Senior Manager Customs and Trade Compliance
Position Summary
A well-established consumer products leader is seeking a Senior Manager of Global Trade Compliance to oversee and evolve its international import/export compliance framework. This role will be instrumental in shaping trade compliance strategy across multiple product categories and geographies, ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements and business priorities. The successful candidate will bring deep expertise in customs regulations, country of origin (COO) determinations, and cross-border trade operations, with a strong ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and drive continuous improvement.
Core Responsibilities
Strategic Compliance Leadership
- Direct the company's global trade compliance efforts, with a focus on import/export regulations, COO validation, and regulatory controls.
- Act as the internal authority on U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) policies and international customs practices.
- Track and interpret regulatory developments across key markets, assessing implications for supply chain and product movement.
- Establish performance metrics, training programs, and governance structures to ensure consistent compliance across business units.
- Prepare and manage submissions for binding rulings related to COO when necessary.
Cross-Functional Engagement
- Collaborate with teams in logistics, supply chain, engineering, marketing, legal, and sourcing to embed compliance into procurement, product development, and labeling decisions.
- Support global product launches and packaging initiatives with a compliance-first approach.
- Lead training sessions and awareness campaigns to promote understanding of trade regulations across departments.
- Maintain and refine internal documentation and workflows to reflect current regulatory standards and rulings.
Risk Management & Auditing
- Develop and implement internal audit protocols to verify COO compliance and ensure proper recordkeeping.
- Coordinate external audits and lead remediation efforts in partnership with legal and import teams.
- Identify and mitigate trade-related risks, including tariff exposure and classification challenges.
Qualifications
Required
- Bachelor's degree in International Business, Supply Chain, Engineering, or a related discipline.
- At least 7 years of experience in trade compliance, customs operations, and import/export management.
- Strong understanding of U.S. CBP regulations, HTS/ECCN classification, and international customs procedures.
- Experience working with high-volume consumer goods and complex global supply chains.
- Proficiency in SAP or similar enterprise resource planning systems.
- Proven leadership and collaboration skills across diverse teams.
- High attention to detail and ability to interpret technical documentation effectively.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Preferred
- Familiarity with SAP GTS or other trade compliance automation platforms.
- Experience in consumer goods manufacturing, retail, e-commerce, or direct-to-consumer distribution.
- Background in developing executive-level reporting and compliance KPIs.
- Exposure to denied party screening tools, FTZ/bonded warehouse operations.
- Knowledge of Section 232 and Section 301 trade regulations.
Work Environment
- Standard office hours: 9AM-5PM.
- Hybrid schedule: In-office Monday through Thursday.
- Occasional domestic and international travel may be required (up to 10%).
FAQs
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