Operations Planning

The Operations Planning role designs and improves the operating model for Shippio Forwarding. The work covers designing, building, standardizing, and operating business processes; establishing, monitoring, and improving operational KPIs; identifying issues in frontline operations; and planning and leading improvement projects. The role also plans additions and improvements to Shippio’s digital platform in collaboration with the product team and works toward optimization across all operations teams.

The position combines planning with implementation. During the initial period, the person may also handle part of the forwarding operation in order to understand the role and gain practical knowledge of the work. Technology is used to automate and streamline operations, including the use of GAS, SQL, and AI for automation, data extraction and visualization, and implementation of operating workflows.

Shippio was established in 2016 as a digital forwarding company. Its services support international logistics and related trade operations. Shippio Forwarding integrates arrangements for sea and air transportation, customs clearance, and domestic transportation with quotations, ordering, schedule and document management, and chat communication. Other services include Shippio Cargo, a SaaS platform for managing transportation cases, Shippio Works, a B2B platform for business coordination and communication in international logistics, and Shippio Clear, a cloud service using AI to streamline customs operations.

The operations organization uses a job-based structure rather than assigning work by customer account, enabling rapid testing of operational improvements. Teams have several members and individual members have discretion over their work. The Overseas team arranges sea and air transportation with overseas agents; the Customs team communicates with customs partners and arranges import and export declarations; the Delivery team arranges vehicles with transportation partners; the Payment team handles settlement operations; and the Customer team manages customer communication and customer experience improvements. Job rotation may be possible depending on preferences and career plans.

Weekly regular meetings are used to discuss improvement proposals and projects with each team and carry out improvement actions. Managers and members also hold weekly one-on-one meetings covering skill development, reviews, feedback, and career planning. Team and individual goals are set, self-assessments are submitted twice a year, and managers and employees align on achievement and evaluation. A quarterly interim review covers progress and whether the person is gaining experiences connected to their career goals. Promotion opportunities are available twice a year depending on goal achievement.

Possible future paths include forwarding operations manager, business development or new business development, and product planning. Relevant experience includes leading cross-functional improvement, collaborating with sales, product, accounting, software engineering, and external partners, and taking projects from planning through implementation and improvement. The work locations are Shippio’s Tokyo headquarters in Minato-ku, Tokyo, or its Osaka branch in Chuo-ku, Osaka.