Specialist - Import Operations

Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for current or future visa sponsorship.

About the Role

The Import Operations Specialist is responsible for managing the end-to-end execution of international import shipments from supplier origin through final delivery to Family Dollar Distribution Centers. This role coordinates origin booking activities, ocean transportation, customs clearance, destination drayage, transload operations, and final delivery while partnering with vendors, freight forwarders, ocean carriers, customs brokers, and domestic transportation providers to ensure service excellence, inventory flow, and cost control.

Responsibilities

• Manage import shipments from purchase order readiness through final delivery to Distribution Centers.
• Coordinate with origin operations all booking requests, cargo readiness, documentation compliance, and container loading.
• Monitor supplier shipping performance and ensure adherence to routing and shipping instructions.
• Partner with freight forwarders and ocean carriers to secure capacity and resolve origin operational issues.
• Track shipment milestones and maintain end-to-end visibility throughout the transportation lifecycle.
• Manage destination operations, including port availability, drayage coordination, transload scheduling, and final delivery appointments.
• Monitor container dwell time, Last Free Day (LFD), detention, demurrage, and storage exposure, implementing corrective actions when necessary.
• Prioritize shipments based on Distribution Center requirements, inventory priorities, and business needs.
• Collaborate with carriers, terminals, transload facilities, and Distribution Centers to resolve service disruptions.
• Support transportation sourcing events, carrier performance reviews, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Analyze transportation performance and identify opportunities to improve service, transit times, and cost efficiency.
• Partner with Finance to resolve freight invoice discrepancies related to international transportation services.
• Ensure compliance with Family Dollar import policies, routing guides, regulatory requirements, and transportation standards.
• Support additional reporting, analysis, and transportation-related projects as required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, Logistics, Business, or related field.
• 3–5+ years of experience managing international import operations.
• Experience with:
  • International ocean freight
  • Origin logistics and supplier coordination
  • Freight forwarding
  • Customs clearance
  • Drayage operations
  • Transload operations
• Strong understanding of U.S. import processes, Incoterms, container lifecycle, and international shipping documentation.
• Knowledge of detention, demurrage, terminal operations, and port appointment systems.
• Experience using Transportation Management Systems (TMS), Microsoft Excel, and reporting tools.
• Strong analytical, communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced retail supply chain environment.

Pay

Projected salary range: $68,000 - $72,000

Schedule

Full time

Location: 510 Volvo Parkway, Chesapeake, Virginia 23320