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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Cargo Agent

💰 $28,000 - $55,000

LogisticsTransportationSupply ChainAir Cargo

🎯 Role Definition

The Cargo Agent (also referred to as Air Cargo Agent or Freight Agent) is responsible for end-to-end processing and coordination of cargo shipments across air, road and interline networks. This role ensures accurate documentation (AWB, B/L, customs declarations), compliance with IATA and local regulatory requirements, timely movement of goods, and proactive customer communication. The Cargo Agent liaises with carriers, ground handling agents, customs brokers, warehouse staff and customers to resolve exceptions, manage pricing and space allocations, and maintain operational and financial records.

Key SEO keywords: cargo agent, air cargo agent, freight forwarding, airway bill (AWB), IATA, dangerous goods (DGR), customs clearance, shipment tracking, TMS.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Warehouse Operative or Ramp Agent with exposure to cargo handling.
  • Customer Service Representative in logistics or freight forwarding.
  • Junior Documentation Clerk in transport or import/export operations.

Advancement To:

  • Senior Cargo Agent / Lead Cargo Agent
  • Operations Supervisor / Cargo Operations Manager
  • Customs Broker / Documentation Manager
  • Freight Forwarding Manager / Commercial Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Sales Support or Rate Desk in Freight Forwarding
  • Ground Handling Coordinator or Ramp Supervisor
  • Terminal Cargo Planner or ULD (Unit Load Device) Coordinator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Process and prepare complete cargo documentation for exports and imports, including issuance of airway bills (AWBs), house and master bills of lading, customs declarations, manifests, and pro forma invoices, ensuring accuracy and regulatory compliance.
  • Book cargo space with airlines and carriers, manage space allocations, confirm schedules, and follow up on overbookings or re-accommodation requests to protect customer shipments and revenue.
  • Coordinate door-to-door movements by scheduling pickups, arranging trucking and ground transportation, and liaising with warehouse teams to ensure timely acceptance, consolidation, and delivery of shipments.
  • Track and trace cargo in real time using TMS, carrier portals and EDI feeds; proactively notify customers and internal stakeholders of delays, exceptions, ETAs, and required corrective actions.
  • Ensure compliance with IATA and local dangerous goods regulations by validating DGR paperwork, checking for proper packaging, marking and labeling, and coordinating with trained personnel for acceptance of hazardous shipments.
  • Verify shipment dimensions, weights, volumes and declared values; calculate chargeable weight, apply minimum rates and surcharges, and validate volumetric conversions for accurate billing and load planning.
  • Perform cargo acceptance checks at counter and ramp, confirm ID and security screening, inspect for prohibited items, and refuse or quarantine shipments that do not meet acceptance criteria.
  • Prepare and submit export and import customs documentation, work with customs brokers to clear goods through customs authorities, resolve queries and manage duties, taxes and bond paperwork.
  • Generate commercial quotations and freight rate confirmations for customers, apply correct tariff structures, accessorial charges and fuel surcharges, and justify rate calculations to clients and sales teams.
  • Manage cargo claims and shortage/damage investigations: document incidents, gather evidence (PODs, photos, inspection reports), liaise with insurers and carriers, and coordinate settlements or replacement shipments.
  • Coordinate ULD (Unit Load Device) and pallet management: track ULD availability, request build-up and breakdown, prepare ULD movement orders, and reconcile ULD inventories to minimize demurrage.
  • Execute interline and transshipment processes by preparing handover documentation, confirming interline handling instructions, and tracking movement across multiple carriers until final delivery.
  • Operate and maintain records in cargo management systems (TMS/WMS/Cargomation/GOS/Amadeus/IATA systems), update shipment statuses, input costs, and ensure data integrity for operational and billing processes.
  • Support special cargo handling including perishables, live animals, oversized/heavy shipments and temperature-controlled consignments by coordinating special permits, cold chain handling, and sensitive routing.
  • Monitor and enforce security and safety procedures in compliance with local civil aviation authority (CAA) regulations and company policies, including screening, chain-of-custody documentation, and access control.
  • Reconcile daily cargo reports, load sheets and revenue postings; prepare departure/arrival manifests and handover forms for finance to invoice accurately and for audit trail purposes.
  • Liaise with sales and account management to support new business onboarding, set up customer profiles, credit checks, service-level agreements and operational handover for recurring shipments.
  • Handle time-sensitive operations such as immediate rebookings, prioritization of perishable or urgent cargo and coordination of charter or expedited services to meet tight delivery windows.
  • Support warehouse and ground handling teams during peak operations by reprioritizing shipments, coordinating ramp schedules, and ensuring efficient turnaround to minimize dwell time.
  • Undertake quality checks and continuous improvement initiatives by identifying bottlenecks in documentation, carrier performance, and internal processes, proposing corrective actions to reduce delays and costs.
  • Maintain up-to-date knowledge of trade compliance, sanctions, embargoes, restricted party screening and international export control lists; ensure shipments are not in violation of regulatory restrictions.
  • Engage with IT or EDI teams to troubleshoot connectivity issues, improve message formats (e.g., DESADV, INVOIC), and optimize automated data flows between carriers, GHA and customers.
  • Provide training and mentoring to junior cargo staff on documentation standards, system usage, safety protocols, and customer handling best practices to raise team capability.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc reporting requests and maintain KPI dashboards for on-time departures, dwell time, claims rate and revenue leakage.
  • Assist with development and maintenance of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for cargo acceptance, customs handling and special cargo processing.
  • Participate in cross-functional meetings with sales, finance and warehouse to resolve billing discrepancies, reconcile costs and optimize processes.
  • Contribute to the organization’s operational readiness during irregular operations (IROPS) and emergency response planning for disruptions.
  • Help implement digitalization projects such as EDI onboarding, online booking portals, or automation of AWB issuance to improve operational efficiency.
  • Act as the operational point of contact for customer escalations, providing clear timelines, options and recovery plans to preserve customer satisfaction.
  • Support audit readiness by compiling required shipment records, system logs and customs paperwork for internal and external audits.
  • Maintain vendor relationships with ground handling agents, trucking partners and third-party logistics providers to secure competitive rates and reliable service.
  • Participate in training on safety, DGR and export control updates to ensure ongoing compliance and professional development.
  • Provide seasonal workload forecasting input to staffing and resource planning to ensure sufficient coverage during peak shipping periods.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Proficient in preparing and issuing airway bills (AWB), bills of lading, manifests and export/import customs documentation.
  • Strong working knowledge of IATA regulations and Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) with certified DGR training preferred.
  • Experience with transportation management systems (TMS), cargo management platforms, and carrier portals (examples: Kale, Cargowise, MercuryGate, Amadeus).
  • Familiarity with Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) message types (e.g., DESADV, IFTMIN, INVOIC) and basic troubleshooting.
  • Competence in shipment tracking technologies, GPS/track-and-trace systems and exception management workflows.
  • Ability to calculate freight charges, chargeable weight, volumetric conversions and to apply surcharges and accessorials accurately.
  • Knowledge of customs clearance processes, HS codes, duties/tariffs and export controls for import/export procedures.
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office (Excel for reconciliation and reporting), Google Workspace and basic database/reporting tools.
  • Experience in handling special cargo types: perishables, live animals, dangerous goods, oversized and temperature-controlled shipments.
  • Basic understanding of ULD and palletization planning, load control principles and ramp acceptance procedures.
  • Experience with cargo claims processing, evidence collection, and liaising with insurers and carriers for settlement.
  • Familiarity with carrier rate structures, interline agreements and charter coordination.

