Job Description
Position Title: Senior Import/Export officer
About the Role
We are looking for an experienced Senior Import Export Officer who is responsible for managing and coordinating international trade operations, customs clearance, logistics, and regulatory compliance for businesses.
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Key Responsibilities
Coffee Export Operations & Quality Logistics
Coordinate coffee export processes from supplier sourcing and product preparation through shipment execution and delivery to international buyers.
Understand coffee grades, quality specifications, moisture and defect requirements, lot identification, sampling, and per-shipment quality verification.
Coordinate export documentation according to the coffee type, destination market, buyer requirements, and applicable Ethiopian regulations.
Work with coffee suppliers, washing stations, processors, warehouses, laboratories, exporters, and inspection or certification bodies.
Support commercial negotiations involving coffee grades, quantities, pricing, shipment terms, and delivery schedules.
Coordinate container availability, loading plans, shipping instructions, export declarations, and transport documentation.
Monitor international coffee market quotations, buyer requirements, freight costs, and export shipment performance.
Maintain traceability records and documentation for green coffee and, where applicable, roasted coffee and other coffee products.
Direct coffee quality evaluation workflows with the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority (ECTA) and Coffee Quality Inspection Center (CQIC) to secure Grade Certificates.
Supervise coffee-specific bagging standards (jute bags, GrainPro liners, desiccants, and container lining) to preserve moisture and prevent condensation damage during sea transit.
Customs, Regulatory & Foreign Exchange Compliance
Direct the end-to-end application, verification, and issuance of vital export documentation, including:
Register export contracts with the National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE), manage Letter of Credit (L/C) terms, Cash Against Documents (CAD), and adhere to current forex surrender regulations.
Ensure all coffee exports satisfy destination-country import regulations (e.g., EU Deforestation Regulation / EUDR compliance, FDA registration).
Import Logistics & General Freight Operations
Oversee end-to-end clearance of imported goods, spare parts, machinery, and agricultural/milling inputs.
Manage interactions with Ethiopian Customs Commission (ECC), customs brokers, and transit agents to minimize demur rage, storage penalties, and clearance delays.
Supervise tax/duty estimations, tariff classifications (HS codes), and import permit approvals.
Shipping Line, Freight Forwarding & Port Operations
Negotiate competitive freight rates, demur rage-free days, and vessel space allocations with major shipping lines (ESLSE, Maersk, MSC, CMA CGM, etc.).
Oversee multi modal transport and cross-border trucking along the Addis Ababa–Djibouti port corridor, monitoring transit security, seals, and tracking systems.
Manage vessel bookings under diverse Incoterms (FOB Djibouti, CIF, FCA) and ensure prompt Bill of Lading (B/L) release upon cargo loading.
Vender & Stakeholder Relationship Management
Build and sustain relationships with key institutional stakeholders (ECTA, NBE, ECC, Ministry of Trade, Maritime Authority, and commercial banks).
Audit and evaluate performance metrics for clearing/forwarding agents, inland transport contractors, and warehouse operators.
Job Requirements
Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Logistics & Supply Chain Management, International Trade, Business Administration, Economics, or related fields.
Experience: 8+ years of progressive logistics experience in Ethiopia, with at least 4–5 years leading coffee export operations.
Location: Head Office - Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Employment Type: Full-time
Salary: Negotiable
Required Person: 2
Skills & Comepetencies
Deep mastery of NBE foreign currency directives, Ethiopian Coffee & Tea Authority directives, ECX/DSL sourcing workflows, and Ethiopian Customs laws.
Thorough expertise in preparing L/C, CAD, Bills of Lading, ICO Origin Certificates, Permits, and Commercial Invoices.
Practical knowledge of the Djibouti port ecosystem, cross-border trucking, multi modal shipping, and container yard operations.
ERP systems , Ethiopian Single Window (ESW) platform, and advanced MS Excel.
Professional working proficiency in English (written and spoken).
How To Apply
Applicants can apply within ten (10) Consecutive working days starting from the post date through the following
email address medhanitwalde@gmail.com.
You are expected to include cover letter expressing your interest in the position, CV with three references
and all the important credentials in your application .
