What Is an English-Speaking Import-Export Staff Member? A-Z Checklist Now

What is an English-speaking import-export staff member?

An English-speaking import-export staff member is the person responsible for managing and coordinating the entire process of exporting goods abroad or importing goods from abroad into Vietnam. The employee will use English as the main working language. They play the role of an important bridge between the enterprise and international partners, customs authorities, shipping lines and transport units.

Unlike ordinary import-export staff, the English-speaking import-export staff member must communicate proficiently in English in every stage of the work: negotiating with international customers/suppliers, drafting international sale contracts, processing import-export documents (L/C, B/L, Invoice, Packing List), exchanging with shipping lines and foreign logistics companies, resolving problems arising during transport.

>>>> POCKET NOW: Market development staff: Is the profession still “hot”? Details

Job description of English-speaking import-export

The work of an English-speaking import-export staff member is very diverse and requires meticulousness and accuracy in every detail:

• Negotiating and transacting with international customers: Seeking foreign customers/suppliers, exchanging information about products, prices, delivery conditions (Incoterms: FOB, CIF, EXW…), payment methods (T/T, L/C).
• Drafting and processing international sale contracts: Preparing types of contracts (Sales Contract, Purchase Order) in English, ensuring clear terms that protect the company’s interests.
• Processing import-export documents: Preparing and checking the document set such as Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Certificate of Origin (C/O), Bill of Lading (B/L), Letter of Credit (L/C).
• Customs declaration: Working with Vietnamese and foreign customs authorities, declaring import and export tax, handling customs-clearance procedures.
• Coordinating with transport units: Contacting shipping lines, airlines and international logistics companies to arrange goods transport. Monitoring the container route, resolving problems such as ship delays, damaged or lost goods.
• Managing risk and resolving disputes: When problems arise (goods of incorrect quality, late delivery, late payment), the employee must negotiate with partners in English to find a solution, sometimes having to work with international lawyers.
• Reporting and statistics: Compiling import-export reports, analysing figures, proposing process improvements. Many multinational companies require reports in English.

Skills needed for import-export staff

To succeed in this role, import-export staff need to equip a diverse skill set, in which English is the core factor.

English skills

This is the most important skill and a prerequisite. Import-export staff need:

• Communication English: Confidently talking on the phone and having online meetings with foreign customers/partners. The ability to understand different accents (American, British, Indian, Chinese…).
• Business English: Firmly grasping import-export, logistics and international-trade terminology. Knowing how to write professional emails that are polite but clear and effective.
• Legal English: Understanding the terms in international contracts, Incoterms and payment conditions.

Smart strategy-building skills

A good import-export staff member not only performs the work as required but must also have strategic thinking. The thinking includes analysing the market to find the best supplier/customer, optimising logistics costs by choosing suitable transport routes and methods, forecasting risks and making contingency plans, and proposing process improvements to increase efficiency.

Work-organisation and arrangement ability

An import-export shipment can involve dozens of steps, many stakeholders and tight deadlines. The employee must manage many orders at the same time, monitor the progress of each shipment and ensure no stage is missed.

>>>> CLICK NOW:Business planning staff: Detailed work, salary

Good communication

Besides English, the employee needs multidimensional communication skills: with customers/partners (friendly, professional), with customs and seaports (clear, accurate), with internal departments (marketing, accounting, warehousing), with superiors (concise, focused reporting).

Proficient in office skills

Import-export staff work mainly with computers and need to be proficient in:

• Excel: Making spreadsheets, analysing data, managing order lists, monitoring costs. Knowing how to use the Vlookup function and Pivot Table is a big advantage.
• Word: Drafting contracts, correspondence and reports in professional English.
• PowerPoint: Presenting reports and proposals to superiors or customers.
• Email client (Outlook, Gmail): Managing hundreds of emails each day effectively.
• Specialised software: ERP, customs-management systems, container-tracking software (such as Maersk Line, CMA CGM portal).

Transport and goods-acceptance skills

Clearly understanding the international transport process (sea, air, road), the types of containers (20ft, 40ft, 40HQ), how to calculate CBM and load. Knowing how to pack goods suitably to avoid damage and optimise container space.

The salary of an English-speaking import-export staff member

The salary in the import-export industry is quite attractive, especially when combined with good English skills. According to the “Vietnam Salary Guide 2025” report by Navigos Group – the company that owns Vietnam’s No. 1 job-search site VietnamWorks with more than 3 million candidates – the average salary is as follows:

• New import-export staff (0-1 year experience): 8-12 million VND/month. At this level, you mainly support seniors, learn the process and accumulate experience.
• Import-export staff (1-3 years experience): 12-18 million VND/month. Can independently process orders and transact with international customers.
• Senior staff (3-5 years experience): 18-25 million VND/month. Handling large, complex orders, can negotiate better conditions.
• Team leader/Supervisor (5-7 years): 25-35 million VND/month. Managing a small team, supervising many orders, training new staff.
• Import-export manager/department head: 35-60 million VND/month or higher. Responsible for the company’s entire import-export activity, building strategy, managing the team.

