Imports and Exports Specialist

PERI•Chicago, IL

22h•$65,000 - $75,000

About The Position

The main purpose of PERI’s Import/Export Specialist (IES) position is to provide import/export process efficiency through coordinating and executing the day-to-day international shipping, customs, and trade compliance activities that support PERI's supply chain. The IES does this by tracking and reporting on inbound international shipments. Leveraging PERI’s resources, the IES analyses shipping documentation for accuracy, and verifies compliance with PERI policies and applicable laws. In addition, it is the responsibility of the IES position to work closely with PERI yards to ensure shipments are completely received.

Requirements

High School diploma or equivalent.
3+ years of experience in import/export operations, international logistics.
Knowledge of material management software systems – PSD or another ERP preferred.
Exceptional verbal and written communicator in the English language.
Communication Skills: Effectively relays oral and written information to individuals at all levels, ensuring clarity and understanding from all parties.
Organization: Coordinates tasks, tracks details, and ensures quality and understanding.
Attention to Detail: Thoroughly reviews work for errors, follows instructions, proofreads, and maintains accurate records.
Strategic Thinker: Anticipates future scenarios and plans to achieve long term goals by focusing on setting objectives, developing plans, and considering the broader impact of decisions.
Time Management: Prioritizes tasks, respects deadlines, demonstrates a sense of urgency, and manages time efficiently.
Resilience: Ability to withstand, adapt to, and recover from adversity, challenges, or stress.

Nice To Haves

Positive Attitude: We believe in the power of a positive mindset to drive success and foster a thriving work environment.
Entrepreneurial Spirit: If you have a vision, drive, and a willingness to innovate, we encourage and support your entrepreneurial spirit.
Open-mindedness: Embrace new ideas and perspectives, contributing to a dynamic and inclusive workplace
Passion for Work: We appreciate individuals who are passionate about their work, bringing enthusiasm and dedication to everything they do.
Team Player: Collaboration is at the heart of our success. We value individuals who understand the importance of teamwork.

Responsibilities

Inbound shipment visibility and exception management: Track international shipments end-to-end from order placement through yard receipt, maintain accurate ETAs in PSD, and proactively escalate delays, shortages, or discrepancies to Customer Service and Demand Planning before they impact customer commitments.
Customs clearance and trade compliance: Coordinate entry documentation with customs brokers and freight forwarders, verifying commercial invoices, HTS classification, country of origin, and valuation for accuracy; maintain audit-ready records to ensure compliance with U.S. customs regulations and PERI policy.
Cross-functional coordination with Group and third-party logistics providers: Serve as the single point of contact between PERI USA yards, the German counterpart team, freight forwarders, and customs brokers, ensuring container bookings, receipts, and documentation are reconciled and communicated to all stakeholders.
Monitor and report on inbound international shipments
Act as a liaison with freight forwarders and customs brokers.
Track material availability to proactively detect and mitigate service interruptions and potential backorders.
Deliver efficient and accurate communication to the logistics teams regarding material needs.
Coordinate shipping containers end-to-end for equipment shipments from Group, working directly with the German counterpart team and relevant third-party suppliers.
Model cost/price impacts (e.g., tariff changes) and support pricing decisions through excel.
Work within PERI’s ERP system, PSD, for order and shipment tracking.