Shipping Assistant at United States US Embassy, US Mission in Uganda

Job Title:         Shipping Assistant

Organisation: United States US Embassy, US Mission in Uganda

Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda

Salary Grade: UGX 41,892,912

Job Reference: VA Kampala 2019-16

About US Embassy:

The United States Embassy in Kampala, Uganda has enjoyed diplomatic relations with Uganda for over 30 years.  Ambassador Deborah R. Malac currently heads the U.S Mission to Uganda.  The Mission is composed of several offices and organizations all working under the auspices of the Embassy and at the direction of the Ambassador.

Among the offices operating under the U.S Mission to Uganda are:

• United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
• Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
• Peace Corps

Job Summary:  The Shipping Assistant supports the organization of airport & port activities including but not limited to; custom clearance processes through host government officials for incoming and outgoing shipments of personal household effects and other U. S. government property (e.g., equipment, supplies, special cargo). The incumbent arranges the shipment, importation, registration, deregistration reregistration and sale or exportation of all Privately Owned Vehicles (POVs) and Official Vehicles (OFVs) for all the Agencies under the ICASS Agreement. The jobholder schedules for the annual summer pack outs for all their House Hold Effects (HHE) & Unaccompanied Air Baggage (UAB) & Personally Owned Vehicles (POVs) and keeps USDH staff abreast with all activities concerning their effects till they arrive their next post.

Key Duties and Responsibilities: 

Incoming Shipment Handling & Customer Service: 20%

Directly responsible for processing an average of 850 incoming shipments a year, these shipments include both Personal effects and USG supplies for all supported USG agencies such as CDC, NIH, Peace Corps, and USAID.

The incumbent is expected to provide preliminary information concerning the requirements of shipment regulations, entitlements, etc. to arriving and departing U.S. citizen personnel as well as to freight forwarders and general shippers.

Personal Effects: Incumbent is responsible for tracking shipments via direct contacts with U.S. Despatch Agencies, ELSO, losing Posts, and for updating the U.S. citizens personnel of the whereabouts of their effects and anticipated clearance and delivery dates. Employee regularly generates reports from ILMS – TLITE on the incoming shipments and below steps are to be followed to ensure a smooth process of receiving personal effects for all USDH staff at post.

• Physical Files are opened and documents are prepared for all expected shipments alongside a soft copy files on the share drive.
• Employee follows through with Supervisor to ensure GBLs are created & awarded by the GSO and tasks awarded according to the set guidelines.
• The right documentation is sent to the appointed vendors to ensure a smooth clearance process minimizing unexpected costs to the USG.
• Coordinates delivery schedules with moving/packing companies providing them with enough information on delivery requirements and arrange retrieval of debris and empty boxes after completion of unpacking.
• Weekly Updates are sent to client till all shipments are received after which a customer feedback form is sent to the employee for their feedback on the service received.
• In case the Client has any claims, follow through with the Claims guidelines to ensure the client completes the claim process within the stipulated time frames.
• All files to be closed and kept away       after Shipments are received & costs recorded in T-lite, and vendor invoices approved for payment.
• Supplies: These are mostly supplies for the USG and other agencies that are shipped into Uganda by AIR & SEA/ROAD
• Upon receipt of Notification of incoming supplies, physical and soft copy files will be opened
• Purchase orders will be input in Ariba and or GBLs issued the GSO
• Relevant documents shared with the appointed vendor and the ordering office notified of their incoming orders.
• Coordinates with GSO on delivery of shipments complete with Access request via My services
• Close coordination with the Vendor until supply shipments both by airfreight, sea freight and Road freight are received by GSO receiving team.
• All files to be closed and kept away after Shipments are received, costs recorded in T-lite, and invoices received and approved for payment.

Outgoing Shipment Handling & Customer Service: 20%

The incumbent is responsible for ensuring there is a smooth transfer season for all outgoing personal effects.

Advises departing personnel of their entitlements under applicable Agency regulations (State, DOD, USAID, etc.) & troubleshoots any problems arising during pack-outs of personal effects.

Together with the supervisor they work on the departure schedule, which is to be updated daily and the following guidelines followed to ensure every outgoing employee receives the very best customer service during their transition.

