Ocean Freight Operations Coordinator

The Ocean Freight Operations Coordinator is the day-to-day execution point for ocean freight. The Coordinator places bookings against plan, tracks containers from cut-off through discharge, resolves exceptions before they impact downstream partners, and keeps the Container Log current and accurate. Working under the direction of the Ocean Freight Operations Manager, the Coordinator partners closely with carriers, forwarders, origin teams, and Planning to ensure that committed sailings move on time, documentation lands within compliance windows, and milestone data is distributed to the wider organization on cadence. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 

Booking Execution 

• Place bookings with carriers and forwarders against the planning team’s container forecast and contracted MQCs 

• Submit booking requests within carrier cut-off windows and proactively rebook to mitigate rolls 

• Coordinate ETDs with the Planning team and confirm vessel and equipment availability before commitments are locked 

• Track carrier allocation utilization at the lane level and flag under- or over-pull risk to the Operations Manager 

Carrier & Forwarder Performance 

• Monitor day-to-day carrier and forwarder operational performance against contracted SLAs 

• Capture performance data — on-time pickup, equipment availability, schedule reliability — and prepare inputs for regional QBRs 

• Flag chronic underperformance, missed cut-offs, or service failures to the Operations Manager for escalation 

• Support carrier recovery actions during peak windows and capacity-constrained periods 

Cut-off, Dwell & Schedule Adherence 

• Maintain operational discipline across the booking-to-discharge cycle for assigned lanes 

• Monitor cut-off compliance, terminal dwell time, and vessel schedule adherence on a daily basis 

• Identify recurring delays at the lane, origin, or carrier level and surface root causes for the Operations Manager’s review 

• Follow operational SLAs and standard work as defined by the Operations Manager 

Exception Management 

• Triage rolls, blank sailings, origin customs holds, and port disruptions as they occur 

• Execute the exception playbook for in-scope events and escalate complex or supply-impacting events to the Operations Manager 

• Coordinate with suppliers, origin teams, and Planning on impacted shipments and re-bookings 

• Contribute observations from incidents into SOP updates and post-incident reviews 

Shipping Data Distribution 

• Maintain the Container Log as the source of truth for assigned shipments — booking, milestone, ETA, and discharge data 

• Update milestones in KN ESP and GoComet as events occur and reconcile data across systems 

• Distribute milestone and ETA updates to the organization on the defined cadence 

• Respond to status inquiries from internal stakeholders with accurate, current shipment data 

Documentation Compliance 

• Verify that shipping documents — B/L, commercial invoice, packing list, certificates — are accurate and uploaded within target timing windows 

• Coordinate with origin teams, carriers, and brokers on document handoffs and corrections 

• Support compliance with origin export, customs, and destination clearance requirements 

• Follow documentation SOPs and flag gaps or recurring issues for SOP improvement 

Performance Metrics

• Containers shipped and delivered vs. planned windows for assigned lanes 

• Booking request timing within compliance window 

• Allocation / MQC performance vs. carrier contract commitments 

• Transit time adherence by lane 

• Containers per booking 

• Shipping document upload timing within compliance window 

• Carrier operational performance score (data quality and timeliness of capture) 

• Container Log data completeness and timeliness for assigned shipments 

QUALIFICATIONS 

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, International Business, or related field 

• 2–4 years of experience in ocean freight, international logistics, or import/export operations 

• Working knowledge of Incoterms, ocean carrier booking processes, and shipping documentation 

• Hands-on experience with a TMS platform (KN ESP or equivalent) and freight visibility tools 

• Experience with carrier’s booking portals 

• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple shipments simultaneously under deadline pressure 

• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel; comfort working across systems and reconciling data 

• Clear written and verbal communication — able to coordinate across carriers, forwarders, and internal teams 

• Comfortable working across time zones with origin teams and carriers 

• Experience in CPG, food & beverage, or other regulated import industries preferred 

SYSTEMS & TOOLS 

KN ESP (primary TMS — VC, Carrier, Factory interface) | GoComet (RFQ, Carrier Assignment, Invoice Approval) | Microsoft Excel | SAP | Carrier and forwarder portals