Durban: CLAIMS HANDLER & PROCESS OWNER posted by Indian Ocean Export Company

Indian Ocean Export Company (IOEC) is seeking a Claims Handler and Process Owner (CHPO) who is to be accountable for owning the end-to-end claims lifecycle in a FMCG Export Shipping environment inclusive of perishables, requiring experience in cold-chain integrity and shelf-life considerations. The role requires execution, administrative discipline, proactive risk reduction, continuous improvement, and elevation of claims handling from reactive administration to an outcomes-driven coordination function.

The CHPO is responsible for centralizing the organizations claims. This is a high accountability role; the successful incumbent is the process owner for claims across the organization; responsible to centralize, control, drive processing and resolve claims related to export shipments, cargo damage, delays, lost goods and insurance claims. The role involves liaising with internal departments, our customers, suppliers, shipping lines, freight forwarders, air and road transporters, legal stakeholders to secure timely and efficient actions from intake through recovery and closure of claim resolutions.

ROLE SCOPE & KEY FOCUS AREAS

1. Process Ownership and Workflow: Own the complete claims lifecycle (registration, triage, investigation, negotiation, recovery, closure). Create centralized environment for Claims Handling. Regular reporting and communication to Management.
2. Stakeholder Engagement: Directly interact with internal and third-party stakeholders including Sales, Warehouse, Logistics, Operations, our clients, suppliers, shipping lines, freight forwarders, insurers, and other legal entities.
3. Internal Governance & Continuous Improvement: Ensure adherence to timelines and workflows, contracts and SLA agreements, claims timelines and regulatory/compliance requirements. CAPA Leadership: Maintain and drive the CAPA register; Pre-emptive Risk Actions, Management and execution on continuous improvement: Audit claims handling SOPs. Trigger early actions (e.g., supplier notifications, in-market inspections, temperature monitoring checks) to reduce claim occurrence. Identify, quantify, and communicate trends; drive process improvements and risk controls. embed lessons learned into operations, with a focus on preventative implementations.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Process Ownership and Workflow

• Manage the full lifecycle of claims from registration to closure and recovery with SOP, contractual, SLA and legal awareness.
• Receive, assess, and process claims related to lost, damaged, or delayed shipments.
• Verify claim supporting documentation for completeness and accuracy including shipping records, invoices, and insurance policies. Proactively liaise with all internal and external stakeholders to investigate and resolve claims.
• Ensure all claims are in compliance; documented, tracked, captured and filed in accordance with company SOPs, legal requirements and

Stakeholder Engagement:

• Act as the primary point of contact and drive action with all internal and external stakeholders.
• Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders to gather necessary evidence.
• Arrange independent surveys or inspections as needed.
• Provide timely updates to stakeholders on claim progress.
• Negotiate settlements professionally to maximize recovery and minimize product loss.
• Lead recovery negotiations using data-driven arguments
• Prepare claim reports for management, present insights, highlight trends and areas for process improvement.
• Provide timely updates on claim progress and outcomes to internal stakeholders.
• Reporting & Analytics
• Confidently escalate unresolved issues to senior leadership when required

Internal Governance & Continuous Improvement

• Maintain detailed records of all claims, correspondence, and resolutions.
• Maintain dashboards and reports on claims performance.
• CAPA Leadership: Own and maintain the Corrective and Preventative Action (CAPA) register
• Provide claims data, trends, and root-cause insights to Internal Departments for performance reviews and to address Quality/QA improvements.
• Pre-emptive Risk Actions: Management and execution on continuous improvement:
• Conduct workflow audits; Audit claims handling SOPs.
• identify and implement process improvements. Ensure adherence to timelines and workflows,
• Identify trends, root causes, and present insghts of patterns recurring with claim issues and recommend corrective measures to mitigate future risks. Report recurring claim causes and drive cross-functional actions to prevent recurrence.
• Formulate solutions to Trigger early actions to reduce claim occurrence.
• Identify, quantify, and communicate trends; drive process improvements and risk controls.
• embed lessons learned into operations, with a focus on preventative implementations.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

EXPERIENCE

• 5+ years in claims handling (preferably in FMCG or perishables)
• Familiarity with legal language, international trade, Incoterms, and insurance claims. Strong understanding in contract processes /SLAs/legal/insurance processes export compliance, export logistics, shipping line operations, perishable goods handling and regulatory requirements
• Experience interfacing with suppliers, shipping lines, insurers, and auditors
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and claims/ERP systems

EDUCATION:

• Bachelors degree or higher in Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Insurance, International Trade, or a related field
• Experience in ERP/claims management software

PROFILE

• Professional, assertive, confident negotiator and communicator. Experienced in complex cross-functional collaboration.
• Skilled in relationship building, presentation and stakeholder management.
• Logical, analytical mindset, data-driven, solution focused.
• Decision-making and problem-solving skills.