minimum 5–7 years’ experience within an imports environment.
  • Proven experience managing import workflows, customs-related cases, shipment processing, service escalations, and operational performance.
  • Experience dealing with SARS Stops, customs cases, import compliance requirements, and customs-related operational challenges will be important.
  • Experience in an express courier, international logistics, customs clearance, freight, supply chain, or high-volume inbound operations environment will be highly advantageous.

Key Competencies

• Import Operations Management
• Customs Clearance & Import Compliance
• SARS Stops and Customs Case Management
• Operational Leadership
• Service Performance Management
• Customer Service Excellence
• Escalation Management
• Stakeholder Management
• Process Improvement
• Continuous Improvement
• Problem Solving
• Analytical Thinking
• Communication Skills
• Team Leadership
• Operational Planning
• Compliance Awareness
• Performance Monitoring
• Decision Making Under Pressure

Leadership Profile & Attributes

• Strong operational leadership capability within a structured, fast-paced logistics environment.
• High level of accountability, urgency, and attention to detail.
• Strong understanding of import operations, customs processes, and customer service expectations.
• Ability to manage pressure, resolve escalations, and keep operations moving without compromising compliance or service quality.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across internal departments, customers, external partners, customs authorities, and regulatory stakeholders.
• Practical, structured, and solutions-focused approach to operational problem solving.
• Strong continuous improvement mindset, with the ability to identify inefficiencies and implement corrective action.
• Ability to balance customer expectations, customs requirements, operational targets, and business objectives.

Employment Equity

All suitably qualified candidates will be given fair consideration.

Remuneration

A competitive total target compensation package is offered, aligned with the level, responsibility, and operational nature of the role.