Trade and Customs Manager

Your Job

As the Trade and Customs Manager, you will lead the US customs and trade function to ensure compliant, efficient import/export and Free Trade Zone (FTZ) operations across manufacturing sites.

You will be the primary subject-matter expert for customs and trade matters, drive continuous improvement, manage customs broker relationships, and partner cross-functionally (Finance, Logistics, Procurement, Sales, IT, Production, Quality) to minimize risk, duty costs, and delays while delivering an excellent customer experience.

Our Team

You will join a cross-functional team focused on global trade compliance, logistics, and manufacturing operations.

The team partners with procurement, production supervisors, quality, IT, and finance to enable compliant, efficient import/export activity and to realize duty cost savings across manufacturing sites.

What You Will Do


* Lead and manage the US customs and FTZ team, setting goals, development plans, and performance frameworks to maximize team capability, collaboration, and operational excellence.


* Oversee daily FTZ and import/export operations (admissions, transfers, exports, destructions), maintain accurate audit-ready FTZ inventory and reconciliations (cycle counts, annual reconciliations), and ensure proper zone status handling.


* Develop, maintain, and improve SOPs, policies, and control programs for import/export and FTZ processes; drive continuous improvement to reduce cycle times and operational risk.


* Manage customs broker relationships and contractor performance through KPIs, control and audit programs, corrective actions, and process improvement plans.


* Act as the primary SME for internal and external stakeholders on customs and trade compliance-provide strategic advice on tariff classification, valuation methodology, duty liabilities, and Free Trade Agreement eligibility to minimize costs, delays, and risk.


* Lead responses to US Customs audits and inquiries (e.g., CF28/CF29), and manage post-entry activities including Post Summary Corrections (PSC), protests, and reconciliation processes.


* Monitor US Customs, CBP, and other government regulatory changes; implement required business changes and partner with IT/ERP teams (ACE reporting, SAP) to maintain compliant filings, integrations, and reporting capabilities.


* Define, report, and drive trade and customs KPIs and analytics; partner cross-functionally (Finance, Logistics, Procurement, Sales, IT, Operations) to prioritize customer experience, realize duty-savings opportunities, and ensure audit readiness.

Who You Are (Basic Qualifications)


* Bachelor's degree in supply chain, Logistics, Business, or related field.


* Experience in FTZ operations, customs compliance, OR international trade within a manufacturing environment.


* 3+ years of experience with inventory management systems and ERP platforms.

What Will Put You Ahead


* Certified Customs Specialist (CCS) or similar ...