Shipping Assistant at UNICEF

Major Duties and Responsibilities

• Maintain contact with Customs, Immigration Officials and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Follow-up on supply clearance documentations to facilitate timely customs clearance of supplies and equipment in keeping with established protocol.
• Prepares all Customs Declaration, note verbal, letters of concession and any other letters relevant to customs release of UNICEF's shipment; obtain MOFA/Custom's approval in timely manner to avoid accrual of demurrage.
• Respond to queries from Supply Division/Programme Sections/Field Offices on all Off-shore related issues. Maintains records relating to all Offshore PGMs and shipping documentation in such a manner which would enhance retrieval of information pertaining thereto; Prepares monitoring reports on activities relating to Note Verbal and agent invoices.
• Constantly advise Section Chief on latest developments in the fields of duty exemption and clearance of UNICEF and Procurement Services Supplies, tariff fluctuations at National Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) and Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). Physically attend to clearance of high value perishable items like vaccines and ensure quick delivery and safe storage.
• Scrutinizes invoices from the freight forwarders and certifies against established tariff rates. Requests CRQs from the relevant programme section with appropriate budget. Drafts and make copies of all payment requests for distribution to Finance and maintains relevant files.
• Liaisons with Field Offices and Oshodi warehouse, Lagos for recommended transport required for distribution of supplies to the projects and draft memo for the designated freight forwarder.

Working Conditions:

• Normally office based but the job demands frequent visits to MOFA/Customs/Airport to submit documents and obtain timely concessions/exemptions from Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Customs Officials.

Impact and Consequence of Error
Describe the type of decisions regularly made and the impact of those decisions:

• Incumbent exercises strong vigilance and judgment and may be required to take decisions relating to handling of documents to avoid them getting into unauthorized hands or third party.

Describe the type of recommendations regularly made and why these are important:

• Based on routine dealings and experience, incumbent recommends or suggests actions for expediting exemptions and timely clearance of supplies to avoid accrual of demurrage at the ports of entries.

Describe the most damaging error(s) that could be made in the work and the consequences they would have:

• The most damaging error is to let shipping documents fall into unauthorized and wrong hands.
• Also, delay in obtaining concessions/exemptions could entail demurrage costs at ports leading to undue additional charges and serious damage or loss of shipments, directly affecting programme implementation and organization's credibility.
• Inappropriate record keeping can cause delay in retrieving information fast and accurately for decision making taking decisions

Qualifications, Skills And Attributes