What Does An Import and Export Supervisor Do?

WHAT DOES AN IMPORT AND EXPORT SUPERVISOR DO?

Updated: Oct 21, 2025 - The Import and Export Supervisor manages sales inquiries, prepares pricing proposals, and creates load tenders while ensuring accurate rate quotations and international shipment documentation. This role oversees shipment tracking, customer service, and issue resolution to maintain smooth operations and support business growth. The supervisor also develops employees through coaching, performance reviews, and adherence to corporate policies to foster a productive work environment.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Import and Export Supervisor

1. Import and Export Supervisor Duties

Shipping Metrics: Establish shipping metrics and regularly review results with staff to ensure targets are being met
Carrier Coordination: Coordinate with consignees and carriers to ensure compliance with all national and local laws
Process Analysis: Analyze, evaluate, and audit department and team processes
Carrier Performance: Coordinate and review carrier performance to ensure the Church is receiving reliable service, that carriers are meeting Church Supply Chain standards, and they are following standardized processes
Process Reporting: Report issues, concerns, and potential process improvements to management for order processing, shipping, and delivery of all international shipments
Order Tracking: Oversee tracking of orders and shipments to ensure timely order release, shipping, and delivery
Hazardous Compliance: Work with the Compliance Manager to ensure compliance with Hazardous Goods shipping processes and documentation
Improvement Coordination: Coordinate with other supervisors on improvement initiatives
Customer Resolution: Resolve customer concerns
Issue Troubleshooting: Troubleshoot order management, shipping, compliance, and Customs-related issues
Import Supervision: Supervise and maintain control over imports and exports of raw materials, finished products and MRO/process supplies items for DJO operations (Tijuana Distribution Center, Tijuana Manufacturing Operations)
Customs Documentation: Ensure that Customs paperwork and transactions are completed accurately, promptly and according to Trade Regulations
Freight Monitoring: Daily follow-up with cross-border carriers and Customs Brokers to ensure prompt movement of freight and partnership with internal and external customers to ensure on-time deliveries
Problem Escalation: Communicate and escalate transaction problems or irregularities to the manager and assist in identifying solutions
KPI Management: Develop and manage KPIs to identify opportunities for continuous improvement of cycle times and cost reduction
Entry Resolution: Resolve Customs Entries Discrepancies, such as Pedimento Corrections and Compensations of Duty Payments
Duty Administration: Administrate Duty Preference programs for Imports such as USMCA, Rule 8, Service Maquiladora, others

2. Import and Export Supervisor Details

Import Supervision: Supervises the personnel involved in the function of imports and exports, import of raw materials, final imports, virtual imports and equipment, export of finished product, return of raw materials and equipment, exports of scrap, Regime changes, classifying raw materials and finished products
Staff Management: Supervisory responsibilities include conducting interviews and selecting new employees, developing and training personnel, carrying out corrective actions towards employees and performance reviews
Department Liaison: Liaise with other departments to establish and maintain effective and relevant import/export activities
Business Communication: Create effective communication with country leaders of purchasing, material management, production, logistics and sales organization to effectively operate department responsibilities
Regulation Research: Anticipate, research and report on future changes in import/export laws and relevant local territory practices and ensure such knowledge is factored into the planning of the department's strategy, resources and procedures
Customs Software: Standardize and maintain up to date appropriately customs software to operate the in and out of materials and equipment of the country in its different sites
Operational Support: Provide support to areas as they demand, focusing on the timely delivery of company products to final customers
Relationship Development: Lead and contribute to the development and cultivation of relationships with small accounts, customers, clients, suppliers and other business partners
Authority Coordination: Coordinate work with external authorities to verify and comply with all customs requirements
Compliance Guidance: Guide to ensure compliance with the home and foreign country government laws and customs regulations
Document Oversight: Oversee preparation, review, approval and maintenance of files for import/export documents
Personnel Decisions: Responsible for personnel decisions related to hiring, performance and disciplinary actions for direct reports

