Senior Customs Coordinator

Location: Stockwell, Art Central

Employment Type: Permanent, Full time

Start date: Immediate Start

About us

Crown Worldwide Group is a privately owned, global logistics company founded in 1965 and headquartered in Hong Kong. We are committed to making it simpler to live, work and do business anywhere in the world, delivered through our broad portfolio of complementary brands. Together these enable us to relocate people’s lives and possessions, help companies move teams to new locations near and far and help them manage their workspaces. We also transport, store and install precious art collections and keep company data and records safe, yet accessible.

We oversee a wide-ranging CSR program which supports local and global charities, actively champions employee wellbeing and continually seeks to reduce our environmental footprint. We are also proud of our diverse and inclusive culture, providing all our employees with a sense of belonging which allows them to reach their full potential.

About the Role

At Crown Fine Art, we specialise in the safe handling, transportation, and installation of priceless artworks. As a part of the team, you’ll be part of a team that works behind the scenes to ensure every masterpiece is treated with the respect and precision it deserves. This is an important function within the company. The job holder will be expected to provide support in internal customs coordination.

As a senior customs coordinator you will plan and execute all aspects of shipping, primarily for internal Crown clientele in addition to external clients as required. Critical to the role is a firm understanding of UK customs regulations; desirable candidates will have prior knowledge within the Fine Art and Antiquities market. Other attributes include attention to detail, excellent communication and organisational skills, initiative and time management. There will also be occasional working out of hours required depending on the individual shipments administered, that will require monitoring for progression and clearance purposes.

The CFA Division benefits from support functions in Finance, Human Resources, I.T., Marketing, Quality Management, Purchasing and European Operations.

What You’ll Do

• Shipping
• Coordinate UK and international shipments;
• Request relevant resources required to carry out each job to meet goals;
• Creating Air Waybills, requesting bookings with Airline and producing associated documentation;
• Building relationships with those airlines and other carriers;
• Timely processing of invoices, both sales and purchases;
• Be part of developing systems and procedures for the shipping department;
• Creation and maintenance of a thorough airline cost tariff;
• Ensure all accounting and reporting deadlines are observed;
• Potential to travel to the airport / other location with shipments as required.

• Customs
• Take ownership of customs procedures and clearances (export/import/diversion, etc) using internal/external customs software;
• Produce accurate and timely customs clearances on behalf of the company;
• Administering the companies’ customs records (Bond, TA etc) and ensuring compliance with all regulatory body requirements, and deadlines are met;
• Maintain existing authorisations and reapply as required;
• Update management and provide reports on the status / health of our authorisation;
• Ensure Crown maintains the ability to customs clear vehicles at Crown sites;
• Liaise and build relationships with the airlines, customs and other related parties as required;
• Proactively liaise with internal clients throughout a project to manage their experience and service.

• General Administration
• Consider budget management throughout each project and shipment;
• Provide business leads to other divisions within the company to facilitate client revenue growth;
• Deliver consistently high levels of service to give our clients, including your internal clients, the best possible experience of our services;
• Actively contribute individually, and as part of the Crown Fine Art Customs & Shipping Department, in the design, implementation and adherence to company processes and policies;
• Motivate your colleagues through your dedication to the role and output of work;
• Assist them in providing our clients with the best service in the fine art handling sector;
• Ensure all reporting deadlines are observed;
• Any other reasonable tasks requested by Senior Management or other departments;
• Ad-hoc cover of colleague’s duties during periods of absence.

Performance Targets

• Quality of service and support offered to our clients via surveys and PDR’s;
• Issues of individual poor performance;
• Estimate/quote conversation ratios;
• Flown as booked (FAB) performance @ 95%;
• Monitoring and ownership of FAB and clearance performance;
• TA and Bond etc expiries and issues;
• Accuracy of documentation;
• Departmental performance.

What We’re Looking For

The successful candidate for this position will have previous experience in a similar role within the Fine Art industry, or similarly logistics/customs industry, coupled with the ability to multi-task and maintain clear and concise records. You will have excellent communication, project management, analytical and administration skills, an eye for detail, energy, flexibility and self-motivation to assist your team and manager. It is essential you have a good knowledge of Microsoft packages and are prepared to work as a team member and to tight deadlines.

Why Join Crown Fine Art?

Join a company celebrated for its care, expertise, and commitment to quality service. Grow with ongoing training designed to develop your skills and support your career ambitions. Develop your skills and collaborate on innovative solutions in an international, supportive environment. Join a collaborative team that values your ideas and encourages diversity and creativity. Enjoy a culture built on integrity, respect, and excellence. Contribute to sustainability and responsible business practices worldwide.

Shape Your Future with a Global Leader—Where Every Talent Finds Its Crown.

Crown is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals without regard to race, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military/veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Crown welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates eligible to live and work in the designated geographical region. We are committed to diversity, and to employee well-being, engagement and development.