>>>> CLICK NOW:Good at English, what high-paying profession to do? Top 12+ fields

Future career opportunities for English-speaking import-export staff

In the context of deep economic integration, the import-export and logistics industry in Vietnam is growing strongly, opening up many job opportunities for personnel good at English. According to a report by VOV with the topic “Bringing out the strength of Vietnam’s logistics industry”, the total import-export turnover reached about 370 billion USD in just the first 6 months of 2024, showing that the scale of international trade is increasingly expanding and entails a large demand for personnel.

Besides, the logistics industry – the field directly tied to import-export – maintains a growth rate of about 14–16%/year with a scale of up to 40–42 billion USD, according to the Vietnam Logistics Business Association (VLA). This development makes enterprises increasingly need personnel able to use English to work with international partners, process documents and negotiate trade.

In the long term, together with the digital-transformation trend, green logistics and the expansion of the global supply chain, English-speaking import-export staff will play a key role in international business activity. This is seen as one of the potential, stable professions with many opportunities to develop into management positions or work at multinational corporations.

What does the English-speaking import-export field study?

To become an import-export staff member, you can study the following fields:

• International Trade: This is the most direct field, studying import-export, international marketing, trade negotiation, international payment.
• Logistics and Supply Chain Management: Focusing on transport, warehousing, inventory management, supply-chain optimisation.
• International Business: Studying business, marketing and finance with an international orientation.
• English Language (Trade specialisation): Studying in-depth English combined with trade and import-export knowledge.
• Business Administration: A broad foundation in management, can specialise in logistics and international trade.

HUFLIT – Where professional skills and foreign-language capacity develop comprehensively

HUFLIT is a training environment oriented towards international integration, helping students develop both expertise and foreign-language capacity – the key factor in the import-export industry. The University focuses on building a “borderless” learning environment, strengthening international exchange and helping students form global thinking right from the lecture hall.

Besides, HUFLIT deploys a training model tied to practice with classes that simulate the working environment, helping students train situation-handling skills and professional operations early. Thanks to a solid foreign-language foundation and real-world experience, students can confidently take on positions such as import-export staff, working directly with international partners, processing documents and negotiating trade.

In particular, with a network of enterprise cooperation and job-connection programmes, HUFLIT records more than 94% of students having a job after graduation. This is clear proof of training quality, while also opening up wide-open career opportunities in the English-speaking import-export field – an industry with high human-resource demand in the context of globalisation.

FAQs – Common questions about English-speaking import-export staff

Can you do import-export without studying the right field?

Completely possible. Many successful import-export staff did not study the right specialisation but came from fields such as English Language, Business Administration, Accounting, even Engineering. The important thing is that you have good English (minimum TOEIC 650+ or IELTS 6.0+) and are ready to learn about the import-export process.

Is being an import-export staff member hard?

Import-export work requires carefulness and a clear understanding of the international transport process. At first there will be a lot of new information, regulations and terminology to learn, which can feel overwhelming. However, if you firmly grasp professional knowledge and English, the work will become easier over time.

Where do English-speaking import-export staff work?

Import-export staff can work at many types of enterprise:

• Logistics/forwarder companies (Maersk, DHL, FedEx, Gemadept): Providing transport and customs-brokerage services for many customers.
• International trade enterprises: Companies exporting agricultural products, seafood, textiles, electronics, or importing machinery and materials.
• Manufacturing companies with exports: Samsung, Canon, Panasonic, garment and footwear export factories.
• Shipping lines (Maersk Line, CMA CGM, COSCO): Managing international container transport.
• Forwarder companies: International transport agents, acting as intermediaries between shippers and shipping lines.
• FDI enterprises: Foreign companies in Vietnam with import-export activities of materials and finished products.

The English-speaking import-export staff member is a profession full of prospects with attractive salary, clear development opportunities and the ability to access an international working environment. With a solid English foundation combined with professional knowledge of international trade, you can completely build a successful career in this field. Contact HUFLIT today for detailed advice and start the journey to conquer the import-export profession with an excellent English foundation!

>>>> SEE MORE RELATED ANALYSES:

What is an English-speaking import-export staff member? A-Z checklist now

English-speaking sales staff: What do they do, how much salary?