Customs Administrator - Foodservice Finance in Newtownabbey

At Henderson Group, we are proud to be Northern Ireland’s leading foodservice provider. Our group encompasses Henderson Wholesale, Henderson Retail, Henderson Foodservice and Henderson Group Property. We employ over 6,000 staff and have been placed 5th in Ulster Business Top 100 Companies 2024. We’re a family‑owned team that cares about our people and the community in which we live. Our leaders care about employees, and our employees succeed together and celebrate the success of others.

Henderson Food Service is the leading supplier to the food‑service industry in Ireland. We source and supply a range of thousands of products to customers including hotels, restaurants, and public‑sector organisations such as hospitals and offices. Following another year of record growth, our team continues to exceed targets and deliver sales across N.I. and R.O.I last year. Our team will offer you a positive and supportive environment to enjoy success within our market‑leading brand. We achieved Platinum accreditation against the Investors in People standard framework in 2020 in recognition of people‑management excellence and our commitment to investment in people.

The Purpose of the role: This role will deliver an efficient and compliant customs administration service across the Henderson Group, ensuring customs declarations are completed accurately and in accordance with HMRC requirements. Full training will be provided to support the successful candidate in developing the knowledge and skills required for the role. The role will collaborate with internal teams and external partners to support the smooth flow of goods, maximise tariff recovery opportunities, and enhance customs processes through continuous improvement.

Working as Customs Administrator you will:

• Complete customs declarations via the Trader Support System on behalf of Group companies, ensuring HMRC compliance in terms of completeness, accuracy and deadlines.
• Liaise with internal Trading and Logistics colleagues to ensure that information is supplied as required and that deadlines for the submission of declarations are met.
• Liaise with external suppliers, hauliers, agents etc. to explain what is required and to ensure that the information supplied is complete, timely and accurate.
• Report status and progress of submissions to Customs Co‑ordinator.
• Maintain full and accurate records.
• Compile and submit claims as part of the reimbursement process to ensure tariffs are subsequently reclaimed from HMRC where appropriate.
• Look to formalise and improve internal processes, increasing efficiencies where possible.
• Interrogate internal BI tools to confirm the accuracy of data held on our IT systems, updating as required.
• Deal with ad‑hoc customs‑related queries, both internal and external from HMRC, including audits.

Skills for Success: Joining us as Customs Administrator the minimum criteria you’ll need is:

• A minimum of 5 GCSEs (or equivalent), including Mathematics and English.
• A minimum of one year of administrative experience.
• Strong IT skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Excel and other Microsoft Office applications.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to prioritise workload effectively and meet deadlines.

The Attributes you’ll need include:

• Good communication skills and the ability to plan and complete work within deadlines.
• Excellent attention to detail with a high level of accuracy when processing data and documentation.
• The ability to manage confidential and sensitive information appropriately.
• Strong problem‑solving and analytical skills.
• The ability to work independently as well as collaboratively within a team.
• A customer‑focused mindset with the confidence to liaise with internal and external stakeholders.

It is Desirable if you have:

• Previous experience working within an FMCG, retail, logistics, or supply‑chain environment.
• Previous experience in a customs, import/export, or international trade administration role.
• An understanding or interest in customs procedures, import/export documentation, and compliance requirements.
• Knowledge of ERP systems, customs software, or finance systems.

As part of this role, it will be important that you feel aligned with the values that we live and work by:

• Ambition: We always strive to be better. We seek new challenges and look for ways to do things better.
• Customer First: We provide exceptional service. We put customers at the heart of everything and support our communities.
• Teamwork: We succeed together. We help colleagues to succeed, and we share our knowledge and skills.
• Integrity: We are fair, honest and ethical. We treat everyone with dignity and respect. We are inclusive and champion diversity.

The impact you can make with Henderson Group goes far beyond your day to day. You will be part of a business supporting defibrillator installations and school sports days. In the last year, Henderson Group staff and retail stores raised over £1 million for charity partners. You will have the balance necessary to enjoy your job and your life. We will help you to feel proud of what you do and achieve, and we will be here to celebrate your success. Our business has been recognised externally for delivering excellence in employment. We value employee development and heavily invest in our people.

Benefits include a market‑competitive salary, contributory pension scheme, health care, life assurance, employee assistance programme, social club, Reward Gateway Employee Recognition & Discount Scheme throughout UK/Ireland, staff discount (grocery/fuel) at SPAR/EUROSPAR Henderson Group company‑owned stores and many more. This is a full‑time position working 36.5 hours per week. Working hours will be 8:45 am‑4:45 pm Monday‑Thursday and 8:45 am‑3:45 pm Friday. Hybrid and flexible working arrangements available.