• Sends out Departure packages to employees 90 days before they depart post – the Package should include; Packout Survey Form, Departure seminar checklist, Sale of POV guidelines notice, Bill of sale templates (for both sale to diplomats and non-diplomats/local staff), Powers of Attorney template.
• Follows up with clients 60days before post departure for their packout application forms irrespective of whether or not they have received their Travel Authorization Orders.
• Packout survey dates and actual packouts are scheduled and bookings places on ILMS T-Lite system to facilitate issuance of GBLs by the GSO.
• Ensures that the Packing companies are informed of any changes in packing dates and Visits pack-out sites at least twice during the packout to take pictures and ensure that the job is performed with respect to the requirements and keeps the supervisor informed of any deviations in the expectations.
• Receives packing lists and generates Airfreight Purchase orders for shipping both UABs & HHE
• VI. Issues shipping instructions to the packing companies to include; Export letter to Uganda Revenue Authority,         Passport copy,
• Shipping instructions GBL, fully signed Contraband document (if required), AWB numbers if readily available.
• Coordinate with both airline and packing company to ensure shipments are shipped timely.
• Shipping documents i.e. PACKING LISTS, aWb, are shared with the employee’s transportation counsellor together with the client and this task concludes the process of shipping personal effects from post.
• All documents including photos, packing lists, GBLS are saved on the soft copy file on the share drive.
• To conclude the employee file, the shipping assistant ensures that all files related to this file are invoiced for all tasks accomplished and approved for payment.

Vehicle Registration & Transfer Facilitation: 20%

• The incumbent ensures that all paperwork and documents are accurate and complete to perform customs clearances         effectively and efficiently to provide USDH staff with adequate assistance in regards to inspections, licensing, insurance coverage, sale and  purchase of privately owned vehicles (POV) by obtaining all necessary documents from the local government for the sale and transfer of U.S.
• Facilitates the importation and registration of US Government Official Vehicles (GOV) & Maintains a separate inventory and record of all USG Official Vehicles (GOVs) & USAID sponsored Project vehicles.
• Maintains a good filing system for approximately 300 files by opening both soft and hard copy files in accordance with the procedures in place. Logs all incoming shipments on an Excel spreadsheet that must be kept updated at all times.
• Assists in the process of inspection, insurance coverage, registration and licensing for Government Officials Vehicles (OFV) and Privately Owned Vehicles (POV) in any way necessary.

Expediting: 15%

This task includes expediting incoming and outgoing families with Pets, Special needs, Medical evacuations, Classified Pouches and Key DELEGATION VISITS.

Pouches:

• Assists the American duty officer in processing outgoing and incoming classified courier pouches on airport tarmac. Obtains Airport Pass for American Duty officer and processes courier ticket (if required to) Coordinates with MOFA & airport officials for tarmac access for vehicles containing both outgoing and incoming pouch. Escorts duty officer back to the embassy if necessary and submits a report on every task’s events.

VIP visits & Support Fights:

• Coordinates assigned visits from beginning to end. Prepares dip Notes to the MoFA, Requests for all necessary waivers through MOIA, VIP access through both MoFA & Entebbe international Airport VIP officials, and Tarmac Access through MoFA while closely coordinating with Aviation security. All these shall be processed through the official and approved processes to keep a diplomatic front for the U.S Embassy.
• On the expediting D-day, coordinates for the receiving team to receive VIPs either at tarmac or in the VIP lounge, receives Passports and baggage tags from the control officer upon arrival and ensures the passports go through immigration. On departure, the expeditor receives the bags and passports in advance, checks in the VIPs in advance of their arrival at the airport to minimize time spent in the VIP lounge before boarding the plane.
• Waits for wheels up and prepares a report to the supervisor after task is accomplished.

Arriving & Departing families:

• Meets new mission personnel and official visitors at the airport, receives their passports and baggage tags, assist them through immigration & assists with Visa challenges if any, Processes their Pet documents through the Veterinary desk (if visitor is arriving with Pet), identifies the baggage processed it through customs and hands them over to their waiting Motorpool chauffer.
• Meets departing Mission personnel & official Visitors at the Departure section. Receives their passports tickets and baggage. Assist them through the check-in process, immigration and through to the boarding gate. Ensures Pets are handed over to the Airline.

Billing and Payment: 15%

Reviews and examines bills received from packing, delivering and shipping companies for payment. These task include

• Verify that rates are properly applied
• Have vendors make necessary corrections when appropriate
• Track down all necessary supporting documents for the submitted invoices
• Submit the invoices to the Financial Management Office for processing after full & final approval by GSO for payment.
• Follow up with Voucher Examiners and Vendors with regards to status of payment and/or additional required documents.
• Addresses complaints concerning billings and make recommendations share them with to the Shipping & Customs Supervisor for appropriate action.
• Receive and review all vendor Statements of account and ensure the outstanding are kept at a minimum of no more than 30 days.

