Logistics Assistant Italian speaking

Job Title: Logistics Assistant Italian speaking

Location: London – onsite 5 days a week, 9AM -5PM

Italian and English speaking – French desirable.

Salary: £40.000+£45.000 depending on experience

Pre or settled status required 

Level:1-3 years of relevant experience

Our client, an international UK division part of a listed group, develops and operates agricultural projects in several African countries through joint-venture companies. Equipment, spare parts, agricultural inputs and technology are sourced mainly in Europe and shipped to the farms, where they must arrive before short sowing windows.

Working closely with the Logistics Specialist and the wider business, the Logistics Assistant supports the coordination of logistics activities across the farms and joint-venture companies, coordinating suppliers and external logistics providers, monitoring the movement of equipment and materials, and keeping every shipment tracked, documented and on schedule, so that the Logistics Specialist and the farm teams always know where goods are, when they will arrive, and what is needed to clear them.

The role is the operational backbone of the logistics function: precision, follow-up and clear written communication with forwarders, customs agents and farm managers are what it is measured on, so that activities are delivered efficiently, on time and in line with quality and budget requirements.

For a proactive, well-organised logistics professional with a few years of relevant experience, comfortable managing multiple priorities and stakeholders in a fast-paced operational environment, this is an excellent opportunity to develop a career within an international, fast-growing organisation.

Shipment coordination and tracking

• Maintain the shipment tracker for all inbound and in-country movements: status, milestone dates (ready, departed, arrived at port, cleared, delivered), responsible party, open issues.
• Request freight quotations from forwarders as instructed on proprietary logistic ERP.
• Follow each shipment daily with forwarders, shipping lines and customs agents; escalate delays that put a farm deadline at risk on the same day they become known.
• Confirm site readiness (unloading means, storage) before goods leave the port.

Documentation and customs

• Collect, check and file the shipping document set for each consignment (commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading or waybill, certificate of origin, phytosanitary and conformity certificates, export declaration, …) and verify consistency with the purchase order and the contract.
• Send the complete document set to the destination customs agent before vessel arrival; track clearance and duty payments; record free time and demurrage exposure.
• Support import exemption and pre-shipment inspection formalities where applicable, as instructed by the Logistics Specialist.

Records, systems and cost control

• Record purchase orders, goods receipts and logistics costs in Dynamics 365 Business Central and in the logistics files; keep vendor and forwarder contact records up to date.
• Reconcile freight, customs and transport invoices against quotations and purchase orders; flag discrepancies before payment.
• Support the monthly logistics reporting (lead times, clearance times, demurrage and other avoidable costs) with accurate data.

Communication and support

• Act as day-to-day point of contact for farm managers, joint-venture staff, forwarders and customs agents on shipment status, in English and, for francophone countries, in French.
• Support the Logistics Specialist and the procurement team in goods receipt confirmation, supplier delivery performance data and general logistics administration.
• Perform other duties reasonably required by the Company, consistent with the role and level of responsibility.

Essential Requirements

• Degree or diploma in logistics, supply chain, business or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 1-3 years of experience in freight forwarding, import/export administration or logistics coordination, including exposure to sea freight and customs documentation.
• Working knowledge of Incoterms 2020 and of standard shipping documents.
• Strong organisational and coordination skills, with the ability to manage multiple activities and priorities.
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to maintain accurate records and documentation.
• Good communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Proactive and solutions-oriented approach to resolving operational issues.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, international and operational environment.
• Confident Excel user: lookups, pivot tables, date calculations; accurate data entry.
• Methodical and precise; comfortable chasing information from people in different countries and time zones; asks when unsure rather than assuming.
• Fluent Italian and English, both written and spoken.

Desirable

• French at B1 level or above.
• Experience coordinating logistics across multiple sites or locations.
• Experience with shipments to Africa, agricultural inputs, or oversized cargo.
• Familiarity with an ERP system (Dynamics 365 Business Central or similar)

The remuneration package includes:

• 25 days of holiday + 1 additional day of annual leave to celebrate your birthday + BH
• £8 lunch allowance for each day worked from the office.
• 8% pension contribution between employer and employee.
• Up to 15 working days per year working remotely from abroad, subject to Company policy and approval.