Permanent US recruitment for freight, customs & international logistics talent.
Mon-Fri 8am-7pm ETUS-wide
PORT-READY

US Freight, Customs & International Logistics Recruitment.

FM International CE runs permanent searches for US import-export, freight forwarding, customs brokerage, trade compliance and international operations talent. Vetted on Customs licences, ITAR familiarity and federal compliance before a CV reaches you.

MANIFEST / 0001FOB ORIGIN
how an FM brief runs

Briefed. Cleared. Delivered.

First callwithin 24 hours
Shortlist3-5 vetted
Time-to-shortlist10 working days
Replacement cover12 weeks
Per clientOne consultant
10
Service lines
12 wks
Replacement cover
US
Coverage
1
Consultant per client
Three habits we keep

Recruitment that moves at the pace of the port.

The clients we work best with run customs houses, freight forwarders, NVOCCs, import-export operations and the international compliance functions inside US shippers and receivers. The cost of a poor placement on the manifest is delayed clearance, fines and a lost trade lane. We work like the operations teams we serve.

01

Compliance verified.

Customs Broker Licences, NCBFAA designations, IATA/CASS, ITAR familiarity, OFAC, AES filer, C-TPAT and OFAC-relevant background all verified before a CV reaches you. Federal compliance language tested on call.

02

Cleared before introduced.

Right-to-work, references from previous trade-compliance leads, drug-screen tolerance, security-clearance status and notice all confirmed. The shortlist is what you act on, not what you start triaging.

03

One consultant per client.

The person who picks up your call runs the whole search - briefing, sourcing, vetting, offer, mobilisation, and the day-90 check-in. Nothing gets handed to a back-office researcher.

Ten service lines, one desk

Where we run permanent freight searches.

If your need sits next to one of these, ask. Our network reaches further than the page, and we will tell you straight whether your brief fits.

PORT

Customs Brokers

Licensed Customs Brokers, entry writers, classification specialists, customs analysts, trade compliance specialists, drawback specialists and ABI-savvy staff.

FOB

Freight Forwarders

Ocean freight forwarders, air freight forwarders, NVOCC operations, IATA-trained agents, multi-modal coordinators, project cargo specialists and consol desk staff.

ETA

Import Coordinators

Import operations, ISF filers, AMS/ACE specialists, FDA prior-notice coordinators, USDA-PPQ liaisons, cargo release coordinators, bonded warehouse staff.

EXP

Export Coordinators

Export documentation, AES filers, ITAR/EAR specialists, dangerous goods declarants, denied-party screen specialists, and cross-border trade-lane managers.

REG

Compliance Officers

Trade compliance officers, customs compliance leads, sanctions and OFAC analysts, FCPA-aware compliance staff, customs audit-readiness leads.

OPS

Logistics Coordinators

Logistics coordinators, supply chain coordinators, freight payment auditors, transportation analysts, carrier-relations staff and TMS-savvy operators.

DC

Warehouse Managers

Bonded warehouse managers, FTZ operations managers, third-party logistics warehouse leads, fulfillment center managers and yard-management leads.

DIST

Distribution Supervisors

Inbound and outbound shift supervisors, dock managers, parcel network distribution leads, retail-replenishment supervisors and DC operations leaders.

TC

Trade Compliance Specialists

Senior trade-compliance leads, classification managers, valuation specialists, FTA compliance experts, free-trade-zone operators and audit-defense specialists.

INTL

International Operations

International ops managers, global supply chain coordinators, multi-country operations leads, cross-border logistics managers and trade-lane operators.

How a brief runs with us

Four steady steps. Manifest-clean.

We move at port pace - deliberate, paperworked, predictable. You always know where the search is on any given day.

01

Discovery

One call to lock the role, the trade lanes, the salary band against the function, the offer process and the make-or-break qualities. We come prepared, not script-reading.

02

Search

Network first across NCBFAA, IATA and trade-compliance circles, then targeted outreach. Every approach references your business carefully.

03

Shortlist

Three to five candidates, ranked against the brief with a short written note on fit, licence status and notice. Compliance credentials and right-to-work confirmed before introduction.

04

Mobilise

We coordinate the offer, manage counter-offer pressure, line up the start date and any pre-employment checks, and check in at week 2, 6 and 12.

Where FM International CE fits

US international logistics recruitment has plenty of agencies. Most of them treat trade compliance as one bullet on a generic logistics brief, which means the search ends up missing the people who actually know what they are doing in CBP, Census and the regulatory layer that surrounds them. We do not. FM International CE runs direct-hire searches for the operations and compliance functions that actually move international cargo, not the back-office layer above them.

We staff permanent international logistics roles across customs houses, freight forwarders, NVOCC operators, third-party logistics providers, manufacturers with import-export operations, retailers running their own customs desks, and the trade-compliance leads inside US shippers and receivers.

The clients who get the most from us

Operations directors, trade-compliance leads and HR business partners at US international logistics operators who would rather work with one named consultant who knows their cargo profile than a national brand running a generic process.

Searches we deliberately do not cover

Senior corporate executive search above $250k base, healthcare clinical, legal partner search, and pure white-collar tech leadership sit best with sector specialists. We will tell you within one call if your brief is not a good fit so you can place it where it lands fastest.

Got a freight or compliance brief that fits one of these?

Send the spec across or use the form. We come back within one working day with a clear plan, a current salary read for the role, and a fee quote.

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