Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Cargo Operations Agent

🎯 Role Definition

The Cargo Operations Agent is responsible for the efficient, compliant, and customer-focused handling of air and intermodal freight at an airport or cargo terminal. This role ensures accurate documentation (AWB, manifests, customs forms), safe handling and storage of shipments (including special/dangerous goods), timely coordination with airlines, ground handlers, freight forwarders and customs brokers, and continuous monitoring of cargo movement to meet service level commitments and regulatory requirements. Ideal candidates balance strong operational know-how with excellent communication, problem-solving, and customer service abilities.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Ramp agent / ground handling staff with load/unload experience.
Warehouse operative or freight handler with inventory and staging experience.
Customer service representative within logistics or freight-forwarding.

Advancement To:

Cargo Operations Supervisor / Shift Leader.
Cargo Terminal Manager or Station Operations Manager.
Air Freight Operations Manager or Network Operations Coordinator.

Lateral Moves:

Freight Forwarder / Export Coordinator.
Customs Brokerage Specialist.
Logistics Analyst or Customer Success Manager for cargo solutions.

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Accept, inspect and process incoming and outgoing consignments, ensuring air waybills, house bills, manifests and commercial paperwork are complete, accurate and compliant with airline and regulatory requirements before acceptance or release.
Coordinate the booking, sorting and staging of cargo by flight, priority and destination, optimizing ULD/container allocation and load plans to meet airline weight & balance, capacity and turnaround time constraints.
Perform detailed dangerous goods checks and classification in accordance with IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations and company procedures, prepare required documentation and label shipments correctly to prevent regulatory breaches.
Liaise with airline load planners, ramp crews and ground handling contractors to synchronize arrival/departure activities, expedite transfers, and resolve issues that could delay flights or create offloads.
Communicate proactively with customers, freight forwarders and third-party agents on booking confirmations, shipment status, exceptions, and release instructions, maintaining a high standard of customer service and SLA adherence.
Execute inbound and outbound customs clearance support by preparing customs declarations, coordinating with customs brokers, and ensuring duties/taxes and permits are handled promptly to avoid demurrage and delays.
Conduct accurate weighing, dimensioning and hazardous/materials screening, enter weight and volume data into cargo management systems and ensure records support accurate billing and load planning.
Operate cargo handling and ground support equipment safely (e.g., forklifts, pallet loaders, dollies), following SOPs and reporting any equipment faults or safety incidents immediately to supervisors.
Process and reconcile shipment discrepancies, damaged goods claims and loss reports by investigating chain-of-custody, documenting findings, liaising with insurers or owners and implementing corrective actions.
Monitor and update cargo tracking systems and real-time dashboards, provide timely ETA/ETD updates and exception reports to stakeholders and support sales/operations teams with status escalations.
Prepare and verify airwaybill reconciliations, generate invoices and freight documentation, and support billing accuracy by ensuring chargeable weights and surcharges are correctly applied in the system.
Ensure temperature-controlled (cool chain) shipments are handled per customer requirements, verifying pre-conditioned ULDs, continuous temperature monitoring and documentation during acceptance and transfer.
Manage import/export warehousing activities such as short-term storage, consolidation/deconsolidation, palletization and securing cargo, ensuring proper labeling, stowage and inventory control.
Execute pre-flight load and dispatch checks including seal integrity, ULD counts, dunnage and secured cargo, and provide signed dispatch paperwork to airline representatives as required.
Maintain up-to-date knowledge of aviation security regulations (e.g., TSA, local aviation authority rules) and perform required cargo screening, access control and chain-of-custody procedures to preserve cargo security.
Schedule and coordinate special handling services (e.g., live animals, oversized cargo, human remains) with specialized teams, ensuring all permits, approvals and welfare standards are met.
Support ramp operations during irregular operations (IROPS), flight cancellations or weather disruptions by triaging cargo priorities, finding alternative routings and communicating rebooking options to customers.
Implement continuous improvement suggestions by reporting process bottlenecks, contributing to SOP updates and participating in root-cause analysis for recurring operational issues.
Train and mentor new staff on cargo acceptance standards, documentation procedures, safety practices and system workflows to maintain consistent operational quality across shifts.
Maintain and file accurate cargo records, manifests and retention logs in accordance with company policy and regulatory retention schedules for audit readiness.
Coordinate inbound export inspections and quarantines, liaising with agricultural or health authorities to ensure compliance and timely release.
Monitor key performance indicators such as on-time acceptance, delivery rates, damage ratios and billing accuracy, and collaborate with management to meet or exceed monthly targets.
Support system implementation and upgrades by participating in user acceptance testing (UAT), documenting business requirements and providing practical feedback to IT and vendor teams.
Provide first-response incident handling for cargo spills, damaged dangerous goods or security breaches, initiating containment procedures and notifying stakeholders per emergency response plans.

