Outlook
Simon Dewar
Operations Management
Johannesburg
Summary
Seasoned Operations Manager and talented leader with 25 years of experience applying exceptional planning and problem-solving abilities toward enhancing business plans and day-to-day activities. Results-driven and resilient in developing teams while improving processes and increasing productivity. Bringing solid understanding of industry trends, excellent communication skills, talent for spotting areas in need of improvement and implementing changes with strategic approach.
Overview
24
24
years of professional experience
9
9
Certifications
Work History
Operations Manager
ISS GLOBAL FORWARDING
09.2023 - 10.2025
- Ensure employees in functional areas follow established procedures.
- Manage and resolve client service providers’ queries
- Leading and managing staff for optimization of production and service provided.
- Ensure employees in functional areas follow established procedures.
- Quality H & S and improvement.
- Checking operations files to ensure correct and profitability.
- Analyses costs to select better solutions.
- Improve data quality.
- Knowledge, skills, and attrib
- Voluntary Retrenchment due to poor country performance
Logistics Manager
SO Logistics
08.2020 - 08.2023
- Coordinate international movement of freight via airfreight, sea freight rail and road.
- Coordinate domestic and cross border movement of freight.
- Coordinate international Customs and port clearances.
- Pro-active communication with Customers in terms of shipment status.
- Advice customer on most effective shipping options.
- Prepare shipment invoices.
- Prepare shipment estimates.
- Securing of new business.
- Implementation of new business.
- Quality control with shipping and Customs documentation.
- Ensure compliance of all import and export regulations with necessary authorities, including Customs, Port Health, State Vet or any other relevant authority.
- Negotiate supplier rate agreements.
- Customer and supplier meetings, as and when required.
- System and documentation and administration.
- Ad hoc tasks, as allocated by management.
- Financial stability
Seafreight Manager
Rohlig-Grindrod
09.2015 - 01.2020
- Plan the freight movement of imported cargo
- Explain to the client the significance, benefits and implications of the various INCOTERMS
- Determine the mode of transport required to meet the clients requirement and effect secure, effective and cost efficient delivery of cargo;
- Select potential transport carriers to be used based on preferred provider agreements, carrier conditions of trade, transport schedules, service offered and other relevant requirements;
- Cost freight movements and prepare service estimates
- Negotiate cost effective yet market related service charge rates for potential clients within given parameters, or, for existing clients, identify the current charge rate applicable;
- Identify relevant exchange rates and apply currency conversions in calculating all charges involved in effecting the freight movement as planned;
- Coordinate freight movement and customs clearance of import cargo
- Advise clients of the commercial and statutory documents required to effect the freight movement;
- Initiate inquiries to establish the possible whereabouts of misdirected or lost cargo and effect recovery arrangements;
- Take appropriate measures to identify, eliminate or prevent problems that may impact on efficient and effective freight movement;
- Communicate the outcome of each action to the affected parties by written or oral persuasion and take appropriate action to ensure the timeliness, security and integrity of information conveyed;
- Attend to any queries from parties involved in effecting the freight movement;
- Demonstrate personal interaction with internal and external parties designed to enhance cooperation, corporate image and customer satisfaction;
- Administration of shipment file
- Check and sign-off all job files completed by the department; files to Filing Clerk;
- Prepares monthly reports on the amount of import files opened, shipments handled and revenue generated during the period.
- Effect creditors disbursements and process debtors invoices
- Check pro-forma invoice and verify whether all charges have been invoiced correctly;
- Monitor whether all import shipments handled by the department are invoiced timeously;
- Authorise all credit-note requisitions and write-offs up to the agreed limit, and investigate the reason therefore;
- Refer write-offs over the agreed limits to the Branch Manager for further action;
- Where the term of payment is CBD, arrange for the processing of invoice before original transport documents are delivered to consignee;
- Send a request for payment and the CBD invoice to client by fax; arrange for collection of cheque from client;
- Assist Credit Control in collecting outstanding monies owing to the department where they are unable to obtain payment.
- Appoint sub-contractors and monitor their performance
- Evaluate and select sub-contractors in accordance with company contracting requirements;
- Negotiate contract conditions and service rates with the sub-contractors;
- Set performance standards for the sub-contractors;
- Monitor the performance of sub-contractors and take appropriate action where it does not meet performance standards.
