‹ Leadership Opportunities

General Manager

Status: Completed

Preferred Service Customs Brokers is a family-owned and operated business established in 1981 by Jack and Dorothy Peterson. Starting from humble beginnings, driven by Jack’s emphases on customer service, Preferred Service has grown and has multiple offices across Western Canada plus a successful network of agents both nationwide and worldwide. Preferred Service Customs Brokers is searching for a General Manager.

The Role:

The General Manager will ensure high quality client service delivery, team leadership, productive and efficient office operations, ensuring organizational consistency and effectiveness in the three offices located in Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary.  The successful candidate will assist the President by contributing proactively to growth planning, client relationship management and new business development.

Responsibilities:

  • Help maintain a healthy, positive and engaged work culture.
  • Maintain an environment of accountability, provide coaching and training to employees when needed.
  • Oversee team responsibilities, internal processes and procedures to ensure maximum efficiency, adjust when necessary.
  • Evaluate ongoing employee performance and coordinate annual review and appraisal programs.
  • Make recommendations for promotions and salary increases.
  • Give constructive feedback and provide recommendations for recruitment of new team members.
  • Source candidates, post ads, screen, interview and hire new team members.
  • Enhance and build customer relations by visiting new and existing clients.
  • A solution focused leader who encourages team to always implement the best solution.
  • Lead by example and coach team to consistently model “Preferred Service” – Leaving the customer with the experience/feeling of “WOW”.
  • Maintain continued security and confidentiality of data.
  • Ensure compliance with Employment Standards Acts of BC and Alberta.

Key Criteria/Requirements:

  • 10+ years track record of success showing progressive career experience in a customs broker position, or working within a customs brokerage, holds an active CSCB designation.
  • A hands-on leader with 5 or more years in a supervisory role, excellent organizational, interpersonal and time-management skills.
  • With a professional demeanour, able to consistently coach, build and develop teams remotely, able to maintain confidentiality.
  • A team player, who consistently leverages talent and expertise within the company for the benefit of all, has managed more than 5 direct reports.
  • Knowledge of administrative, human resources, accounting practices and procedures.
  • Strong negotiation and follow up skills, attends to the details of the customer’s requirement.
  • Sales experience is an asset; ability to build relationships is required.
  • Able to travel periodically and manage oneself in and out of office environment.
  • A consummate communicator, understands impact of communication, and leverages communication skills for success.
  • Brings creative thinking and a “can do” attitude.
  • Entrepreneurial, ambitious, and competitive, demonstrates energy and a sense of urgency in executing day-to-day responsibilities.
  • Sound knowledge of Employment Standards Act of BC and Alberta.
  • Excellent computer skills with an understanding of customs related software packages, knowledge of “Cargo Wise” an asset.
  • Driver’s license required and own vehicle preferred.

People First Solutions is one of Vancouver’s leading Executive Recruitment firms, dedicated to recruiting top talent.

Our goal at People First Solutions is to hire top performers for our clients. To this end, our selection process is thorough, enabling us to collect very detailed information. We have based our selection process on Topgrading™, a proven method that allows our clients’ to effectively match top performing candidates to key leadership roles.

If you possess the fundamental skills, experience and education required to be successful in this role we invite you to provide a cover letter and résumé in word or pdf. format in confidence to either Bob Murray or Adrienne Giffen.

Bob Murray – bob@peoplefirstsolutions.com – 604.803.4377

Adrienne Giffen – adrienne@peoplefirstsolutions.com – 604.209.8023

We thank all applicants for their interest in this role and wish to advise that we will be in direct contact only with those we wish to interview.