Team Leader – Customer Service

Role Overview:

The Team Leader – Customer Service leads and develops the day-to-day operations of the Customer Service team, acting as the primary escalation point, coach, and performance driver for Coordinators and Specialists. The role ensures the team delivers exceptional service quality, meets all KPIs, and operates in close alignment with the Head of Cargoo Support and the Head of Commodity Supplies Customer Service.
Beyond team management, the Team Leader retains operational accountability — handling complex freight and technical cases, steering process improvements, and representing the team in cross-functional and leadership discussions. This is a player-coach role that combines people leadership with deep operational expertise in ocean freight and the Cargoo platform.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Customer Service Coordinators and Specialists to facilitate day-to-day operations.
• Act as the first escalation point for complex customer, freight, or technical issues raised by team members.
• Conduct regular 1:1s, provide constructive feedback, and support individual development and growth.
• Onboard and train new team members on processes, tools, systems, and customer expectations.
• Foster a positive, collaborative team culture built on ownership, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Identify skill gaps and coordinate training initiatives or knowledge-sharing sessions within the team.
• Oversee day-to-day operations across customer service and technical/platform support functions.
• Monitor and report on team KPIs: SLA compliance, first response rates, resolution times, dossier creation, and quality metrics.
• Identify process inefficiencies; lead improvement initiatives and update Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) accordingly.
• Ensure data quality and process adherence across TMS Cargoo, MS Dynamics, ELO, and ticketing systems.
• Prepare and present regular operational reports to Headquarters.
• Represent the Customer Service team in cross-functional meetings with BIM, Carrier, Product, Procurement, Sales, and Accounting.
• Stay current on platform developments, product updates, and industry best practices; cascade knowledge to the team.

What makes a great candidate:

• Minimum 4–5 years of experience in freight forwarding or customer service, with at least 1–2 years in a team lead or supervisory capacity.
• Proven background in sea freight execution (FCL, LCL, imports, exports).
• Track record of managing and developing operational teams in a fast-paced environment.
• Natural leader who earns trust through expertise, consistency, and genuine care for the team.
• Solutions-oriented under pressure; remains calm and decisive in complex or escalated situations.
• Data-driven approach to performance management and continuous improvement.
• Fluent in both Polish and English; German or additional CEE language is a plus.
• Completed commercial training
• Help desk / ticketing software experience (Freshdesk, Zendesk, Jira)
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite - advanced Excel skills

You will stand out if you have experience in:

• TMS Cargoo or equivalent freight management systems
• ERP MS Dynamics
• ELO document management
• Power BI (reporting & dashboards)
• Confluence (knowledge management)
• Project management tools