Trade Compliance Manager

About the role

The Trade Compliance Manager will lead export logistics for a growing international business in the energy and natural resources sector. Based in Exeter, this permanent position oversees the end‑to‑end export process, ensuring goods move efficiently by air and sea while meeting all regulatory requirements.

Key responsibilities

• Manage all export shipping activities across global markets, coordinating air‑freight and sea‑freight shipments.
• Ensure compliance with UK export regulations, customs legislation, and international trade rules.
• Prepare and review export documentation such as commercial invoices, packing lists, certificates of origin, dangerous‑goods declarations, and customs paperwork.
• Liaise with freight forwarders, shipping lines, airlines, customs brokers and overseas customers.
• Monitor shipment performance, lead times and transport costs, identifying improvement and cost‑saving opportunities.
• Maintain accurate shipping records and provide KPI reporting to management.
• Support sales, operations and customer‑service teams with shipping advice and export queries.
• Uphold health, safety and environmental standards throughout export activities.

Required profile

• Proven experience in export shipping, export logistics or international logistics management.
• Strong knowledge of air‑freight and sea‑freight procedures and documentation.
• Familiarity with Incoterms, freight forwarding and customs compliance.
• Excellent organisational, problem‑solving and negotiation abilities.
• High attention to detail and accuracy.

Required skills

• International shipping procedures (air and sea)
• Export documentation and customs compliance
• Incoterms and freight forwarding
• ERP systems
• Microsoft Office applications