- Import Sales and servicing
- Visit clients to service existing clients or together with Sales staff in order to acquire new business;
- Present proposals and cost estimates to clients;
- Promote the Rohlig forwarding network to existing and potential clients;
- Provide technical expertise according to the client’s requirements;
- Respond to clients enquiries or queries and address any problems raised to ensure that service levels are kept to the required standard;
- Negotiate charge rates with clients within given parameters;
- Increase charge rates within parameters when necessary to protect profit margins;
- Advise clients of changes to charge rates
- Keep abreast of new developments in the industry and new or amended customs related legislation and advise clients of implications to their business;
- Entertain clients when required in order to promote client relations;
- Demonstrate personal interactions designed to enhance the corporate image and improve client satisfaction.
- Visit at least two customers per week
- Retention of existing business and growth of new business
- Manage the Import department
- Set departmental objectives and identify the activities and resources needed to reach the objectives;
- Determine the procedures and standards according to which activities have to be performed in order to reach objectives;
- Mobilise employees towards objectives by issuing instructions, providing motivation and information, and obtaining feedback regarding progress;
- Resolve queries and problems referred by staff or management;
- Monitor and control subordinate adherence to company policy and performance standards by implementing appropriate corrective action including disciplinary action, counselling or training, where behaviour or performance does not comply, and rewarding satisfactory behaviour or performance;
- Authorise and ensure the procurement of resources required to reach objectives, including staff, equipment, stationary and funds;
- Determine the structures according to which resources have to be organised in order to reach objectives, including authorisation of leave and allocation of duties and responsibilities;
- Monitor and control the application of resources to avoid wastage and contain departmental expenses;
- To report on the results of the function and the operations of the department to superiors
- Financial Management
- Debit and credit balance report daily;
- Process journals where necessary;
- Incorrect posting code report daily
- Daily monitoring of gross spread sheet to ensure targets are met.
- Keep financial discipline up to date
- Comply with the requirements of the quality management system
- Be aware of procedures; understand and adhere to Job Descriptions and Work Instructions;
- Establish the requirements of the client and conform to them;
- Monitor the performance of sub-contractors as applicable;
- Develop the process in a controlled manner;
- Identify irregularities in the process and/or lapses in the system;
- Complete Corrective Action Sheets;
- Recommend changes to processes and/or to the quality system, as required;
- Advise relevant parties of changes made and actions required.
- Interrupt the process and implement corrective action(s);
- Monitor corrective action and ensure that it is followed through
- Ad Hoc
- Process registration of shipment documents when required;
- Additional duties and responsibilities related to the position delegated by the superior from time to time.
- Career growth
Senior Import Controller
Rohlig-Grindrod
06.2006 - 09.2015
- Plan the freight movement of imported cargo
- Identify from written communication and verbal interaction the specific requirements of the clients, and record special service requirements on the shipping instruction;
- Explain to the client the significance, benefits and implications of the various INCOTERMS
- Determine the mode of transport required to meet the clients requirement and effect secure, effective and cost efficient delivery of cargo;
- Select potential transport carriers to be used based on preferred provider agreements, carrier conditions of trade, transport schedules, service offered and other relevant requirements;
- Identify the commercial, transport, carrier and statutory documentation and packing & marking requirements to effect the freight movement as planned.
- Coordinate freight movement and customs clearance of import cargo
- Advise clients of the commercial and statutory documents required to effect the freight movement;
- Co-ordinate the release of customs stopped cargo
- Arrange the examination or scanning of cargo by the relevant authority
- Book cargo collection, carriage and delivery with haulage/cartage carriers
- Expedite cargo through local transport chain and track and trace cargo in the course of its international transit;
- Take appropriate measures to identify, eliminate or prevent problems that may impact on efficient and effective freight movement;
- Administration of shipment file
- Retain the required original, copied and stamped documents on file, and arrange the documents in the correct order/requirement format;
- Register the import file on Shipshape. The same file will be used for all activities on Shipshape;
- Attach all shipment related documents electronically to the shipment file in Shipshape pre-advise/pre-alert and collect from the client all commercial and , transport documents necessary to effect the freight movement;
- Confirm the vessel/flight numbers, bill of lading/air waybill numbers, arrival, unpack and delivery times per written notification with carriers and clients;
- Once all relevant shipment details have been captured correctly, push file to the BOE (Bill of Entry) framing queue on Shipshape electronically;
- Monitor the release status and action upon any detention / stops as called for by Customs or OGA’s;
- Obtain release bill of entry;
- Forward original release bill of entry and payment of transport charges to shipping line/airline to obtain delivery release order;
- Obtain proof of delivery from haulage/cartage carriers to check whether goods have been received in good condition, and whether containers are ready for return;
- Arrange insurance cover within Shipshape as per clearing instruction/instruction from client.
