Head of Operations

The Head of Operations is responsible for the daily leadership and performance of the operations function across sea and air freight, imports and exports. This is a hands‑on role working alongside our customer service and operators to ensure smooth workflow allocation, high service standards, effective mentoring and training, and rapid resolution of day‑to‑day operational issues. The role drives productivity and continuous improvement through process development, CargoWise optimisation, IT integration support, and AI enablement within the operations department. The Head of Operations also co‑leads the offshore Manila team with the Forwarding Manager to ensure efficient capacity utilisation, consistent SOPs, and integrated handovers. Key Accountabilities / Responsibilities 1) Daily Operations Leadership (Sea & Air | Import & Export) Oversee end‑to‑end operational execution for all import/export shipments across sea and air. Allocate workflow daily to operators, balancing capacity, deadlines, and customer priorities. Maintain service consistency, milestone compliance, and accurate documentation. Provide hands‑on support during peak periods or when complexity escalates. Lead, coach, and mentor approximately 8 onshore operations staff. Oversee onboarding and training plans for new starters; uplift capability of existing team. Run regular 1:1s and performance check‑ins; address skill gaps promptly. Drive a culture of accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement. 3) Operational Escalation & Problem Solving Act as first escalation point for operational exceptions and service issues. Resolve day‑to‑day challenges across carriers, agents, customers, and internal teams. Identify root causes of recurring issues and implement corrective actions. Ensure risk is flagged early (rollovers, delays, documentation gaps, compliance obstacles). 4) Cross‑Functional Execution (Customs / Forwarding / Finance) Work closely with in‑house Customs Brokerage to ensure compliant clearance and smooth handover. Partner with the Forwarding Manager on service levels, routing, and offshore workflow integration. Liaise with Finance on detention / demurrage control, job profitability, and operational billing accuracy. 5) Process Improvement, IT Integration & AI Enablement Identify and implement improved SOPs, workflows, and quality controls. Support CargoWise optimisation, automation, and integration initiatives. Assist with AI development in the operations function (e.g., document handling, milestone automation, exception detection, workflow routing). Lead change adoption and training to ensure tools are embedded successfully. 6) Offshore Manila Team Leadership Provide operational oversight and guidance to offshore team. Ensure Manila resourcing matches workload and operates efficiently to capacity. Align offshore processes with AU SOPs and quality requirements. Monitor performance and drive continuous uplift with Forwarding Manager. Skills, Experience & Qualifications Minimum 5 years freight forwarding industry experience, majority in import/export operations. Proven leadership/supervisory experience within a forwarding operations team. Demonstrated expertise across sea freight and air freight, imports and exports. Strong CargoWise One capability (end‑to‑end job management, milestones, docs, costing, workflow). Excellent operational knowledge: Incoterms, shipping documentation, carrier/agent management, and Australian compliance environment. Process improvement mindset with experience implementing workflow or system changes. Strong stakeholder management and communication skills across customers, carriers and internal teams. Experience managing offshore/shared service forwarding teams. Exposure to customs clearance workflows / brokerage collaboration. Involvement in CargoWise automation projects, eDocs or change programs. Familiarity with AI/automation adoption in logistics operations. #J-18808-Ljbffr