Office Procurement Requests, Filling, Records Management & Other Clerical Roles: 10%

• Gathers information and prepares a wide variety of documents, letters, memoranda, and other paperwork from Transportation LITE notifications/Cables, Shipping Lines, Airlines, Agency representatives, and ITGBL representatives related to:-
• Incoming and outgoing personal effects shipments of all employees of the US Government and all associated agencies such as CDC, NIH, Peace Corps, and USAID.
• Incoming and outgoing Supplies of the U.S. Government shipped by both   air and Sea.
• U.S. Government & Personally Owned Vehicles – registration.
• Pet import and export Documentation.
• Pet Permits: Obtains necessary documentation from both incoming and outgoing American staff, processes import and export pet permits respectively.
• File shipping & customs clearance documents and other paperwork, keeps records, and performs miscellaneous clerical work as necessary.
• Identifies weekly, Monthly, quota and annual needs of the GSO Customs & Shipping office such as internet subscription, Airport Passes, office stationary, uniforms, carpet cleaning, afterhours Access & places requests through the available systems and follows up on delivery and distribution to colleagues in a timely manner.
• Upholds Data Integrity and reliability of the state departments’ universal integrated Logistics management system (ILMS) Transportation Lite. The Role analyses the costs regarding to the International government Bill of Lading (ITGBL) shipments & Direct Procurement
• Supply (DPS) shipments. This provides Washington with information to process reports on shipments which USG monies.
• Updates the section Supervisor regularly or as requested on the status of all shipments once they arrive or are scheduled to arrive in saves the country.
• Conducts monthly ICASS workload count, prepares adhoc reports for tracking shipments & Serves as backup to the Shipping Supervisor in their absence.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

NOTE:  All applicants must address each selection criterion detailed below with specific and comprehensive information supporting each item.

• The applicants for the US Embassy Shipping Assistant career opportunity should have completed Secondary school (O & A LEVEL) is required.
• At least three years of Customs and Shipping experience are required; 2 years of these must have been obtained from working with a customs, shipping or logistics company in the area of operations and customer service.
• Extensive knowledge of the host country’s customs regulations & procedures.
• A good knowledge of the abilities, capabilities, and general procedures of local / regional shipping & transportation regulations.
• Must be tactful in dealing with host country government officials, personnel of shipping, packing and moving companies.
• Must be able to draft correspondences addressed to the Ugandan Government Officials.
• Typing level II, basic numeracy skills for voucher examining and demonstrated ability to use office software including Microsoft Outlook, internet, and software applications of common use. There is also occasional requirement for heavy lifting.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision, possess strong interpersonal skills and team work is required. Skills in planning and executing administrative and financial work related to GSO-Shipping activities are essential. Must be able to drive vehicles and possess a valid driver’s license Type B.
• Language Proficiency: (List both English and host country language(s) proficiency requirements by level and specialization) Level III English ability (good working knowledge) in reading, writing and speaking.

How to Apply:

All suitably qualified and interested candidates who wish to join the United States Embassy in Kampala are encouraged to Apply Online by following the instructions below;

• Applicants shall be required to register under the careers page for US Embassy Kampala using the link, Click Here
• You will receive confirmation on registration and proceed to apply.
• On completion of this process you will receive an auto response via your email.

NB: Applicants claiming a U.S. Veteran’s preference must submit written documentation confirming eligibility (e.g., Member Copy 4 of Form DD-214, Letter from the Veteran’s Administration, or certification documenting eligibility under the VOW Act with an expected discharge no later than 120 days after the certification is submitted) by the closing date of the vacancy announcement. If the written documentation confirming eligibility is not received in the HR office by the closing date of the vacancy announcement, the U.S. Veteran’s preference will not be considered in the application process. Specific criteria for receiving a U.S. Veteran’s preference may be found in HR/OE’s Family Member Employment Policy (FMEP).

Deadline: 29^th April 2019

The US Mission in Kampala provides equal opportunity and fair and equitable treatment in employment to all people without regard to race, color religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation, marital status, or sexual orientation.  The Department of State also strives to achieve equal employment opportunity in all personnel operations through continuing diversity enhancement programs.