Non-vessel operating common carrier to forwarding manager
A non-vessel operating common carrier already meets 36% of what the forwarding manager role asks for. The move turns on 15 required skills not yet in the profile.
69.9/ 100
1 How much of what a forwarding manager is expected to do is already part of a non-vessel operating common carrier’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the forwarding manager role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A forwarding manager role treats 9 of its required skills as things a non-vessel operating common carrier already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- analyse shipping rates
- book cargo
- coordinate export transportation activities
- coordinate import transportation activities
- make bids in forward auctions
- manage freight payment methods
What stands in the way is 15 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 17 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A forwarding manager role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a non-vessel operating common carrier background worth leading with.
- already held oversee cargo storage requirements management skills
- already held book cargo communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held make bids in forward auctions communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held prepare bills of lading information skills
- already held keep up-to-date to current customs regulations information skills
- already held analyse shipping rates information skills
All 17 carried skills, including the 9 the forwarding manager role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 31 missing skills fall into 6 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.
- still to learn assess carriers required
- still to learn develop efficiency plans for logistics operations required
- still to learn manage carriers required
- still to learn manage medium term objectives required
- still to learn oversee shipment routing required
- still to learn plan medium to long term objectives required
- optional, not held administer multi-modal logistics optional
- optional, not held create a work atmosphere of continuous improvement optional
- still to learn communicate with shipment forwarders required
- still to learn foster relationships with various types of carrier required
- still to learn implement short term objectives required
- optional, not held implement cost-effective cargo handling strategies on ships optional
- optional, not held liaise with transportation services optional
- optional, not held provide advice to clients in terms of export restrictions optional
- optional, not held provide advice to clients in terms of import restrictions optional
- optional, not held work in a logistics team optional
- optional, not held adapt to changing situations optional
- optional, not held communicate commercial and technical issues in foreign languages optional
- optional, not held create import-export commercial documentation optional
- optional, not held manage contracts optional
- optional, not held negotiate price optional
- optional, not held negotiate service with providers optional
- still to learn analyse supply chain trends required
- still to learn develop transportation cost metrics required
- still to learn prepare documentation for international shipping required
- optional, not held analyse work-related written reports optional
- still to learn inspect carrier documents required
- still to learn non vessel operating common carrier regulations required
- optional, not held ensure legal accreditation for forwarding agent operations optional
- still to learn supply chain management required
- optional, not held freight transport methods optional
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a forwarding manager role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 inspect carrier documents practise this
- 02 non vessel operating common carrier regulations practise this
- 03 analyse supply chain trends practise this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 17 skills that carry over
- already held analyse shipping rates skill
- already held book cargo skill
- already held coordinate export transportation activities skill
- already held coordinate import transportation activities skill
- already held make bids in forward auctions skill
- already held manage freight payment methods skill
- already held oversee cargo storage requirements skill
- already held plan transport operations skill
- already held prepare bills of lading skill
- already held apply procedures to ensure cargo complies with customs regulations skill
- already held control trade commercial documentation skill
- already held handle shipment paperwork skill
- already held keep up-to-date to current customs regulations skill
- already held negotiate logistics services skill
- already held principles of cargo stowage knowledge
- already held set import export strategies skill
- already held use different communication channels skill
16 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held ensure legal accreditation for forwarding agent operations optional
- optional, not held implement cost-effective cargo handling strategies on ships optional
- optional, not held liaise with transportation services optional
- optional, not held provide advice to clients in terms of export restrictions optional
- optional, not held provide advice to clients in terms of import restrictions optional
- optional, not held work in a logistics team optional
- optional, not held adapt to changing situations optional
- optional, not held administer multi-modal logistics optional
- optional, not held analyse work-related written reports optional
- optional, not held communicate commercial and technical issues in foreign languages optional
- optional, not held create a work atmosphere of continuous improvement optional
- optional, not held create import-export commercial documentation optional
- optional, not held freight transport methods optional
- optional, not held manage contracts optional
- optional, not held negotiate price optional
- optional, not held negotiate service with providers optional
16 held skills the forwarding manager role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role act reliably skill
- not needed by the target role cartography knowledge
- not needed by the target role communicate with customers skill
- not needed by the target role ensure compliance with shipment regulations skill
- not needed by the target role have computer literacy skill
- not needed by the target role international business knowledge
- not needed by the target role international tariffs knowledge
- not needed by the target role manage import export licenses skill
- not needed by the target role match vessels to shipping routes skill
- not needed by the target role prepare freight shipment reports skill
- not needed by the target role receive shipment packaging information skill
- not needed by the target role types of maritime vessels knowledge
- not needed by the target role types of packaging used in industrial shipments knowledge
- not needed by the target role use maritime English skill
- not needed by the target role vessel stability principles knowledge
- not needed by the target role weigh shipments skill
2 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- still to learn supply chain management required
- optional, not held freight transport methods optional
Other moves recorded from non-vessel operating common carrier
- shipping agent 43% covered · substantial
- international forwarding operations coordinator 41% covered · substantial
- marine cargo inspector 24% covered · substantial
- customs and excise officer 24% covered · substantial
Full index of moves from non-vessel operating common carrier
Common questions about this move
Can a non-vessel operating common carrier become a forwarding manager?
Yes, and it is a substantial move. A non-vessel operating common carrier already covers 36% of what a forwarding manager is expected to do: 17 skills carry over, 9 of which the forwarding manager role treats as required.
What skills does a non-vessel operating common carrier need to become a forwarding manager?
15 required skills are missing, plus 16 optional ones. They fall into 6 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by management skills. The single most important is inspect carrier documents.
How hard is the move from non-vessel operating common carrier to forwarding manager?
Its learning distance is 69.9 out of 100, which is the substantial band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
How this record was compiled
Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.