Customs Manager

Overview

In this role you will lead the Felixstowe Customs team to ensure accurate and compliant import/export declarations and transit movements. You will drive operational excellence, maintain high service standards, and support the team in delivering an outstanding customer experience while staying fully compliant with customs legislation. Travel to Liverpool is a requirement, and you will collaborate across internal stakeholders to support growth and innovative solutions. This position combines leadership, compliance, and continuous improvement to move the business forward.

Pay / Benefits

• competitive annual leave entitlement with holiday buy scheme
• pension
• life assurance

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a high-performance, customer-focused customs team
• Manage day-to-day customs operations ensuring service levels, productivity and quality
• Ensure accurate import/export/transit declarations in line with HMRC and government regulations
• Drive quality assurance and compliance procedures across the operation
• Monitor changes in customs legislation and communicate updates to the team
• Build and maintain relationships with customers, attending meetings as required
• Identify opportunities to improve processes, reduce waste, and boost efficiency through CI
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to support growth and share best practices
• Lead workforce planning and capacity management to align resources with demand
• Own recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement and retention activities
• Support commercial initiatives and customer implementations
• Promote learning, collaboration and continuous development across the department

Key requirements

• Significant experience in customs operations
• Proven track record of leading and developing high-performing teams
• Strong understanding of HMRC regulations and customs procedures
• Familiarity with systems such as Destin8 and CNS
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills
• Customer-focused, able to thrive under pressure, good problem-solving abilities
• Passionate about driving compliance, continuous improvement and team success

• leadership
• communication
• relationship-building
• HMRC regulations
• customs procedures
• Destin8

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