Mid-Level

Export Manager

You manage export operations for a company — handling export documentation, regulatory compliance, customs coordination, and being the practitioner who connects domestic operations with international shipping.

Career Level
Junior
Mid
Senior
Director
VP
Executive
Work Personality
E
C
S
I
R
A
Enterprisingleading, persuading
Conventionalorganizing, detail-oriented
Based on Holland Code framework
Job markets for Export Managers
Employment concentration · ~388 areas
Based on employment in related occupations
Mapped SOC categories:
BLS Occupational Employment Statistics
What it's like

What it's like to be a Export Manager

Most days tend to involve a blend of shipment coordination, documentation work, and regulatory work — preparing export documentation, coordinating with carriers and customs brokers, and partnering with sales, operations, and legal on compliance questions. You'll often spend part of the time on the regulatory fabric of export controls, sanctions, and customs requirements.

The harder part is often the regulatory complexity of export work combined with the volume of detail across many shipments. You'll typically coordinate across customers, carriers, customs brokers, and regulators, where small documentation errors can create significant compliance issues.

People who tend to thrive here are detail-rigorous, regulatory-literate, and comfortable with the operational complexity of international shipping. The trade-off is the regulatory exposure of export work and the cumulative pressure of carrying compliance responsibility. If you find satisfaction in moving products into international markets cleanly, the role can be a strong destination in supply chain and trade operations.

IndependenceAbove avg
Working ConditionsAbove avg
AchievementAbove avg
SupportAbove avg
RecognitionModerate
RelationshipsModerate
O*NET Work Values survey
✦ Editorial — written by Truest from industry research and career patterns
Career Paths

Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.

$239K$179K$119K$60K$0KLower paying387 metro areas, sorted by salary level
All experience levels1
This level's estimated range
INDUSTRIES PAYING ABOVE AVERAGE
1 BLS OEWS May 2024 covers all Export Managers (SOC 11-2022.00), not just this title · BEA RPP 2023
* Top salaries exceed this figure. BLS caps reported wages at ~$240K to protect individual privacy in high-earning roles.
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✦ Editorial — career progression and interview guidance based on industry patterns
The Broader Landscape

Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.

$67K–$208K
Salary Range
10th – 90th percentile
604K
U.S. Employment
+4.7%
10yr Growth
49K
Annual Openings

How this category is changing

$74K$71K$68K$65K$62K201920202021202220232024$62K$74K
BLS OEWS May 2024 · BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034

Skills & Requirements

SpeakingNegotiationActive ListeningJudgment and Decision MakingManagement of Personnel ResourcesReading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingMonitoringSocial PerceptivenessPersuasion
O*NET OnLine · Bureau of Labor Statistics
11-2022.00

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Federal data: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (May 2024) · BLS Employment Projections · O*NET OnLine
Truest editorial: Fit check, role profile, things that vary, advancement analysis, lateral moves, interview questions.