Supervisor - Logistics & Trade Compliance in Aberdeen

The Supervisor – Logistics & Trade Compliance is responsible for managing and coordinating international logistics operations while ensuring full compliance with UK, HMRC, and international trade regulations. This role requires strong supervisory skills, deep knowledge of customs procedures, and the ability to provide hands-on support with clearance instructions, documentation, and compliance matters. The position serves as the focal point between internal stakeholders, external providers, and customs authorities, ensuring timely, cost-effective, and compliant movement of goods worldwide.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

• Trade Compliance & Customs
  • Administer the company’s import and export compliance program, ensuring all activities comply with legal and regulatory obligations.
  • Act as the primary liaison with HMRC, customs brokers, and freight forwarders to ensure accurate, timely, and compliant clearance of shipments.
  • Support the business in obtaining UK and EU export licenses, including registration, applications, compliance reviews, and recordkeeping.
  • Monitor and interpret changes to HMRC regulations, UKCS import/export charges, VAT exemptions, and other customs/tax exemptions, updating internal processes as required.
  • Audit freight forwarders, customs brokers, and agents to confirm adherence to AEO and recordkeeping requirements.
  • Provide assistance for emergency shipments, customs queries, or missing supplier documentation to avoid delays caused by time-zone differences across global operations.
  • Maintain compliance for goods imported under Temporary Importation Status, ensuring timely closure of customs processes.
• Logistics Operations
  • Mobilize and manage internal and external logistics resources to achieve on-time, accurate, and cost-effective delivery of materials.
  • Oversee import and export operations for the UK, Europe, Norway, ensuring end-to-end visibility and compliance.
  • Manage vendor relationships with freight forwarders, carriers, and shipping agents, ensuring service-level excellence and accountability.
  • Identify opportunities to streamline logistics processes, including freight consolidation, rate benchmarking, and process redesign.
  • Monitor and control logistics costs through contract reviews, freight audits, and participation in rate negotiations.
  • Maintain daily activities of import/export files to ensure accurate documentation (invoices, packing lists, certificates of origin) and timely delivery to final destinations.
  • Provide responsive logistics support for urgent operational requirements, including offshore rig supply needs.
• Reporting, Governance & Continuous Improvement
  • Conduct weekly monitoring of On-Hand Reports and OSD recovery, with aligned KPI measurements.
  • Attend operational planning meetings and monthly governance sessions with freight forwarders.
  • Prepare for and support internal/external audits of customs and logistics processes.
  • Ensure compliance with AEO certification requirements and support continuous improvement of compliance controls.
  • Leverage AI and digital tools to generate reports, enhance data visibility, and support decision-making across the logistics network.
  • Drive initiatives that balance service quality with cost-effectiveness across the global supply chain.

Qualifications / Education

• Bachelor’s degree
• Years minimum experience with HMRC customs regulations, UK Export Licensing (including Trade Controls), and EU export compliance procedures.
• Proven professional experience in logistics, trade compliance, or customs brokerage, with supervisory or team leadership responsibilities.
• Strong analytical and communication skills, including the ability to gather, validate, and synthesize data, prepare reports, and communicate effectively across functions and cultures.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and digital tools.

Skills & Experience

• Strong professional background in logistics, trade compliance, or customs brokerage, with supervisory experience.
• Detailed knowledge of UK Export Licensing, including Trade Controls, and strong understanding of HMRC customs regulations and EU export compliance procedures.
• Knowledge of AEO certification requirements and practical experience ensuring compliance.
• Solid understanding of the legal application of Incoterms and trade compliance requirements of suppliers for import and export transactions.
• Familiarity with UK Global Tariff, Customs Declaration Service (CDS), and related systems.
• Preferred but not essential knowledge of drilling equipment for offshore drilling operations, including familiarity with key suppliers, industry specifications, and standards.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple logistics projects simultaneously, establish priorities, and meet deadlines.
• Proven ability to obtain, compare, and negotiate transport and handling rates, driving cost efficiency.
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Excel (financial and logical functions, multiple worksheets, macros, importing/exporting data).
• Strong data analysis skills with the ability to gather, validate, and synthesize data as part of collective decision-making.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively across organizational levels, departments, and cultures.
• Demonstrated negotiation and influencing skills, with the ability to resolve complex issues effectively.
• Ability or willingness to learn to adopt AI and digital tools as part of daily operations.
• Willingness and availability to travel within the assigned area of responsibility as required by business needs.
• Ability to respond quickly and appropriately in dynamic, high-pressure work environments.
• Flexible mindset and the ability to operate effectively under ambiguous guidelines.
• Strong team player, capable of building cooperative relationships across internal and external stakeholders.

Behaviors

As part of our commitment to fostering a high-performance culture, employees are expected to align their actions and decisions with the principles outlined in our Behavioral Framework. This framework serves as the foundation for our organizational culture and guides our behaviors to drive better outcomes across the company. Employees are responsible for incorporating these behaviors into their daily actions, relationships, and decision-making to help manage expectations, strengthen relationships, and contribute to the overall success of the organization.

• Analyze & Plan – Being deliberate in understanding and describing the problem to solve and using information from a range of relevant sources to develop solutions that are effective and evidence-based.
• Collaborate – Collaborating effectively, sharing ideas, and leveraging one another’s strengths based on trust, transparency, and empathy, creating an environment where everyone’s input is valued.
• Communicate – Communicate clearly with all employees and stakeholders, ensuring active listening, understanding, and timely information sharing.
• Learn, Grow & Adapt – Building organizational capability through our own learning and development while coaching others and supporting others to adapt, learn, and develop.
• Deliver Results – Striving to deliver and exceed required results, identifying and overcoming obstacles, and taking responsibility for the outcome while respecting our values.