Overview
Customs Clearance Supervisor Jobs in Jeddah, Makkah, Saudi Arabia at Confidential Jobs
Title: Customs Clearance Supervisor
Company: Confidential Jobs
Location: Jeddah, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
The Customs Clearance Supervisor oversees end-to-end import and export clearance operations for raw materials, packaging, equipment, and finished goods within a frozen food manufacturing environment. This role ensures strict regulatory compliance with local food safety authorities, customs regulations, and cold-chain standards. The primary goal is to prevent shipment holds, avoid cold-chain integrity loss, and minimize demurrage and detention fees.
Key Responsibilities
Customs Documentation & Clearance Operations
- Supervise and prepare all import/export shipping documentation (Bills of Lading, Commercial Invoices, Packing Lists, Certificates of Origin, Halal Certificates, and Health/Phytosanitary Certificates).
- Submit, monitor, and track customs declarations via government and customs portals (e.g., FASAH, SABER, Bayan, or regional equivalents).
- Ensure correct Harmonized System (HS) code classification and tariff application for raw food ingredients, frozen meat/poultry, dairy, and processing machinery.
Regulatory & Food Safety Compliance
- Coordinate with local food and drug regulatory authorities (e.g., SFDA, FDA) to obtain import permits, clearance approvals, and lab testing releases.
- Facilitate physical inspections, port sampling, and laboratory testing protocols for perishable and temperature-sensitive goods.
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of national trade laws, food import restrictions, labelling standards, and shelf-life requirements.
Cold Chain & Port Logistics Supervision
- Prioritize priority release for reefer (refrigerated) containers to preserve cold-chain continuity and prevent product spoilage.
- Monitor reefer container plugged-in statuses and plug-in charges at ports and clearance zones.
- Liaise with customs brokers, freight forwarders, shipping lines, port authorities, and transport providers to expedite container release.
- Proactively resolve holds, documentation discrepancies, and inspection delays to mitigate demurrage, storage, and detention penalties.
Brokerage & Team Management
- Direct and evaluate third-party customs clearing agents and brokers to ensure compliance with company KPIs and clearance turnaround times.
- Manage internal documentation clerks and clearance staff, assigning daily operational priorities.
- Maintain complete audit-ready clearance archives and submit periodic reports on clearance timelines, duty expenditures, and port charges.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- Average Clearance Lead Time: Turnaround time for reefer container release from port arrival.
- Demurrage & Detention Cost Reduction: Elimination or minimization of avoidable port storage and reefer charges.
- Compliance Accuracy: Zero penalties or fines due to incorrect HS codes, missing permits, or documentation errors.
- Cold-Chain Continuity: Zero inventory losses caused by customs clearance delays.
Qualifications & Requirements
- Education: Bachelor’s degree or Diploma in Logistics, Supply Chain Management, International Trade, or a related field.
- Experience: 3–5 years of experience in customs clearance operations, with at least 2 years in a supervisory capacity within the FMCG, food manufacturing, or perishable goods sector.
- Technical Skills:
- Proficiency in customs submission portals and customs clearance software.
- In-depth understanding of food safety import regulations, health certificates, and cold-chain clearance logistics.
- Strong knowledge of HS codes, duty exemptions, Incoterms, and customs audit requirements.
- Licensing: A valid Customs Broker license/certification is highly preferred.
- Languages: Bilingual proficiency in English and the local primary business language (e.g., Arabic).