What does an export specialist do?
An Export Specialist is in charge of managing the foreign sales and transactions of a company. It is their duty to monitor the quality of products to ensure it adheres to export standards, manage paperwork, perform research and analysis, utilize cost-efficient methods, verify documents, produce progress reports, and liaise with external parties such as distributors and custom authorities. An Export Specialist must be proactive and alert for any issues or conflicts, resolving them promptly and efficiently.
Export specialist responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real export specialist resumes:
- Manage OEM exports throughout Europe for a veterinary equipment manufacturer.
- Prepare export documentation and hire freight forwarders with proven accuracy.
- Interact with freight forwarders and transportation management personnel to ensure timely delivery of shipments.
- Complete NAFTA and CAFTA certificates as required.
- Handle customs clearance process such as, FDA, classification and Hazmat shipments.
- Coordinate the release of goods with carriers, CBP, and other governmental agencies as required.
- Prepare documentation, update files, file AES, and send documents to overseas offices for approval.
- Receive, review, and process high-volume and complex export transactions for clients, including booking, billing, and classification.
- Review NAFTA eligibility on export products.
- Validate booking and process airway bills accordingly.
- Negotiate with the international customers pricing and Incoterms.
- Develop and maintain international customer profiles covering logistics, compliance, documentation and relate customer requirements.
- Develop strong knowledge of export regulations including HTS classification, valuation, free tradeagreement and government agency requirements.
- Ensure accuracy of AES entries, running timely reports and alerting necessary individuals when corrections are need for immediate resolution.
- Perform clearance on all OGA (other governmental agency) requirements as prescribed by regulatory requirements or customs specific procedures.
Export specialist skills and personality traits
We calculated that 17% of Export Specialists are proficient in Logistics, Booking, and Forwarders. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Leadership skills, and Communication skills.
We break down the percentage of Export Specialists that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Logistics, 17%
Developed and maintained international customer profiles covering logistics, compliance, documentation and related customer requirements.
- Booking, 6%
Validated booking and processed airway bills accordingly.
- Forwarders, 5%
Interacted with freight forwarders and transportation management personnel to ensure timely delivery of shipments.
- Import Export, 5%
Prepared required import export container documentation.
- Data Entry, 5%
Developed skills in data entry of transportation data from a regulatory and tracking perspective.
- Freight Forwarders, 5%
Manage freight forwarders/UPS (audio/LiDar) rate/lane country specific based.
"logistics," "booking," and "forwarders" are among the most common skills that export specialists use at work. You can find even more export specialist responsibilities below, including:
Analytical skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for an export specialist to have is analytical skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "sales managers must collect and interpret complex data to target the most promising geographic areas and demographic groups, and determine the most effective sales strategies." Export specialists often use analytical skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "prepared all necessary data entry and confirmation of key milestones as specified by customer standard operating procedures. "
Leadership skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling export specialist duties is leadership skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "sales managers must be able to evaluate how their sales staff performs and must develop strategies for meeting sales goals." According to an export specialist resume, here's how export specialists can utilize leadership skills in their job responsibilities: "develop leadership skills including planning, distribution, logistics, transportation, and customer operations. "
Communication skills. This is an important skill for export specialists to perform their duties. For an example of how export specialist responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "sales managers need to work with colleagues and customers, so they must be able to communicate clearly." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of an export specialist: "provided information and communications with fda, fish and wildlife and us customs. ".
Customer-service skills. A big part of what export specialists do relies on "customer-service skills." You can see how essential it is to export specialist responsibilities because "when helping to make a sale, sales managers must listen and respond to the customer’s needs." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical export specialist tasks: "created master and house airway bills on behalf of customers with timely filing of aes with us customers. "
The three companies that hire the most export specialists are:
- Teledyne Technologies Incorporated4 export specialists jobs
- Kelly Services2 export specialists jobs
- Polaris2 export specialists jobs
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Compare different export specialists
Export specialist vs. Air cargo agent
An air cargo agent is responsible for the safety of all air cargo in a flight. They are responsible for inspecting each shipment, logging shipment information, monitoring shipments in transit, and ensuring that shipments reach their destinations. They also determine delivery routes, pick-up locations, and delivery costs. This position is essential for companies that provide constant deliveries, such as online stores. An air cargo agent must have strong research skills, good communication skills, and have a sincere devotion to bringing cargoes safely to their destinations.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, export specialist responsibilities require skills like "logistics," "import export," "freight forwarders," and "customer service." Meanwhile a typical air cargo agent has skills in areas such as "reservations," "faa," "import shipments," and "patrol." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Air cargo agents tend to reach similar levels of education than export specialists. In fact, air cargo agents are 0.3% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.2% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Export specialist vs. Cargo agent
A cargo agent is primarily in charge of facilitating cargo shipments, ensuring the cargo gets to their destination timely and accurately. They are responsible for preparing and processing the necessary documents and fees, routing shipments and arranging the shipping methods, weighing the parcels, and coordinating the logistics and transportation details. They also negotiate postal and shipping rates, prepare invoices, and maintain records of all transactions and necessary information. Moreover, a cargo agent communicates with clients to answer inquiries, notify them of any delays, and provide updates regularly.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, export specialist responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "logistics," "booking," "import export," and "aes." Meanwhile, a cargo agent has duties that require skills in areas such as "security procedures," "freight shipments," "computer system," and "faa." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Cargo agents may earn a lower salary than export specialists, but cargo agents earn the most pay in the transportation industry with an average salary of $35,472. On the other hand, export specialists receive higher pay in the manufacturing industry, where they earn an average salary of $47,654.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Cargo agents tend to reach similar levels of education than export specialists. In fact, they're 3.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Export specialist vs. Freight forwarder
Freight brokers have licensed property brokers who provide assistance to shippers in hauling materials. Their job involves linking carriers and shippers in hauling materials. They take part in the shipping logistics of organizations or companies. Among the matters they negotiate include tracking of shipments, keeping delivery and pickup tracks, and shipping rates. Among the necessary skills for this job include customer service, negotiation, communication, and marketing.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, export specialists are more likely to have skills like "logistics," "data entry," "freight forwarders," and "government agencies." But a freight forwarder is more likely to have skills like "supply chain," "delivery orders," "freight carriers," and "pod."
Most freight forwarders achieve a similar degree level compared to export specialists. For example, they're 0.8% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.7% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Export specialist vs. Freight broker
Even though a few skill sets overlap between export specialists and freight brokers, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, an export specialist might have more use for skills like "booking," "forwarders," "import export," and "data entry." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of freight brokers require skills like "tms," "ftl," "shippers," and "freight carriers. "
Freight brokers reach similar levels of education compared to export specialists, in general. The difference is that they're 1.8% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.4% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of export specialist
Updated January 8, 2025
