The Ugandan Jobline

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.

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