Global Customs Operations Specialist

Stephen Gould Corporation•Madison, NJ

12d•$62,700 - $101,200•Hybrid

About The Position

The Global Customs Operations Specialist is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day execution of Stephen Gould's global customs operations, including customs documentation validation, import audit activities, duty processing, broker coordination, customs financial reconciliation, operational reporting, and process standardization. This role ensures customs transactions are accurately documented, reviewed, reconciled, and maintained in accordance with company procedures while supporting compliance with applicable U.S. Customs and international trade requirements. Reporting into Order Operations, this position partners closely with the Senior Manager, Risk & Insurance Management to support customs compliance initiatives, audit programs, and regulatory requirements. While corporate customs policy, compliance governance, Power of Attorney authority, regulatory interpretation, and primary government agency relationships remain under the ownership of the legal department, this role is responsible for the operational execution, process standardization, performance measurement, and continuous improvement of customs activities across the organization.

Requirements

Minimum of 4 years of experience in customs operations, international trade, import/export, logistics, supply chain, or customs compliance.
Experience in manufacturing, packaging, sourcing, distribution, or other global supply chain environments.
Experience working with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulations, customs brokers, freight forwarders, and international suppliers.
Demonstrated experience auditing customs documentation, reconciling duty payments, and managing customs-related operational processes.
Familiarity with ACE reporting, IEEPA requirements, tariff programs, and duty recovery processes.
Experience working with ERP systems (Epicor preferred) and Microsoft Office Suite, including advanced Microsoft Excel skills.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, International Business, Business Administration, Logistics, Finance, or a related field preferred.
Licensed Customs Broker (LCB) certification, Customs Compliance Specialist (CCS) certification, or other international trade certification is a plus.
Experience developing operational processes, reporting, dashboards, and performance metrics preferred.
Experience in a corporate sales and service environment is preferred.

Responsibilities

Perform real-time audits and reviews of customs entry summary packets utilizing established Customs Documentation Validation procedures.
Review entry summaries, commercial invoices, packing lists, bills of lading, and supporting import documentation for completeness, accuracy, and compliance.
Identify discrepancies related to valuation, classification, quantities, country of origin, and supporting documentation.
Coordinate corrections and resubmissions with customs brokers, suppliers, and sales offices when discrepancies are identified.
Obtain missing commercial invoices, entry packets, and supporting customs documentation required for audit completion.
Maintain customs documentation and audit records in accordance with company standards and regulatory record retention requirements.
Conduct internal reviews of historical customs submissions to identify discrepancies, trends, root causes, and corrective actions.
Provide guidance to sales offices, suppliers, and internal stakeholders regarding customs documentation requirements, import processes, and operational best practices.
Coordinate with customs brokers to ensure timely receipt of complete and accurate entry summary packets.
Establish and monitor broker performance metrics and scorecards to evaluate service quality, responsiveness, documentation accuracy, compliance support, and overall performance.
Develop and maintain strong working relationships with customs brokers, freight providers, and internal stakeholders to support efficient customs operations.
Identify opportunities to improve customs processes, strengthen operational controls, and reduce processing inefficiencies.
Partner with sales offices, suppliers, and cross-functional teams to proactively resolve documentation issues impacting customs clearance and financial reporting.
Monitor tariff changes, duty impacts, and operational implications, partnering with the Senior Manager, Risk & Insurance Management to implement required operational process changes.
Enter duty fee invoices into the ERP system and allocate costs to the appropriate containers, PG orders, customer accounts, or designated cost centers.
Reconcile monthly U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) auto-debit payments against customs entry fee invoices.
Review customs refunds, duty recoveries, credits, and adjustments to ensure proper routing, reconciliation, and financial application.
Collaborate with Accounts Payable, Finance, and Sales Offices to ensure timely allocation, recovery, and reporting of customs-related costs.
Own reporting and analysis of customs duties, tariffs, import expenses, recoveries, and related financial metrics.
Identify discrepancies or trends impacting customs costs and recommend corrective actions.
Maintain accurate customs-related records within Epicor and other business systems.
Link containers, purchase orders, and customs entry records to improve reporting capabilities, audit traceability, and financial visibility.
Pull and review ACE reports quarterly to validate audit completion, identify compliance risks, and support continuous improvement initiatives.
Develop, maintain, and enhance operational dashboards and reporting metrics to monitor customs activity, audit completion, documentation accuracy, broker performance, duty recovery, reconciliation status, and operational trends.
Develop and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) related to customs documentation accuracy, audit completion rates, broker performance, customs processing timelines, and financial reconciliation.
Standardize customs data management practices and reporting processes across the organization.
Partner with the manager and Legal regarding calculation errors, classification concerns, IEEPA-related submissions, audit findings, and operational customs issues.
Support customs compliance initiatives, regulatory reviews, and audit programs directed by the Senior Manager, Risk & Insurance Management.
Coordinate documentation requests associated with customs inquiries, internal audits, and regulatory reviews.
Escalate significant compliance concerns, audit findings, operational risks, and regulatory issues to appropriate leadership.
Drive implementation of customs process improvements, documentation standards, and operational controls to strengthen compliance support and operational effectiveness.
Serve as the primary operational customs resource for branch teams, providing guidance, support, and issue resolution on day-to-day customs activities.
Manage customs workflow activities to ensure timely completion of audits, reconciliations, documentation reviews, and operational deliverables.
Develop and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs), training materials, work instructions, and process documentation for customs operations.
Standardize systems, processes, and data management practices across the organization while leveraging regional and operational best practices.
Build and continuously evolve a scalable global customs operations function capable of supporting future business growth, changing regulatory requirements, and expanding international trade activity.
Lead continuous improvement initiatives that enhance operational efficiency, financial accuracy, visibility, process consistency, and compliance support.
Foster strong cross-functional partnerships that promote accountability, operational excellence, and a culture of continuous improvement.