Imports & Customs Specialist

Key Responsibilities:

Customs clearance and compliance

Own the HS classification and customs-value position on every import, and review and approve the licensed clearing agent’s draft declaration for accuracy before it is lodged in KRA iCMS

Catch and resolve mis-classifications and valuation errors before entries are lodged, and clear customs queries and holds quickly once they arise

Manage pre-shipment conformity (KEBS PVoC / Certificate of Conformity) and secure all commodity-specific approvals and permits required for clearance (e.g. KEBS, radiation, KEPHIS, fisheries or veterinary permits)

Keep the business fully compliant with Kenyan customs and trade regulations, and current with changing KRA and regulatory requirements

Import documentation and process ownership

Own the country import documentation process end to end – from supplier PO through clearance to delivery on site – as a controlled, repeatable, fully documented workflow

Prepare, verify, and manage the full documentation pack for every consignment: Import Declaration Form (IDF), commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading / airway bill, certificate of origin, and permits and licences

Maintain an audit-ready import records archive and keep the standard operating procedure for the import process current

Landed cost and duty management

Compute and verify import duty, VAT, excise, IDF fee, and Railway Development Levy accurately on every entry

Maintain the landed-cost model for key imports (e.g. feed), and flag duty, tax, or exemption opportunities to Procurement and Finance

Ensure duty and tax funding is arranged and released in time so it never delays clearance

Clearing agents, port, and demurrage control

Manage licensed clearing agents to agreed cost, accuracy, and turnaround SLAs, against a simple performance scorecard

Run an import control tower: track every in-transit consignment by ETA, document status, and free-time / demurrage-clock expiry

Proactively drive down demurrage, storage, and detention costs through documentation readiness and disciplined clearance planning

Coordinate inland transport and delivery of cleared cargo to sites with the Logistics team

Optional strategic mandate, if VF elects to pursue it: assess and, once approved, drive self-clearing / in-house licensed-agent status and AEO accreditation to reduce reliance on third-party agents and speed up clearance

Skills and qualifications:

Must have

5+ years of hands-on imports and customs experience in Kenya – on the importer side or with a clearing and forwarding agent – clearing consignments through Mombasa port and JKIA

Deep, practical command of the Kenyan customs declaration and KRA iCMS – enough to set classification and valuation and to direct and check a licensed clearing agent – spanning IDF, HS classification, duty and tax computation, and KEBS / PVoC conformity

A proven track record of controlling demurrage, detention, and clearance lead times

The ability to manage and hold accountable licensed clearing agents to cost and turnaround standards

A solid grasp of Kenyan customs and trade compliance, including permits and exemptions relevant to imported goods

Nice to have

A recognised customs or clearing qualification or licence (e.g. EAC / KRA customs, KIFWA, or licensed clearing agent status)

Experience importing feed, agricultural inputs, perishables, or capital equipment

Familiarity with ERP-based procurement and import tracking (ERPNext an advantage)

Attributes

Meticulous and document-obsessed – nothing moves without a complete, correct pack

Calm and decisive under time pressure, with free-time clocks always running

Commercially sharp on duty and landed cost, not just on process

High integrity, and comfortable operating in a compliance-sensitive function

Field-oriented – as comfortable at the port and with agents as at a desk

go to method of application »

Minimum qualifications

BA/BSc/HND

How to apply

Use the link(s) below to apply on company website.

Imports & Customs Specialist

RAS Hatchery Assistant Manager

https://www.myjobmag.co.ke/apply-now/1370463

Similar open roles

• Loaders/ Off LoadersQ-Sourcing Servtec Group · Nairobi
• Riders SupervisorQ-Sourcing Servtec Group · Nairobi
• Documentation Coordinator (Nairobi)Airflo Limited · Nairobi
• Dynamics 365 Supply ChainSoftware Dynamics · Nairobi
• Documentation Team Lead (Nairobi)Airflo Limited · Nairobi
• Declarant-Ant M/FAfrica Global Logistics Kenya · Nairobi