Transportation Logistics Specialist

The role

We are looking for an experienced Transportation Logistics Specialist to manage the full scope of IT hardware logistics across the APAC region — including racks, servers, GPUs, and other data center equipment. The role focuses on air freight and road transport across APAC, with a primary emphasis on shipments originating from or transiting through Taiwan, and deliveries into key APAC markets including Singapore, India, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, and additional destinations as the business expands.

You will be responsible for day-to-day execution of inbound and outbound shipments, RMA and RMS flows, cross-border customs coordination, and inter-facility transfers within the region. This is a hands-on, operationally focused role requiring deep knowledge of APAC freight markets, strong carrier and forwarder relationships, and the ability to work independently in a fast-paced, global environment.

Key Responsibilities

Logistics Operations

• Manage end-to-end transport of IT hardware — rack systems, servers, GPUs, and other data center equipment — across all APAC lanes, including inbound shipments from Taiwan, inter-regional moves, and outbound flows as required.
• Coordinate air freight and road transport scheduling, carrier and freight forwarder selection, and delivery execution to ensure on-time, damage-free arrival at APAC data center sites.
• Handle all RMA and RMS shipments within the APAC region, including coordination with vendors, carriers, and internal teams to ensure accurate and timely processing.
• Manage equipment transfers between company warehouses and data center facilities across the region, optimising routes and minimising handling risk.
• Maintain full visibility over active shipments across all APAC lanes and proactively resolve transit issues, delays, or exceptions.
• Develop contingency plans and alternative routing strategies to ensure business continuity.
• Manage time-critical air freight shipments where required, including carrier selection, booking, and end-to-end tracking to ensure expedited delivery of hardware.

Coordination & Documentation

• Coordinate closely with data center operations teams across APAC to support staging, buffering, and just-in-time hardware deployment.
• Maintain accurate in-transit inventory records and ensure proper chain-of-custody documentation for all shipments.
• Manage all shipment-related documentation in relevant systems (Jira, TMS, or equivalent), ensuring records are complete, accurate, and audit-ready.
• Manage customs documentation and clearance processes for all cross-border shipments within APAC, including imports into Singapore, India, South Korea, Japan, and Malaysia.
• Process and reconcile logistics invoices; manage payments for transportation operations, including ZIP payments to the appropriate vendors and partners.
• Work with the security team to establish and maintain secure shipment protocols for high-value hardware across the region.

Compliance & Quality

• Ensure all shipments comply with applicable regulations across APAC jurisdictions, including country-specific import/export requirements, customs procedures, and trade compliance obligations.
• Manage duties, taxes, and customs declarations for inbound and outbound shipments across the region, ensuring correct classification and valuation of high-value IT hardware.
• Maintain audit-ready documentation for all logistics activities, supporting internal (SOX) and external compliance requirements.
• Establish and enforce SLAs and KPIs with freight carriers, forwarders, and 3PL partners; drive accountability through regular performance reviews.
• Identify and escalate compliance gaps or process deviations, implementing corrective actions as needed.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with hardware engineering, procurement, finance, and data center operations to align APAC logistics execution with deployment timelines and business priorities.
• Collaborate with OEM suppliers based in Taiwan to coordinate international shipping windows, batch tracking, customs documentation, and inbound scheduling into APAC facilities.
• Act as the primary escalation point for transport-related issues across the APAC region.
• Work closely with the global transport team to ensure regional operations align with global standards, processes, and reporting requirements.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives through KPI tracking, root cause analysis, and process standardisation.

Planning & Cost Management

• Forecast transportation demand across APAC based on data center expansion plans, hardware deployment schedules, and capacity needs.
• Identify cost optimisation opportunities through carrier consolidation, routing improvements, and smarter scheduling across APAC lanes.
• Track and report on regional logistics costs, flagging variances and recommending corrective actions.
• Support data-driven decision-making through regular reporting, dashboards, and operational analytics.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in transportation, freight, or logistics management, with a strong focus on international shipping within the APAC region.
• Deep, hands-on knowledge of APAC freight markets, air freight lanes, and road transport operations — particularly routes involving Taiwan, Singapore, India, South Korea, Japan, and Malaysia.
• Proven experience managing high-value, time-critical IT hardware shipments — server racks, GPUs, data center equipment, or similar cargo.
• Strong understanding of customs regulations, import/export procedures, and trade compliance across multiple APAC jurisdictions.
• Experience managing and negotiating with carriers, freight forwarders, and 3PL partners across the APAC region.
• Hands-on experience with RMA/RMS shipment processes and reverse logistics flows.
• Familiarity with TMS platforms, Jira, or similar systems used for shipment tracking and documentation.
• Excellent organisational and documentation skills with a high standard for accuracy and completeness.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills; ability to work cross-functionally across technical and non-technical teams in a global environment.
• Self-starter mindset with the ability to operate independently in a remote environment with minimal supervision.
• Based in the APAC region; Singapore, India, or South Korea preferred. Must be eligible to work in the country of residence.
• Fluency in English required; additional Asian languages (Mandarin, Korean, Hindi, or similar) are a strong advantage.

Nice to Have

• Experience in a hyperscaler, cloud provider, or large-scale data center build-out environment.
• Familiarity with ATA Carnet processes and temporary import/export mechanisms for repair and return shipments.
• Experience with Taiwan-origin shipments and familiarity with Taiwanese export procedures and OEM supplier logistics coordination.
• Background in supply chain analytics, reporting, or continuous improvement methodologies.
• Familiarity with physical security protocols for high-value hardware shipments.
• Experience supporting logistics operations across emerging APAC markets such as Indonesia, Vietnam, or Thailand.

Originally posted on Himalayas