- Process insurance claims
- Upon receipt of written claim, handover to appointed Claims Ambassador.
- Effect creditors disbursements and process debtor’s invoices
- Obtain freight and where relevant landside charges from shipping line
- Hand-over to the accounts department to capture and post the creditors invoice on the system;
- Receive invoices from subcontractors and verify whether correct;
- Ascertain number of days elapsed after free; storage time for containerised cargo, and calculate and payment of storage/ demurrage charges;
- Ascertain party liable for storage/demurrage charges and make sure relevant party is debited;
- Request EFTs in respect of payments due to subcontractors and forward proof of payment and relevant documents to the subcontractors;
- Prepare files for invoicing by identifying and listing all recoverable disbursements and thirdparty charge codes on Shipshape;
- Ensure that Vat & Duty amounts that pulled through correspond to the BOE;
- Ensure that on Sea freight FCL shipments the Cargo Dues (if applicable) pull through;
- Process supplementary debit note for charges omitted on prime invoice and credit notes for amounts overcharged on prime invoice;
- For CBD shipments obtain payment from clients before submitting to customs
- Co-ordinate the customs clearance of bond store cargo
- Receive clearing instruction from client to extract bonded cargo;
- Forward instruction and necessary documents to entries department for ex-warehouse bill of entry to be processed;
- Obtain bond store endorsement from relevant warehouse;
- Monitor progress of bill of entry through Customs;
- Submit Customs release bill of entry to bond store and client on release from Customs.
- Additional responsibilities
- Additional duties and responsibilities related to the position delegated by the superior from time to time;
- Application of customer service and centricity at all times.
- Noteworthy Contributions: - APRIL 2015 PART OF THE TEAM SENT IN TO KAPELE TO ASSIST WITH THE ERICSSON / MTN PROJECT - JUNE 2015 SENT TO HAMBURG OFFICE TO ASSIST WITH THE BACKLOG OF ORDERS / DISRUPTION OF SERVICE DUE TO RESTRUCTURING
Import Supervisor
Glenn Freight Services (PTY) LTD
03.2005 - 05.2006
- All Air, Sea & Road Imports
- Using the 2000NT IMPORT SYSTEM to create clearance entries
- Maintain existing client base
- Clearing and invoicing all import jobs
- Liaising with other agents to deal with clearance instructions of goods
- Ensure all timed & priority deliveries are completed within the relevant timeframe
- Allocating work to driver team, planning routes & ensuring the best use of resources while delivering to customers at the expected time
- Taking on a Junior Management role. On call once a month for a week, handling all problems and queries that may arise and have sole responsibility for clearing all out of hours imports at weekends.
- Manage warehouse staff
- Returned to South Africa
Export Coordinator
London Logistics (PTY) LTD
01.2002 - 02.2005
- Responsible for preparation of airfreight export documentation and liaison with airlines.
- Overseeing all warehouse packing, collections and deliveries, both in a management capacity and as a handson forklift operator
- Relocated to the U.K
Education
High School Diploma -
Allen Glen High School
Johannesburg, South Africa 04.2001 -
Skills
Operational efficiency enhancement
Team leadership
Effective organizational management
Strategic team guidance
Operational oversight
Statistical analysis
Process optimization
Performance analysis
Performance evaluation
Client support
Analytical problem-solving
Resource allocation
Software
Excel
Word
ShipShape
Citrix
Compu-Clearing
Certification
Freight Training 2003
Interests
Training
Gaming
Reading
Lego
References
- Maggie, Mostyn, Branch Manager, maggiem@rohlig.co.za, 011 409 0300, Rohlig-Grindrod
- Maurice, Dewar, MD, 083 630 6772, London Logistics (PTY) LTD
Timeline
Operations Manager
ISS GLOBAL FORWARDING
09.2023 - 10.2025
Logistics Manager
SO Logistics
08.2020 - 08.2023
Seafreight Manager
Rohlig-Grindrod
09.2015 - 01.2020
Senior Import Controller
Rohlig-Grindrod
06.2006 - 09.2015
Import Supervisor
Glenn Freight Services (PTY) LTD
03.2005 - 05.2006
Export Coordinator
London Logistics (PTY) LTD
01.2002 - 02.2005
High School Diploma -
Allen Glen High School
04.2001 -