Senior Customs Clearance Supervisor

We are seeking an experienced and highly capable Senior Customs Clearance Supervisor to lead our customs clearance operations. The ideal candidate will possess deep knowledge of local customs regulations, strong team management skills, and a proven track record in handling complex import shipments. This role requires a proactive leader who can navigate customs processes, resolve disputes, and ensure efficient clearance while maintaining strict compliance and cost control.

Job Description

• Supervise and manage the full import customs clearance process for shipments arriving at ports and dry ports in Addis Ababa.

• Oversee customs operators, document officers, and field staff to ensure smooth and timely clearance of hundreds of FCL shipments, including general-trade goods, engineering materials, machinery, and building materials.

• Handle customs inspections, cargo detentions, tariff disputes, valuation appeals, and fine reduction applications.

• Develop standard operating workflows, assign daily tasks to team members, and monitor progress for each container.

• Analyze clearance lead-time, inspection rates, and abnormal cases; optimize processes to avoid detention and overdue penalties.

• Report progress and risk alerts to China headquarters daily via WeCom, including daily reports, business trip requests, and expense approvals.

• Manage port charges, trucking fees, and miscellaneous expenses with strong cost-control awareness to prevent expense fraud.

• Respond promptly to emergencies such as cargo detention or urgent clearance requests.

Job Requirements

Work Experience

• Minimum 5 years hands-on import customs clearance experience in Ethiopia, familiar with full procedures of ports and dry ports in Addis Ababa.

• Proven track record handling hundreds of FCL shipments, including general-trade goods, engineering materials, machinery and building materials.

• At least 3 years of team-management experience, able to supervise customs operators, document officers and field staff.

• Practical experience in handling customs inspections, cargo detentions, tariff disputes, valuation appeals and fine reduction applications.

 Professional Knowledge & Policy Competence

• In-depth knowledge of Ethiopian customs laws, tariff coding, VAT regulations, import-control policies and certificate-of-origin requirements.

• Skilled in local customs declaration systems for manifest entry, document submission and application-status tracking.

• Able to check full-set shipping documents (B/L, packing list, invoice, CO, inspection certificates, permits) and identify risks in advance.

• Familiar with foreign-exchange rules, pre-import declaration, temporary duty-exemption and project-exemption application procedures.

Local Network & Communication Skills

• Established working relationships with customs, tax authority, port authorities and shipping agents for fast on-site problem solving.

• Fluent in Amharic; basic English reading & writing for understanding shipping and trade documents.

• Strong negotiation skills to appeal over-estimated duties and unreasonable fines and reduce overall clearance costs.

Management & Business Capabilities

• Develop standard operating workflows, assign daily tasks to team members and monitor progress for each container.

• Analyze clearance lead-time, inspection rates and abnormal cases; optimize processes to avoid detention and overdue penalties.

• Report progress and risk alerts to China headquarters daily via WeCom, including daily reports, business trip requests and expense approvals.

• Strong cost-control awareness to manage port charges, trucking fees and miscellaneous expenses and prevent expense fraud.

Personality & Professional Ethics

• Strong principles, meticulous working style and high sensitivity to documents, amounts and tariff codes.

• Able to work under pressure, respond promptly to emergencies such as cargo detention or urgent clearance requests.

• Highly responsible, take ownership of issues without shifting blame.

• Strict confidentiality of client data, cargo value and duty-cost information.

• Honest and trustworthy, no prior record of kickbacks or collusion for false expense claims.

Compensation & Performance Expectations

• Remuneration: Basic salary + container-based performance bonus. Top performers can earn over 100,000 ETB per month.

• KPI Targets: Reduce error-driven inspection rates, shorten average clearance cycles, and minimize extra fines.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous clearance-service experience for large-scale engineering and construction-material clients.

• Former supervisor at a well-known freight-forwarding or customs-brokerage firm.

• Experience with duty-exempt projects and temporary-import machinery clearance.

How To Apply

Apply on Ethio jobs