Job Purpose

To manage and coordinate international shipping, logistics operations, and demand planning activities, ensuring

timely movement of goods, efficient inventory availability, accurate demand forecasting, customs compliance, and smooth logistics execution from origin to destination.

Key Responsibilities

1. Demand Planning & Forecasting

• Develop and maintain demand forecasts based on historical sales, market trends, seasonality, promotions, business requirements, and customer demand.

• Coordinate with Sales, Procurement, Warehouse, Finance, and Operations teams to understand demand requirements and align supply plans.

• Monitor actual demand against forecasts and identify significant variances, trends, and potential supply gaps.

• Prepare short-term and medium-term demand plans to support procurement and international shipment planning.

• Ensure timely availability of raw materials, packaging materials, and other required products based on forecasted demand.

• Identify potential stock-outs, excess inventory, and slow-moving items and recommend appropriate corrective actions.

• Continuously improve forecast accuracy by analyzing historical data, consumption patterns, and forecast variances.

• Support the business in planning inventory levels while considering product shelf life, lead times, minimum order quantities, and supplier constraints.

2. Manage International Shipments

• Plan, coordinate, and execute international shipments (import and export) via air, sea, and land across multiple countries.

• Coordinate shipment schedules based on demand requirements, inventory levels, supplier lead times, and business priorities.

• Ensure shipments are planned and executed within agreed timelines to avoid supply disruptions.

3. Shipping Documentation

• Prepare, verify, and manage all relevant shipping documentation, including commercial invoices, packing lists, bills of lading, certificates of origin, and customs declarations.

• Ensure accuracy and completeness of documentation before shipment dispatch.

4. Customs Clearance

• Liaise with customs brokers and clearing agents to ensure smooth and timely customs clearance.

• Ensure compliance with customs requirements and proactively resolve clearance issues to avoid

demurrage, delays, and penalties.

5. Vendor & Freight Forwarder Coordination

• Coordinate with freight forwarders, shipping lines, suppliers, and third-party logistics providers for booking, pick-up, transportation, and delivery arrangements.

• Monitor vendor and logistics partner performance and escalate recurring service issues.

6. Trade Compliance

• Ensure compliance with international trade regulations, import/export laws, Incoterms, customs

regulations, and company policies.

Ensure appropriate HS codes, country-of-origin requirements, and other regulatory documentation are maintained.

7. Tracking & Monitoring

• Track all international shipments and provide timely updates to internal stakeholders.

• Monitor shipment milestones and proactively address delays, discrepancies, damages, or other transit related issues.

• Maintain accurate shipment records and ensure timely closure of logistics activities.

8. Cost Optimization

• Negotiate freight rates and shipping terms with vendors and logistics partners.

• Analyze freight and logistics costs and identify opportunities for cost reduction and process improvement.

• Optimize shipment planning by consolidating shipments and selecting the most cost-effective

transportation modes where appropriate.

9. Inventory & Supply Coordination

• Work closely with Warehouse, Procurement, Sales, and Operations teams to align demand, inventory, procurement, and shipment plans.

• Monitor inventory availability against forecasted demand and lead times.

• Ensure appropriate replenishment planning to support business requirements while minimizing excess and obsolete inventory.

Consider product shelf life and the company's fresh-product operating model while planning supply and inventory requirements.

10. Reporting & Analytics

• Prepare regular reports on demand forecasts, forecast accuracy, inventory levels, stock-outs, excess inventory, international freight costs, shipment status, delivery timelines, and carrier performance.

• Analyze key logistics and demand-planning KPIs and provide actionable insights to management.

• Maintain accurate planning and shipment data for management review and decision-making

Desired Candidate Profile

• 3–5 years of hands-on experience in logistics, international shipping, supply chain, and/or demand planning.

• Bachelor’s degree in Logistics, Supply Chain Management, International Trade, Business Administration, or a related field.

• Strong knowledge of import/export documentation, HS codes, Incoterms, and customs clearance

procedures.

• Practical understanding of demand forecasting, inventory planning, replenishment, and supply planning.

• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret sales, inventory, and demand data.

• Proficiency in MS Excel; experience with ERP, WMS, TMS, or demand-planning systems is preferred.

• Familiarity with freight booking platforms and logistics software.

• Excellent organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.

• Ability to work independently under pressure and manage multiple shipments and priorities

simultaneously.

• Strong communication and stakeholder-management skills.

• Fluency in English; knowledge of Arabic or other regional languages is an advantage.

• Experience in the FMCG, food manufacturing, fresh food, or perishable products industry will be an added

advantage.