Manager, Supply Chain – Inbound Operations

Responsibilities

• Monitor factory production schedules to ensure Cargo Ready Dates (CRD) align with the requirements set by the Demand Planning team.
• Act as the primary point of contact for overseas vendors once a Purchase Order is issued, troubleshooting production delays and securing equipment/space bookings.
• Set policy on container utilization, packing standards, and load consolidation to ensure optimal shipping costs while minimizing damages.
• Lead negotiations with shipping lines and freight forwarders to secure competitive contract and spot rates for ocean, air, and land transport on Canada and US lanes.
• Evaluate and select carriers based on a balance of cost-efficiency, transit time, and reliability; review all freight invoices to ensure billed rates reflect negotiated contracts and that no unauthorized surcharges are applied.
• Manage demurrage and detention exposure proactively, resulting in minimized charges and meeting predetermined targets, in partnership with the Director, Supply Chain.
• Oversee the collection of all essential shipping documents from factories, including Commercial Invoices, Packing Lists, and Bills of Lading.
• Own end-to-end customs clearance for both CBSA (Canada) and CBP (US) imports.
• Verify the accuracy of all customs entries, including HTS code classification, valuation, and duty/tax calculations.
• Ensure all imports comply with local and international trade regulations and maintain records for government audit purposes.
• Track and report on key metrics including Transit Time Variance, Freight Cost as a % of COGS, and Vendor On-Time Shipping.
• Provide accurate landed cost data for inventory valuation and margin analysis in collaboration with the Finance Team.
• Lead, coach, and develop a team of Supply Chain Analysts while fostering a culture of accountability, accuracy, and continuous improvement.
• Facilitate weekly 1:1s with Direct Reports to provide high quality performance feedback, ensure clarity around tasks and priorities, provide guidance in order to strengthen team capabilities and achieve targets.
• Foster a strong culture of collaboration and teamwork, actively removing roadblocks and proactively developing the team to be highly cross functional.
• Build the inbound operating cadence for KPI reviews, exception management, and escalation paths.
• Build scalable processes, documentation, and reporting standards as the business continues to mature.

• University Degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering or related discipline
• 5-10 years in international logistics, freight forwarding, or supply chain management, specifically handling high-volume overseas imports
• Previous experience in managing an operations team
• Proven track record of negotiating freight contracts and managing relationships with global 3PLs
• Deep understanding of Incoterms 2020, customs valuation, and HTS classification
• Proficient in Excel or Google Sheets;
  Power BI is an asset
• Experience with inventory and warehouse management systems on an ecommerce first technology stack such as Shopify, Fulfil.
  
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• High level of accuracy in auditing financial documents and customs filings to prevent costly compliance errors