Secondary Functions

Assist with ad-hoc reporting requests, producing operational summaries and shift handover notes to support leadership decision-making.
Participate in periodic audits, safety inspections and compliance reviews, preparing evidence and corrective action plans as required.
Help maintain physical terminal organization and stock of operational supplies (labels, seals, dunnage, PPE) to ensure uninterrupted cargo handling.
Support cross-functional projects such as seasonal capacity planning, vendor performance reviews and customer onboarding initiatives.
Contribute to training materials, job aids and knowledge-base articles to improve team onboarding and on-the-job learning.
Represent cargo operations in stakeholder meetings with commercial, sales and customer service teams to align operational capacity with business commitments.
Provide operational support during peak periods, special flights, charters or emergency relief operations, adapting priorities to business needs.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Air Waybill (AWB) and airwaybill reconciliation — accurate preparation, validation and reconciliation with system records and airline manifests.
IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) — classification, documentation, labeling and acceptance checks for dangerous goods shipments.
Cargo Management Systems (e.g., CHAMP, Ramco, SmartKargo, Amadeus Cargowise) — booking, tracking, and data-entry proficiency.
ULD (Unit Load Device) handling and load planning fundamentals — ULD build-up, tracking and weight & balance coordination.
Customs clearance basics — familiarity with export/import declarations, HS codes, bonds, and working with customs brokers.
Warehouse operations and inventory control — palletization, consolidation/deconsolidation, FIFO, and cycle-count practices.
Ground support equipment operation awareness — forklift, pallet jack and loader coordination; certification preferred where applicable.
Temperature-controlled logistics (cold chain) — handling and documentation of perishables and pharma shipments.
Cargo security and screening procedures — knowledge of aviation security rules and cargo screening technologies.
MS Office and basic reporting tools — Excel for reconciliation, pivot tables and KPI tracking.

Soft Skills

Strong customer-service orientation with professional communication for customers, airlines and internal teams.
Attention to detail and accuracy in documentation and data entry to minimize compliance and billing errors.
Problem-solving and decision-making — ability to triage exceptions and escalate appropriately during disruptions.
Time management and ability to prioritize tasks in a fast-paced, shift-based environment.
Teamwork and collaboration across operations, sales, and external partners.
Adaptability and resilience when handling irregular operations or high-volume periods.
Clear verbal and written communication; multilingual ability is a plus for global hubs.
Accountability and ownership of tasks with a focus on continuous improvement.
Safety-first mindset and commitment to regulatory compliance.
Conflict resolution and negotiation skills when coordinating contested cargo or capacity constraints.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or equivalent; vocational certificate in logistics or transport preferred.

Preferred Education:

Associate degree or diploma in Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Aviation Management or related field.
Certifications such as IATA DGR, Dangerous Goods Safety Advisor (DGSA) modules, or ground operations approvals are highly desirable.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Logistics and Supply Chain Management
Aviation/Air Transport Operations
Business Administration
Customs & International Trade

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

1–5 years of hands-on cargo handling, freight forwarding, or airport ground operations experience depending on seniority of role.

Preferred:

2+ years experience in air cargo operations, freight forwarding or airline cargo station operations.
Proven experience with cargo management systems, ULD handling, and familiarity with local customs procedures.
Previous shift work and weekend/holiday availability is often required.