The following article discusses the career path of Import Manager. Learn about how to become one, education requirements, job duties, traits and qualities, national salary outlook as well as top national employers of Import Managers.
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Job Duties
An import manager’s main responsibility is to receive, document, and inspect any products that come in from foreign countries. Import managers also have responsibility over operators and staff members, including office clerks. They provide support, guidance, and discipline to their team as and when required. It is vital that they are fully up to date with not just the import rules and regulations in this country, but also the export rules and regulations in the country of origin.
Obviously, import managers will usually work for multinational businesses, although they may also be found in government agencies. Usually, they have to communicate with businesses and officials in other countries as well. In fact, frequent traveling is generally required. Most import managers also do not work a regular 9 to 5 job, because of the time differences between various countries.
Other job duties of an import manager are:
- To supervise the import team members who are responsible for the overall import of the actual goods from certain countries
- To communicate with transport companies, customs agents, and clients in order to make sure that all shipments are received on time and in full working order.
- To ensure that all items are shipped, transported and received in a safe, secure, cost-efficient, and expedient manner
Where We Work
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 148,700 logisticians, a profession closely related to that of import manager, in 2016. The largest employers of these professionals are:
- Manufacturing 25%
- Federal government 20%
- Professional, scientific, and technical services 17%
- Management of companies and enterprises 10%
- Wholesale trade 9%
How to Become
Import managers will usually hold a high school diploma or equivalent, although it is becoming quite common for them to hold a bachelor’s degree. Work experience is vital and most will have at least five years experience in the export and import sector. It is also expected of them to have warehouse and management experience and those who speak more than one language are in greater demand, particularly if they are multilingual for both oral and written communication.
Education Requirements
In order to become an import manager, a high school diploma or associate’s degree is often required. Because supply chains and logistics are becoming increasingly complex, many organizations now look for those with a bachelor’s degree in an area such as supply chain management, systems engineering, or business.
By completing a bachelor’s degree, an import manager will have learned about things such as database and operations management, supply chain, logistics, and system dynamics. Furthermore, they will be able to complete courses on technology and software commonly used in the industry.
Numerous certification options also exist. None of those are mandatory, but completing them does show professional competence and dedication to quality standards. The International Society of Logistics (SOLE) and APICS both offer certifications for those with relevant academic and professional experience.
Traits & Qualities
The most effective import managers have the following traits to some degree or other:
– Strong communication skills, with those fluent in multiple languages being in the greatest demand
– Excellent critical thinking skills
– Great customer service skills
– Strong organizational skills
– Excellent problem solving skills
Minimum Education
High school/associate’s degree, but bachelor’s preferred Degree
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$14,000
$113,000
The following section lists Import Manager salaries in each state around the country. The figures are based on the total number of job postings through Indeed.com. For example, California had the largest quoted salary of $56,812 while Missouri had the smallest quoted salary of $26,380.
| Arizona | Illinois | Missouri | Tennessee |
| California | Kansas | New Jersey | Texas |
| Florida | Massachusetts | New York | Virginia |
| Georgia | Minnesota | Ohio | Washington |
According to Indeed.com, the following states had employers looking to hire a Import Manager. The quoted salary figure represents the average salary from all job postings by this employer.
| Employer Name | Location | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| R & W Group Import Manager | Virginia | $81,194 |
| AppleOne Import Manager | New Jersey | $70,000 |
| Robert Half Finance & Accounting Import Manager | New Jersey | $66,384 |
| CyberCoders Import Manager | California | $62,260 |
| TOP GROUP Import Manager | Texas | $60,000 |
| Red Recruit Import Manager | New York | $59,793 |
| Home Textile Company Import Manager | New York | $55,000 |
| The laSalle Network Import Manager | Illinois | $55,000 |
| PASONA N A, INC. Import Manager | Illinois | $52,740 |
| Hitech Motorsport Import Manager | Minnesota | $50,000 |
| BestAutoPros Import Manager | Ohio | $50,000 |
| Albion Management Resources, Inc Import Manager | California | $50,000 |
| Ajilon Import Manager | New Jersey | $47,639 |
| BMB Staffing Import Manager | Texas | $42,094 |
| Pasona Import Manager | California | $41,103 |
| Abacus Solutions Group Import Manager | Arizona | $40,000 |
| The Huntington Resource Import Manager | Illinois | $39,744 |
| Abacus Staffing Import Manager | Texas | $37,921 |
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| Career Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Program Specialist | $51,759 |
| Personal Banking Manager | $51,369 |
| Public Relations Manager | $51,303 |
| Procurement Specialist | $51,075 |
| Social Media Manager | $50,861 |
| Marketing Executive | $49,187 |
| Event Manager | $48,434 |
| Research Associate | $46,919 |
| Communications Officer | $45,494 |
| Communication Specialist | $43,213 |
