Deputy Manager / Manager –

- Ocean Freight &
- EXIM Operations

Company: Caterpillar Signs Pvt. Ltd. –

- Group Bayport

Function: Supply Chain &

- Logistics –
- International Trade Operations

Location: Gandhinagar SEZ, Gujarat

Experience: 8–17 Years

Band: Deputy Manager / Manager, based on experience and candidate calibre

Reporting To: Head –

- Logistics / Sr. Manager –
- Logistics

Direct Reports: Nil initially; team-building opportunity as business volumes grow

About The Role

We are looking for an experienced Deputy Manager / Manager –

- Ocean Freight &
- EXIM Operations to take end-to-end ownership of the organization's non-express international trade operations.

The role will oversee ocean and air exports, imports, third-country/cross-trade shipments, marketplace and retail partner inbound movements, and trade compliance across India, overseas entities, and international trade lanes.

The ideal candidate should be a hands-on EXIM professional with strong experience in export, import, cross-trade operations, documentation, customs coordination, freight forwarding, and compliance.

Key Responsibilities

- Export, Import &
- Cross-Trade Operations
- Manage end-to-end execution of non-express international shipments from booking through delivery and invoice settlement.
- Handle sea and air export operations from the SEZ, including booking, documentation, customs filing through CHA, container stuffing, and export realization requirements.
- Manage imports of raw materials, consumables, spares, and capital goods into SEZ and DTA locations.
- Handle international inbound movements for overseas entities, including destination customs entry coordination.
- Manage third-country / cross-trade shipments, including switch Bills of Lading, neutral packing, third-party invoicing, origin documentation, and applicable regulatory requirements.
- Coordinate marketplace and retail partner inbound shipments, ensuring compliance with routing guides, ASN accuracy, appointment schedules, labeling, and load requirements.
- Documentation &
- Trade Compliance
- Prepare, verify, and maintain complete shipment documentation, including:
- Commercial Invoice
- Packing List
- Shipping Bill / Bill of Entry
- Bill of Lading / Air Waybill
- Certificate of Origin
- Insurance and inspection certificates
- Customer-specific documentation
- Coordinate with CHAs on HS classification, valuation, licensing requirements, and customs filings.
- Review shipping bills and customs entries before submission.
- Ensure compliance with applicable FEMA, DGFT, SEZ, customs, and merchanting-trade requirements.
- Maintain accurate, audit-ready documentation and records.




- Ensure appropriate application of Incoterms 2020 and destination-country regulatory requirements.
- Freight &
- Logistics Management
- Select appropriate freight mode, service, and routing based on cost, transit time, and customer commitments.
- Manage freight forwarders, CHAs, shipping lines, and overseas agents against defined service levels.
- Maintain freight rate benchmarks by lane and mode.
- Monitor shipment status through a live shipment tracker and proactively manage delays, rolled containers, transshipments, and delivery issues.
- Monitor and control free time, demurrage, and detention costs.
- Negotiate free days and proactively escalate potential cost exposures.
- Review freight and logistics invoices line-by-line before submission to Finance.
- Stakeholder &
- Vendor Management
- Act as the single point of contact for all internal stakeholders for non-express international shipments.
- Coordinate with Production, Quality, Finance, Customer Experience, overseas entities, and other relevant functions.
- Manage external logistics partners, freight forwarders, CHAs, and overseas agents.
- Provide timely shipment updates and clear written communication to internal and external stakeholders.
- Ensure marketplace and retail partner requirements are consistently met and proactively address chargebacks.
- Reporting &
- Cost Management
- Maintain accurate shipment and logistics trackers.
- Prepare periodic MIS reports covering:
- Cost per shipment by lane and mode
- Demurrage and detention
- Chargebacks
- Claims filed and recovered
- Shipment status and exceptions

- Identify cost-saving opportunities across freight, routing, and logistics operations.
- Present data-backed and costed recommendations for decisions involving logistics or trade costs.

Candidate Profile We are looking for a hands-on professional who has personally executed EXIM operations rather than only supervised a team.

Candidates May Come From Either Of The Following Backgrounds

Freight Forwarding / NVOCC / CHA

- Experience with international freight forwarders, NVOCCs, consolidators, or licensed CHAs.
- Strong understanding of documentation, agent networks, destination-side coordination, and freight economics.

Corporate EXIM

- Experience managing end-to-end export, import, and cross-trade operations within an established organization.
- Experience handling multiple business units, brands, international customers, and overseas entities.





Essential Requirements

- 8–12 years of relevant experience for Deputy Manager level
- Manager-level candidates may be considered based on experience and calibre.
- Hands-on experience managing both export and import operations.
- Strong exposure to third-country / cross-trade shipments or a closely comparable international trade structure.
- Strong knowledge of EXIM documentation and customs procedures.
- Experience coordinating with CHA, freight forwarders, shipping lines, and overseas agents.
- Strong written and verbal English communication skills.
- Ability to independently manage multiple stakeholders and international shipments simultaneously.
- Robust attention to detail and ownership of compliance and documentation.

Preferred Experience

- Experience in SEZ, EOU, or bonded warehouse operations.
- Overseas import filing exposure.
- Marketplace or retail partner routing-guide experience.
- Experience in a high-SKU / customized product environment.
- Exposure to international e-commerce supply chains.

Technical Knowledge Candidates Should Have Working Knowledge Of

- Bill of Lading types, including Switch B/L and Telex Release
- Air Waybill
- Certificate of Origin – preferential and non-preferential
- Shipping Bill and Bill of Entry procedures
- SEZ and DTA customs processes
- HS classification and valuation
- Duty structures and customs query/examination/release processes
- FEMA export/import realization requirements
- DGFT regulations and schemes
- Merchanting-trade requirements
- SEZ statutory returns and record keeping
- Incoterms 2020
- Ocean and air freight rate structures and surcharges
- Free time, demurrage, and detention
- Letters of Credit at a working level
- FCL / LCL operations
- Container types and stuffing planning
- VGM, transshipment, and rolled-container recovery
- CFS and port processes
- Marketplace routing guides and ASN systems
- Advanced Excel

Education
- Graduate in any discipline.
- Post-graduation in International Business, Foreign Trade, Supply Chain, or a related field is preferred.
- Trade or customs certification will be an added advantage.

Growth Opportunity The Selected Candidate Will Have The Opportunity To Progress To Manager –
- EXIM Based On Demonstrated Performance And Successful Achievement Of Defined Business Objectives, Including

- Establishing documented processes that operate independently.
- Reducing documentation errors, customs queries, demurrage, detention, and chargebacks.
- Establishing and managing cost-per-shipment benchmarks by lane and mode.
- Maintaining an audit-ready compliance framework.
- Developing and supervising junior team capability as business volumes increase.

📌 Deputy Manager/Manager - Ocean Freight & EXIM OPS (Gandhinagar)
🏢 Group Bayport
📍 Gandhinagar