Job Description: European Road Freight Forwarder
Salary: £35k - £38k
Job Title: European Road Freight Forwarder
Department: European Road Freight Operations
Reports to: Operations Manager
Location: Felixstowe Office Based
Role Type: Full-time
Role Purpose
To manage European road freight movements from quotation through to delivery, ensuring excellent customer service, strong supplier negotiation, accurate administration and profitable account management.
This role involves operating trailers, quoting customers, arranging transport, negotiating with hauliers and partners, and helping retain and grow a portfolio of customers.
Key Responsibilities
- Arrange and manage European import and export road freight shipments, including part loads and full loads.
- Operate trailers efficiently, ensuring collections and deliveries are planned, monitored and completed correctly.
- Prepare accurate and competitive customer quotations while protecting company margin.
- Negotiate rates and service options with hauliers, agents and European partners.
- Keep customers updated throughout the shipment process and deal professionally with queries or issues.
- Build strong working relationships with customers, hauliers and internal teams.
- Manage and support a portfolio of customers
- Ensure shipment details, costs, charges and customer records are updated accurately on internal systems.
- Work closely with customs, sales and operations colleagues to deliver an integrated service.
- Resolve delays, service issues and supplier problems quickly and communicate clearly.
- Maintain commercial awareness on all jobs, including margin, additional charges and cost control.
Skills and Experience
Essential:
- Experience in freight forwarding, transport or logistics.
- Good understanding of European road freight operations.
- Strong customer service and communication skills.
- Confident negotiator with customers and suppliers.
- Good attention to detail and administration.
- Ability to manage multiple shipments and deadlines.
- Commercial awareness and understanding of margin.
Desirable:
- Experience with European trailer operations.
- Knowledge of import/export procedures and customs requirements.
- Knowledge of Sea Freight
- Experience managing customer accounts or portfolios.
- Existing haulier or European partner relationships.
Personal Qualities
The ideal candidate will be organised, proactive, commercially minded and confident on the phone. They will be able to work under pressure, solve problems quickly, build strong relationships and take ownership of both shipments and customer accounts.
Key Measures of Success
- Accurate and timely shipment handling.
- Strong customer communication and satisfaction.
- Profitable job margins.
- Effective supplier negotiation.
- Customer retention and account growth.
- Reliable system updates and administration.