Director - Customs Classification and Engineering

Madewell • New York, NY

1d • $152,800 - $201,400 • Hybrid

About The Position

J.Crew is seeking a Director to lead the Sourcing team as the enterprise expert for customs classification, duty engineering, and tariff compliance. This role involves serving as the subject matter expert in apparel and accessories HTS classification, guiding the organization through the pre-production process to ensure compliant and cost-effective importation. It is a highly visible, cross-functional position requiring the ability to educate and influence various teams, from design and production to senior sourcing leadership and legal counsel. The Director will also act as the primary liaison between internal teams and customs brokerage partners, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and proactive communication on all tariff-related matters.

Requirements

• 10–15 years of progressive experience in HTS classification and customs compliance, with a minimum of 7–10 years specifically in apparel and/or accessories
• Deep, hands-on expertise in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), including General Rules of Interpretation (GRI) and apparel-specific classification nuances
• Demonstrated experience with duty engineering, including knowledge of construction and materials as they relate to duty rates in apparel and accessories
• Strong familiarity with Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), preferential tariff programs, and other trade benefit mechanisms
• Proven ability to communicate complex tariff and trade compliance concepts clearly to non-specialist audiences including design and senior sourcing teams
• Experience interfacing with legal counsel on customs rulings, binding classification opinions, and regulatory review
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience creating and delivering training materials and presentations
• Proficiency in PowerPoint and Microsoft Office Suite

Nice To Haves

• Licensed Customs Broker (LCB) or Certified Customs Specialist (CCS) designation strongly preferred
• Bachelor's degree in International Trade, Business, Supply Chain, Fashion Merchandising, or a related field
• Experience working within a retail or branded fashion company (vs. brokerage or freight forwarder) is a strong plus
• Familiarity with customs compliance platforms and entry management tools (e.g., ACE)
• Experience building or working within classification databases and reporting dashboards; proficiency in Excel (pivot tables, data analysis) or BI tools a plus

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and institutionalization of a pre-classification process, partnering with each sourcing team to review product lines and facilitate estimated landed costs prior to line finalization
• Own classification review for select complex categories post-finalization, ensuring data integrity before passing to the brokerage
• Identify and communicate duty engineering opportunities to sourcing and design teams, including construction and material modifications that may reduce duty exposure
• Monitor and evaluate the impact of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), trade preference programs, and evolving tariff policy on the product line, and translate findings into actionable recommendations
• Develop and maintain education materials including duty cheat sheets, classification guides, and training decks for use with sourcing, design, merchandising, and production teams
• Serve as the internal communications lead for tariff updates and regulatory changes, providing clear, timely, and accurate guidance to cross-functional stakeholders including senior sourcing leadership and design leads
• Plan and facilitate internal training sessions and duty seminars as needed, in partnership with the customs brokerage and other subject matter experts, to keep cross-functional teams informed and up to date
• Act as the key internal liaison with the customs brokerage, facilitating clear and efficient communication between the brokerage and internal sourcing teams
• Collaborate with legal teams when reviewing new trade guidelines, binding customs rulings, or other regulatory interpretations
• Support the preparation and submission of customs ruling requests to CBP as needed
• Reinforce and continuously improve customs compliance procedures to maintain a compliant organization
• Monitor CBP regulations, tariff schedule updates, and trade policy developments; assess risk and communicate impact proactively
• Manage workload across multiple categories in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment
• Own and maintain the integrity of the HTS classification database, ensuring accurate and up-to-date records across all product categories
• Conduct regular audits of classification data — both pre- and post-entry — to identify errors, inconsistencies, and compliance risks, and implement corrective action as needed
• Develop and distribute reporting on duty spend, classification activity, duty savings achieved through engineering efforts, and tariff exposure by category or country of origin, providing actionable insights to sourcing and finance leadership
• Partner with Operations and IT teams to continuously evaluate and optimize trade compliance tools and platforms, improving accuracy and efficiency while ensuring classification and duty data is seamlessly integrated into the broader sourcing and product development workflow
• Leverage data analysis to identify patterns, surface duty savings opportunities, and support strategic sourcing decisions related to country of origin and product construction
• Lead and develop a team of classification and trade compliance professionals, providing day-to-day direction, coaching, and performance feedback
• Foster a culture of continuous learning, keeping the team current on regulatory changes, classification best practices, and industry developments
• Model a collaborative, solutions-oriented approach that reflects the cross-functional nature of the role

Benefits

• Eligible associates and family members receive medical, dental, prescription and vision insurance, family planning (fertility, adoption & surrogacy support), fitness discounts, medical travel and more.
• A great associate discount across all of our brands (J.Crew, J.Crew Factory, and Madewell).
• In addition to our hybrid work model, we also close our office at 1:00 PM every Friday during the Summer months.
• We support the communities where we live and work through our philanthropic efforts and the J.Crew Cares Program.
• In addition to our PTO package, J.Crew Group offers a winter break at the end of December to eligible full-time associates at the Home Office to provide time to refresh and recharge.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees