You manage import and export operations — overseeing trade compliance, customs work, carrier relationships, and the operational fabric of international trade for a company.
Most days tend to involve a blend of shipment coordination, regulatory compliance, and partner management — overseeing import and export documentation, partnering with customs brokers and carriers, and partnering with sales, operations, and legal on compliance matters. You'll often spend significant time on the regulatory fabric of customs, export controls, sanctions, and trade compliance.
The harder part is often the regulatory complexity of international trade combined with the volume of detail across many shipments. You'll typically coordinate across customers, carriers, customs brokers, and regulators, where careful work matters for both operational continuity and regulatory compliance.
People who tend to thrive here are detail-rigorous, regulatory-literate, and comfortable with the operational complexity of international trade. The trade-off is the regulatory exposure of trade work and the cumulative pressure of carrying compliance responsibility. If you find satisfaction in moving products across borders cleanly, the role can be a strong destination in supply chain and trade operations.
Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.
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.
Roles with similar work and overlapping career paths
View all Business Operations roles →You manage import and export operations — overseeing trade compliance, customs work, carrier relationships, and the operational fabric of international trade for a company.
Median pay for an Import Export Manager is about $120K nationally, with the field ranging roughly from $61K to $208K depending on experience, employer, and metro (BLS).
Core skills for this role include Negotiation, Speaking, Active Listening, Social Perceptiveness, and Management of Personnel Resources.
Most people in this role hold a bachelor's degree.
Employment in this field is projected to grow about 5.4% through 2034, with roughly 816,710 people working in it today (BLS).
Closely related roles include Distribution Operations Manager, District Manager, and Operations Director.
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