Director of Trade Compliance & Quality

Zhone Technologies•Largo, FL

11d

About The Position

The Director of Trade Compliance & Quality leads Zhone’s global trade compliance program and supports the development and implementation of the company’s Quality Management System. Trade compliance is the primary responsibility. The role provides subject-matter expertise and practical guidance to Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations, Logistics, Sales, Finance, Legal, and other stakeholders to help ensure that Zhone products and transactions comply with applicable trade laws and regulatory requirements. As a secondary, strategically important responsibility, the Director leads initiatives to achieve and maintain ISO 9001 and TL 9000 certification. This is a hands-on leadership role involving the development of policies and procedures, resolution of complex compliance matters, audit and certification preparation, and collaboration with suppliers, contract manufacturers, customers, regulatory authorities, freight forwarders, customs brokers, and certification bodies.

Requirements

8+ years of progressive, hands-on trade compliance experience, preferably in telecommunications, networking equipment, electronics, technology, or another international hardware business.
Extensive working knowledge of the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (EAR).
Demonstrated experience performing or managing ECCN classifications.
Strong experience with HTS classification and U.S. Customs requirements.
Experience determining export licensing and authorization requirements.
Demonstrated experience with sanctions, embargo, end-use/end-user, and restricted-party compliance.
Experience managing international import/export documentation and regulatory records.
Experience working with freight forwarders, customs brokers, suppliers, and contract manufacturers.
Strong analytical, investigative, and problem-solving skills, including the ability to assess regulatory and operational risk and resolve complex trade compliance matters.
Experience developing or maintaining trade compliance policies, procedures, internal controls, training, and audit programs, and translating regulations into practical business processes and documented decisions.
Ability to interpret technical product information and collaborate with Engineering on regulatory classifications.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex regulations in clear business terms and collaborate across functions and with executive management.
Ability to work effectively with customers, suppliers, manufacturing partners, auditors, and regulatory authorities.
High attention to detail and ability to maintain accurate, audit-ready compliance and quality records and supporting documentation.
Strong Microsoft Excel and data-analysis capabilities.
Practical experience working within an ISO 9001 Quality Management System.
Familiarity with QMS documentation, internal audits, management reviews, certification readiness, CAPA, root-cause analysis, and continuous improvement.
Bachelor’s degree in business, Supply Chain, International Trade, Engineering, Quality, or a related discipline preferred; an equivalent combination of relevant education and substantial trade compliance experience may be considered.

Nice To Haves

Experience with ERP systems and trade-compliance or classification tools.
Experience supporting or leading an ISO certification or surveillance audit.
Previous TL 9000 experience.
Experience with quality management in telecommunications, electronics manufacturing, ODM/EMS, or another technology-hardware environment.
Familiarity with 5 Whys, 8D, Fishbone/Ishikawa analysis, Pareto analysis, and FMEA.
Certified Export Specialist (CES), NCBFAA Educational Institute.
Certified Customs Specialist (CCS), NCBFAA Educational Institute.
U.S. Customs Broker License.
Additional recognized training or credentials covering EAR/export controls, sanctions, customs, and international trade compliance.
ISO 9001 Lead Auditor or Lead Implementer training.
TL 9000 training.
ASQ Certified Quality Auditor (CQA).
ASQ Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence (CMQ/OE).
ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE).

Responsibilities

Lead and continuously improve Zhone’s global import and export compliance program.
Interpret and apply applicable U.S. and international trade laws and regulations, including EAR, ITAR where applicable, U.S. Customs requirements, sanctions requirements, and FCC-related regulatory considerations.
Manage product, component, software, and technology classifications using ECCNs and HTS classifications.
Determine export authorization and licensing requirements and manage applicable export licenses and import permits.
Manage denied-party, restricted-party, sanctions, embargo, and country-of-destination compliance.
Review transactions involving controlled or potentially restricted technologies, customers, countries, suppliers, end users, and end uses.
Guide the handling and transfer of export-controlled technical information and technology.
Establish and maintain trade compliance policies, procedures, work instructions, records, and internal controls.
Ensure accurate customs, import/export, and international shipping documentation.
Support determination and documentation of country of origin, customs valuation, tariff classification, and applicable trade requirements.
Support compliance for global sourcing, contract manufacturing, product transfers, and changes in manufacturing location.
Monitor regulatory developments, assess business impact, and implement required process and documentation changes.
Conduct or coordinate periodic trade compliance audits and risk assessments.
Develop and deliver role-appropriate trade compliance training.
Maintain documentation for internal and external audits, disclosures, and regulatory inquiries.
Investigate and resolve complex or escalated trade compliance matters.
Coordinate with customs brokers, freight forwarders, suppliers, customers, regulatory authorities, and external trade counsel as appropriate.
Partner with Engineering to obtain technical information for defensible product classifications and regulatory assessments.
Provide practical compliance guidance that supports business execution while maintaining appropriate regulatory controls.
Lead Zhone’s initiative to achieve and maintain ISO 9001 and TL 9000 certification.
Develop, implement, and maintain a company-wide Quality Management System.
Conduct gap assessments against ISO 9001 and TL 9000 requirements and establish a prioritized certification-readiness roadmap.
Develop and maintain quality policies, procedures, work instructions, records, and document-control requirements.
Establish and coordinate the internal quality audit program and QMS management reviews.
Manage or oversee nonconformities, CAPA, root-cause analysis, and verification of corrective-action effectiveness.
Establish and monitor quality performance indicators and applicable TL 9000 measurements.
Coordinate quality requirements with ODM, EMS, component, and other manufacturing partners.
Support supplier qualification, supplier performance monitoring, supplier corrective actions, and quality audits as appropriate.
Coordinate with Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, and Customer Support on product and process quality matters.
Lead preparation for certification and surveillance audits and serve as a primary interface with certification bodies.
Ensure audit findings and nonconformities are investigated, documented, corrected, and closed.
Drive continuous improvement using quality data, customer feedback, product returns, manufacturing issues, field performance, and supplier performance.