3. Senior Import and Export Supervisor Responsibilities

Procedure Compliance: Establish proper procedures to ensure compliance of import/export transactions with customs regulations
Duty Optimization: Coordinate with Global Trade Compliance FTA team to identify duty savings opportunities and ensure compliance on preferential duty claims (FTA, ProSec, Rule 8th)
Data Integrity: Coordinate with the Trade Compliance team to ensure data integrity on import/export software for compliance with broker filings on IMMEX shipments that support northbound import entry declarations and southbound export AES EEI filings
Data Validation: Import/Export software master data vs ERP to ensure data integrity on import/export declarations
Transaction Compliance: Import/Export declarations vs the government data stage to ensure compliance of transactions and inventory/fixed assets control
Risk Analysis: Perform site risk analysis and follow up on remediation actions required for compliance
Site Coordination: Coordinate with local site management to provide timely support and compliance on production line/equipment transfers, equipment disposals, process changes, procurement of items for import, etc.
Process Alignment: Coordinate with the Import/Export Compliance Manager on process changes to ensure compliance and standardized procedures within the legal entity sites
Regulatory Reporting: Coordinate with Import/Export Compliance Manager on government reporting, permits, certifications and registrations filings and maintenance
Customs Administration: Manage the administrative side of local customs operations
Inventory Compliance: Responsible for activities required to maintain compliance with inventory control for the site, except Annex 31 filings
Regime Adjustment: Change of regime/regularizations for inventory adjustments
Scrap Analysis: Backflush analysis for scrap transactions
Engineering Analysis: Backflush analysis for engineering changes
Rework Analysis: Backflush analysis for product rework
Product Introduction: Backflush analysis for New Product Introduction
Asset Compliance: Responsible for activities required to maintain compliance with fixed asset control for the site, except Annex 31 filings
Operational Support: Provide support to team members on day-to-day operational activities to cover vacations and non-planned absences

4. Import and Export Supervisor Job Summary

Trade Compliance: Assist the import and export team so that the Company complies with IMMEX trade laws and utilizes laws and mechanisms to reduce duty and tax liabilities
Data Integrity: Maintain the integrity of the transactional data in the Annex 24; all transactions must be performed in the system prior to the customs clearance
Security Programs: Provide support to the GTC team on the supply chain security programs such as AEO and CTPAT
Customs Audit: Self-audit the customs operation related to import and export transactions to ensure compliance with Customs regulations, including MX HTS code, country of origin, value and description
Compliance Support: Support the GTC coordinator to define, implement and conduct compliance audits and ensure corrective action processes are in place to comply with Mexican Customs rules and other government regulations
Policy Execution: Assist the import and export team to execute Trade Compliance policies and procedures
Document Control: Responsible for maintaining a deep compliance with the documents elaborated by the import-export team, both physical documents and software for inventory control
Valuation Rules: Ensure all the customs transactions follow the valuation rules according to the Company policy
Delivery Compliance: Ensure on-time deliveries, having all requirements needed to comply with Customs regulations
HS Classification: Responsible for determining the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HS) Classifications for Imports and Exports
USMCA Application: Responsible for the correct application of the USMCA and managing the qualification process
Duty Relief: Support the import and export team on duty relief programs for the IMMEX operation such as Rule 8th and PROSEC, ensuring correct application and administration
KPI Management: Ensure the team’s Key Performance Indicators (KPI's) are over target each month, and offer general support to other departments
Inventory Monitoring: Monitor and maintain updated MX HTS classification, customs description, country of origin, ECCN in the customs inventory control system Annex 24 (Catalogues)
System Supervision: Supervise information technology to develop interfaces needed between systems, ensure the database of the Customs Inventory Control System provides confidence and the right information, and develop an EDI tool with the internal ERP system
Process Improvement: Identify new procedures and methods to expedite clearance of import shipments, delivery to the customer, and cost savings plans, for the efficient and compliant operation of the Import Department
Strategic Planning: Work with other departments on strategic planning to ensure cost-effectiveness in areas that involve imports
Regulatory Updates: Attend industry and government seminars/conferences to maintain knowledge on regulatory updates and proposed changes
Vendor Communication: Assist in the preparation of letters to vendors, brokers and other parties involved in import and export transactions
Process Control: Work closely and actively with the GTC team to improve import/export operation process controls and procedures

5. Import and Export Supervisor Accountabilities

Sales Support: Responds to sales inquiries and provides pricing on transaction-based business as well as corporate pricing proposals
Load Tendering: Creates load tenders for high-level accounts and distributes them to the appropriate transportation provider and follows up on those requests by tracking them to delivery
Rate Quotation: Prepares rate quotations, files them and follows up on missing information or requests for additional pricing
Customer Development: Assists the Director of Sales in developing new customers and developing additional business through the ongoing customer base
Document Preparation: Creates required documentation for international shipments and coordinates the distribution and clearance through these foreign countries
Shipment Tracking: Provides day-to-day shipment tracking, customer service and problem resolution of exception orders
HR Practices: Establish and maintain good human resources practices with direct reports
Performance Coaching: Provide regular coaching and feedback on performance
Appraisal Preparation: Prepare and present formal performance appraisals
Policy Compliance: Ensure adherence to established corporate and department policies and procedures
Work Environment: Establish and maintain a productive work environment for direct reports