Director, Customs & Global Trade
About The Position
The Director of Customs & Global Trade is responsible for developing and executing the company’s global trade compliance strategy across all regions. This role ensures full compliance with international customs regulations, trade agreements, import/export laws, product classification, valuation, and duty optimization programs while enabling speed-to-market and cost efficiency in a fast-moving apparel environment. The position partners closely with Sourcing, Logistics, Supply Chain, Finance, Legal, Product Development, and external brokers to mitigate risk, reduce landed cost, and maintain uninterrupted cross-border operations.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in International Trade, Supply Chain, Business, or equivalent years of experience preferred.
- 12+ years of progressive global trade compliance experience.
- 5+ years in leadership roles within multinational organizations.
- Deep expertise in apparel classification and textile rules of origin.
- Deep expertise in trade agreements (USMCA, EU FTAs, GSP).
- Deep expertise in duty drawback & FTZ programs.
- Deep expertise in customs valuation and transfer pricing.
- Experience operating in multi-country sourcing environments (e.g., Vietnam, China, Bangladesh, India, Central America).
- Strong knowledge of ERP and Global Trade Management (GTM) systems (e.g., SAP GTS, Oracle GTM, Descartes).
Nice To Haves
- Licensed Customs Broker (U.S.) strongly preferred.
Responsibilities
- Develop and lead the global customs and trade compliance program across North America, EMEA, APAC, and LATAM.
- Ensure compliance with import/export laws, customs regulations, and trade sanctions in all operating countries.
- Maintain documented policies, procedures, and internal controls.
- Oversee denied party screening and sanctions compliance.
- Direct global product classification (HS codes) for apparel, footwear, accessories, and raw materials.
- Ensure proper customs valuation, transfer pricing alignment, and assist compliance.
- Oversee country-of-origin determinations and documentation.
- Manage Free Trade Agreement (FTA) qualification and utilization (e.g., USMCA, EU FTAs).
- Lead duty savings initiatives such as: First Sale for Export, Duty drawback, Free Trade Zones (FTZ), Bonded warehouses, Temporary import/export programs.
- Identify landed cost reduction opportunities while maintaining compliance.
- Partner with Finance to forecast duty spend and mitigate exposure.
- Oversee global customs brokers and trade compliance vendors.
- Serve as primary contact for customs authorities during audits and inquiries.
- Manage prior disclosures, protests, post-entry amendments, and regulatory disputes as needed.
- Maintain strong relationships with government agencies.
- Develop internal audit processes to monitor trade compliance.
- Conduct periodic compliance reviews and corrective action plans.
- Prepare for and manage customs audits and regulatory reviews.
- Report compliance risks and metrics to executive leadership.
Benefits
- Health Insurance
- Savings and Retirement Plan
- Employee Assistance Program
- Generous Vuori Discount & Industry Perks
- Paid Time Off
- Wellness & Fitness benefits
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Director
