Shipping Manager

at  Tait

TAIT partners with artists, brands, IP holders and place makers to bring culture-defining, never-before-seen experiences to life. With a legacy of innovation spanning over 45 years, TAIT has grown from pioneering in rock ‘n’ roll concert staging to setting the global standard for extraordinary live events and experiences through cutting-edge technology, precision engineering, and creative design. TAIT’s 20 global offices have developed iconic productions and experiences in over 30 countries, all seven continents, and even outer space for renowned performers, theme parks, exhibits, and venues across the globe, including partnerships with Taylor Swift, Cirque Du Soleil, Royal Opera House, Nike, NASA, Bloomberg, Google, Beyoncé, and The Olympics
The Shipping Manager is responsible for successful logistics implementation across festival departments, including budgeting, day to day oversight, and reporting/tracking. This position requires a candidate with experience overseeing a high volume of international shipments (preferably in the Middle East) and understanding of Music Festivals/Large Scale Events. Role anticipated to be mid September 2024 (remote start, part-time), on ground in Riyadh November and December 2024, with remote wrap up part-time through January 2025

Responsibilities:

• Act as main conduit between festival freight forwarder and festival HODs, supporting and coordinating as needed.
• Assist HODs with shipping cost estimates as required with the festival freight forwarder as part of RFP and procurement process
• Maintain a shipment tracker of all current and forecast in/outbound shipments for the festival, and regularly update festival core planning team with schedule information for festival schedule
• Assist Festival Management with building and maintaining of shipping budget.
• Track all shipping costs (current and forecast) against shipping budget, flag any high-cost shipments to Festival Management.
• Work with festival HODs and Core Planning to determine all shipping needs across all departments.
• Identify critical path shipments and work with department heads to ensure milestones/gateways in the production process allow for efficient use of shipping methods.
• Assist with decision-making on whether to utilize supplier shipping vs festival freight forwarders.
• Identify critical short-turn shipments from HODs both pre and post festival and work with freight forwarders to ensure appropriate arrangements are made with carriers.
• Keep close oversight on any specialty shipments (rapid/critical, dangerous goods, specialty goods, permanent import, specific admin needs such as consignee changes, etc) and escalate issues when applicable to Core Planning or other stakeholders as required
• Coordinate between Festival HODs and Core Planning, freight forwarders, Client, and any other government expediting agencies on any documentation, customs requirements, etc. as required to ensure all necessary documentation and procedures for shipments are followed in a timeline required for the festival.

• Deliver a final freight budget and report post-show of freight costs by supplier and departmentRemain flexible with changing goals and objectives, and the initiative to seek out new opportunities for achievement.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 5+ years experience in entertainment or projects otherwise temporary in nature with short deadlines, with experience in international freight and logistics (ie production/tour management, technical management, company management, etc)
• Experience working with large teams and information management across multiple stakeholders.
• Well versed in Microsoft Suite, Smartsheets, Airtable, other databasing programs.
• Past experience working in the Middle East preferred.
• Strong Verbal and written communication, including reports/PPT presentations as needed.
• Organizational and logistics skills
• Understands attention to detail, but looks at bigger picture strategy and can connect the dots.
• Problem solving and seeks out answers
• Proactive critical thinking and project management
• Arabic speaker/written Arabic preferred but not required.
• Bachelor’s or associate’s degree in business or similar.
• Ability to work remotely across time zones for calls/meetings.
• NOTE: Changes in scope or project terms may alter the job outline above.

TAIT is an equal opportunity employer fully committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran or any other protected characteristic as outlined by international, national, state, or local laws

• Act as main conduit between festival freight forwarder and festival HODs, supporting and coordinating as needed.
• Assist HODs with shipping cost estimates as required with the festival freight forwarder as part of RFP and procurement process
• Maintain a shipment tracker of all current and forecast in/outbound shipments for the festival, and regularly update festival core planning team with schedule information for festival schedule
• Assist Festival Management with building and maintaining of shipping budget.
• Track all shipping costs (current and forecast) against shipping budget, flag any high-cost shipments to Festival Management.
• Work with festival HODs and Core Planning to determine all shipping needs across all departments.
• Identify critical path shipments and work with department heads to ensure milestones/gateways in the production process allow for efficient use of shipping methods.
• Assist with decision-making on whether to utilize supplier shipping vs festival freight forwarders.
• Identify critical short-turn shipments from HODs both pre and post festival and work with freight forwarders to ensure appropriate arrangements are made with carriers.
• Keep close oversight on any specialty shipments (rapid/critical, dangerous goods, specialty goods, permanent import, specific admin needs such as consignee changes, etc) and escalate issues when applicable to Core Planning or other stakeholders as required
• Coordinate between Festival HODs and Core Planning, freight forwarders, Client, and any other government expediting agencies on any documentation, customs requirements, etc. as required to ensure all necessary documentation and procedures for shipments are followed in a timeline required for the festival.
• Deliver a final freight budget and report post-show of freight costs by supplier and departmentRemain flexible with changing goals and objectives, and the initiative to seek out new opportunities for achievement