Logistics Operations Supervisor Uganda

CEVA Logistics provides global supply chain solutions to connect people, products and providers all around the world. Present in 170 countries and with more than 110,000 employees spread over 1,500 sites, we are well on our way to achieving our vision: to be a Top 5 global 3PL.

We believe that our employees are the key to our success. We want to engage and empower our diverse, global team to co-create value with our customers through our solutions in contract logistics and air, ocean, ground, and finished vehicle transport. That is why CEVA Logistics offers a dynamic and exceptional work environment that fosters personal growth, innovation, and continuous improvement.

At CEVA Logistics, we Rise in Motion.  Your career is always on the move, growing as fast and as far as your ambition takes you. Join a global team of nearly 200 nationalities, shaping the future of global trade, moving essential goods, forging new paths, and pushing boundaries to serve an ever-changing world. The pace is fast, the challenges are real, but the rewards are greater: growth, purpose, and the chance to make a meaningful impact. This is more than a job. It’s a journey on which you rise. 

YOUR ROLE

We are looking for an experienced Logistics Operations Supervisor - Customs to oversee and manage customs brokerage operations, ensuring efficient, compliant, and timely clearance of goods, while leading a team of customs administrators to deliver high-quality service, maintain operational excellence, and meet client expectations.

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?

Team Leadership & Supervision: 

•    Lead, coach, and develop the Customs Brokerage Administrators team, fostering a high-performance and accountable culture.
•    Allocate work fairly, transparently, and in a timely manner, ensuring tasks are distributed based on workload, complexity and agreed operational lead times.
•    Continuously monitor workloads and rebalance tasks to avoid bottlenecks and ensure optimal team efficiency.
•    Ensure all assignments are aligned to clearance priorities and client deadlines.
•    Initiate monthly report to track progress of assigned work to ensure timely completion and intervene where delays or issues arise.
•    Provide clear instructions, expectations, and deadlines through a weekly report to team members, ensuring alignment with operational goals.
•    Review completed work for accuracy, compliance, and quality before final submission.
•    Manage escalations, support problem-solving, and provide technical guidance on complex files to ensure all clearance activities meet the required lead times and operational standards.
•    Conduct regular performance check-ins, provide feedback, and support continuous development of team capabilities.
•    Implement initiatives to ensure compliance to set KPIs of our AEO license.

Operational Oversight & Customs Clearance Management:

•    Supervise end-to-end customs clearance processes, including import and export operations.
•    Oversee timely entry capture, declaration processing, documentation preparation, and TMS updates.
•    Ensure timely preparation and submission of customs entries and supporting documentation.
•    Validate documentation for accuracy of all declarations before allocation for declaration.
•    Ensure all clearance activities meet set URA lead times and operational standards.
•    Manage queries and corrections raised by customs authorities and ensure timely resolution.
•    Calculates the taxes i.e. customs duties and VAT where applicable.
•    Review allocated files from Operations Supervisors for accuracy and compliance.
•    Ensure complete set of customs documents (including exit notes where applicable) are on file, upload important customs documents in TMS.

Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management:

•    Interpret and apply customs regulations, tariffs, and trade requirements to ensure compliance with local and international customs laws, trade regulations and Company policies.
•    Ensure proper documentation from regulatory bodies (URA, UNBS, NDA, MAAIF, etc.) is obtained and verified.
•    Maintain up-to-date knowledge of customs procedures, import/export requirements, restricted goods rules, and trade compliance changes.
•    Identify compliance risks and implement corrective actions.
•    Support internal and external customs audits and respond to post-clearance audits, queries, and inspections.
•    Maintain and communicate up-to-date knowledge of changes in customs laws and industry practices.
•    Identify compliance risks and escalate issues proactively.
•    Help implement corrective actions to prevent recurring customs or documentation errors.
•    Drive continuous improvement initiatives to reduce clearance time and costs.

Cargo Release Coordination:

•    Follow up with customs to process documents and ensure timely entry releases and advise ICD section and other relevant authorities such as UNBS, MoWT, NDA, CROP and other regulatory agencies for timely cargo release.
•    Ensure proper documentation for the clearance and release of goods.

Client and Regulatory Liaison:

•    Address queries from Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), UNBS, MOWT, NDA, MAAIF and clients regarding declaration documents.
•    Submit written requests to URA through Touchpoint for resolving issues related to importers' cargo clearance.
•    Obtain feedback of the same letters and report findings/solutions to the respective staff.

Reporting and Communication:

•    Prepare and analyze operational reports on clearance timelines, compliance, and productivity and ensure the team has 100% data quality in TMS.
•    Track KPIs such as clearance cycle time, shipment release rate, penalties, demurrage, detention, and documentation accuracy.
•    Monitor daily priorities and ensure timely resolution of operational issues.
•    Track KPIs and provide insights into management for decision-making.
•    Analyze clearance bottlenecks and recommend process improvements.
•    Support automation and optimization of customs and logistics workflows.

Stakeholder Management & Communication:

•    Act as the main liaison between customs and other regulatory authorities, clients, and internal teams.
•    Provide timely updates to commercial teams and clients on shipment status.
•    Initiate a monthly report on handling queries, disputes, and escalations related to customs declarations.
•    Build and maintain strong working relationships with URA and other regulatory agencies.

WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

• Bachelors Degree in Transport and Logistics Management, Supply Chain Management, Business Administration or any other related course.
• East African Customs and Freight Forwarding Practicing certificate is mandatory.
• Post Graduate diploma in Customs Clearing and Forwarding is an added advantage. 
• A minimum of Five (5) years working experience in a customs clearing and forwarding Firm and atleast three (3) years in a supervisory role.
• Strong operational leadership and decision-making ability. 
• Strong knowledge of customs laws, tariffs, and clearance processes.
• High level of proficiency in logistics systems and Asycuda.
• Proven track record of executing customs processes.
• Stakeholder and regulatory relationship management. 
• Strong communication and negotiation skills. Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.
• Strong communication and negotiation skills.
• High integrity, self-driven and able to set own work schedule with rigorous deadlines.
• Demonstrable aptitude for teamwork.
• High level of interpersonal skills. 
• Resilient and adaptable in a fast-paced environment. 
• High attention to detail and problem-solving capabilities. 
• Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple priorities.

As a global organization, and as part of the CMA CGM Group, diversity is critical to our business success; only when we can reflect the cultures, languages, behaviors and local knowledge of our customers, we can succeed. By employing people with different experiences and abilities, we expand our knowledge and increase our creativity and innovation.

Please note: Legitimate CEVA Logistics recruitment processes include communication with candidates through recognized professional networks, such as LinkedIn or via an official company email address: firstname.lastname@cevalogistics.com. We recommend that you do not respond to unsolicited business propositions and/or offers from people with whom you are unfamili