Import Controller

To ensure that all commercial documents related to imports are tracked, maintained, filed, and submitted to third parties, incoming shipments’ financial and product information is accurately captured on the ERP system, status updates on inbound cargo and reporting is submitted to all internal and external stakeholders and the required financial analysis or reconciliations are timeously processed

**RESPONSIBILITIES**:
**What are you responsible for doing?**
- Request commercial documents for all foreign supplier shipments including but not limited to commercial invoices, packing lists, bill of lading, MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet), and COAs (Certificate of Authenticity)
- Check proforma or commercial invoice unit prices and quantities against agreed sales confirmation and/or purchase orders for all imports and report on any discrepancies
- Extract and compile reports from ERP system weekly that track products ordered, products shipped, received and invoiced and report discrepancies to procurement and finance.
- Work closely with the China office to ensure that all commercial documents supplied for sea or air shipments are accurate and completed in full
- Ensure that firmed purchase orders are captured in the ERP system prior to any cargo being shipped
- Ensure that there are up to date trade agreements for all imported products and that these trade agreements are accurately filed
- Update foreign spot exchange rates daily on the ERP system
- Capture packing lists on the ERP system containerization module
- Liaise with forwarders regarding all inbound shipments (ETD, ETA, ATA) and provide a daily update to the Production Manager, other identified managers and local contract manufacturers.
- Follow up with local contract manufacturers that receive cargo directly from foreign vendors to ensure that they are sending GRNs for containers received.
- Obtain and compare sea freight rates from forwarders and freight companies for all foreign regions on a weekly basis, and supply recommendations to management
- Ensure all draft supplier Bill of Ladings has been checked for consignee data accuracy for the consignee, prior to approval, and notify relevant parties prior to shipment.
- Complete clearing instructions to forwarders for inbound imports and supply all commercial documents for customs clearance.
- Ensure that all new imported products imported to the ERP system have the correct HS codes, rate of duty and Ad valorem to ensure the accuracy of parts file
- Review all customs entries sent from forwarders for approval against Product parts file to ensure compliance with all HS import codes, correct discrepancies and notify relevant parties
- Ensure documentation is correctly processed through Customs
- Liaise with forwarding department’s customs experts to obtain correct HS import codes for first time imports.
- Respond to all requests from forwarders and/or SARS when containers are stopped for inspection (Letters of Authority, questions about commercial documents, etc.)
- Ensure that all Port Health documentation is supplied to forwarders when requested.
- Forward Packing lists to all HODs for inbound shipments with any comments and ETAs.
- Ensure same day invoicing by Finance for all receipted containers
- Review all forwarder’s invoices to ensure that freight rates and local charges agree to agreed rate sheets and submit to finance and MD for approval before due dates.
- Partner with BI/IT departments to formulate and distribute regular reports and or dashboards to procurement and finance on all imported products including but not limited to:

- Imports Tracker
- Landed Cost Reports
- Moving Average Cost Report
- Ordered versus Received
- Invoiced versus Paid
- Other ad hoc reports
- Comply with the requirements of the of the quality management system
- Ensure that the function operates within the legal requirements stipulated via SARB & SARS and shipments files are filed and stored as per Import and Export requirements
- Ensure department is established to support inspections and auditing processes

**Requirements**:

- Grade 12 or equivalent qualification
- B Com in Finance, Diploma in Financial Management, or related qualification an advantage
- Certificate in Imports, Exports is required
- Minimum of three years’ experience working in a similar role
- Have specialist knowledge of freight forwarding and clearing documents, procedures, and practices
- Need to have Import permit requirement
- knowledge Able to draft SOP’s for department processes Knowledge of relevant computer packages (e.g., Excel, F&O), able to capture information and produce reports utilising Microsoft Office, Finance and Operations (F&O) system Knowledge and understanding of processes, e.g., Shipping, Customs, Banking, Taxation, Financial