Soft Skills

  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills for direct customer interaction and internal coordination.
  • Strong attention to detail and accuracy under high-volume and time-sensitive conditions.
  • Customer service orientation with the ability to manage escalations calmly and provide practical contingency solutions.
  • Problem-solving mindset: anticipates issues, assesses options, and drives timely corrective actions.
  • Time management and prioritization skills to handle concurrent bookings, paperwork and operational tasks.
  • Team player who collaborates effectively across operations, sales, customs and warehouse functions.
  • Adaptability and resilience in a fast-paced, 24/7 logistics environment with variable schedules.
  • Negotiation skills for rate confirmation, space allocation disputes and recovery of costs with third parties.
  • Cultural sensitivity and professional demeanor for international customer engagements; bilingual ability is a plus.
  • Process improvement orientation: identifies inefficiencies and recommends system or SOP improvements.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma / secondary education with relevant logistics or transport training.

Preferred Education:

  • Associate degree or Bachelor’s degree in Logistics, Supply Chain Management, International Business, Transportation or related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Logistics and Supply Chain Management
  • International Trade / Business Administration
  • Transportation Management
  • Customs and Border Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 1–5 years in cargo operations, freight forwarding, airline cargo office or ground handling.

Preferred:

  • 3+ years of direct experience as an air cargo agent or freight forwarder with demonstrated knowledge of IATA, DGR and customs clearance processes.
  • Experience using major TMS/Cargo Management systems and exposure to EDI connectivity projects.
  • Industry certifications such as IATA DGR, Dangerous Goods training, or professional courses in freight forwarding or customs brokerage are advantageous.
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