Foreign Trade Compliance Specialist

INEOS Styrolution; Antwerpen; On-site; EUR 55,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

INEOS Styrolution seeks a Foreign Trade Compliance Specialist for our Antwerp site. The role ensures customs and foreign trade compliance, supporting smooth product flow and advising on compliance topics for internal and external stakeholders.

You will be part of the EMEA team handling VAT, import/export processes, and compliance with AEO, permits, and sanctions. Reports to Head of Export & Foreign Trade Compliance EMEA.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent through work experience.
• Advanced knowledge of customs and foreign trade procedures including Incoterms.
• Fluent in Dutch and English; German and French a plus.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in Customs and Foreign Trade Compliance.

Responsibilities

• Process stability and operations: autonomously handling customs import/export in Belgium and acting as a customs declarant.
• EMEA Imports: manage intercompany purchases and import clearance for EMEA.
• EMEA Foreign Trade tasks: VAT reporting, long-term supplier declarations, export controls, and related duties.
• Regulatory compliance: ensure activities align with internal and international rules, including AEO and sanctions.
• Operational excellence: propose and implement improved procedures.
• Collaboration: maintain relationships with authorities and cross-functional teams.
• Support: assist with projects, claims, and other topics in the EMEA Supply Chain.

Skills

Data analysis

RPA support

Problem solving

Stress resilience

Communication

Teamwork

Education

Bachelor's degree in Logistics, Supply Chain Management, or business-related field

Tools

SAP (ERP/SD/AEB)

Port systems

Job description

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INEOS Styrolution is the number one producer of high-performance styrenics, offering a broad portfolio that comprises styrene monomer, polystyrene, ABS, and advanced styrenics. The company delivers customized solutions for customers across automotive, healthcare, electronics, household, construction, packaging, toys, sports and leisure sectors. With more than 90 years of innovation in material science and 14 production sites worldwide, INEOS Styrolution combines global reach with local expertise to meet the evolving needs of its customers. This includes bringing safe, sustainable, and high-performing products to market and supporting their efforts toward meeting their sustainability targets. INEOS Styrolution is fully owned by INEOS Group.

Job Title:Foreign Trade Compliance Specialist

The Position

Role Summary:

The main purpose of this role is the execution and management of customs and foreign trade compliance formalities in order to be in compliance with applicable (inter)national rules and regulations, as well as internal company guidelines.

In this role you ensure smooth physical product flow (in- and outbound), without customs or foreign trade related delays, and act as an expert advisor to a wide range of internal and external stakeholders on a number of specific customs and foreign trade topics.

This position reports to the Head of Export & Foreign Trade Compliance EMEA.

What you will do:

• Process stability and operations: Planning and largely autonomously executing all activities regarding customs import, transit, and export in Belgium. You act as a customs declarant and handle customs clearance in the port and at relevant locations.
• EMEA Imports: You have an active role in INEOS Styrolution’ s import processes into EMEA for direct to customer imports as well as to warehouse imports. You are responsible for EMEA’s Intercompany Purchase Order maintenance andImport Clearance.
• EMEA Foreign Trade tasks: You work as part of an EMEA team with Foreign Trade and Compliance responsibilities for all European product flows. In this role you support your team with various, relevant tasks, such as EMEA VAT Reporting, Long Term Supplier Declarations, Export control and others.
• Process compliance and regulations: You ensure that all activities under your scope of responsibility and advisory are fully planned and executed in compliance with internal, national, and international rules and regulations, including AEO certifications, permits, and sanction controls.
• Operational excellence and optimization: You formulate proposals for new or adapted and automized working procedures, submit them to management, and monitor their implementation.
• Relationships and collaboration: You maintain on behalf of INEOS Styrolution professional relationships with authorities (such as chambers of commerce and customs) and keep up to date on changing requirements and regulations. Internally, you work closely with cross-functional teams logistics service providers (LSPs), and internal stakeholders.
• Support and ad-hoc tasks: You actively support projects, claims and complaint management, and assist with operational topics within the EMEA Supply Chain organization when requested.

What you bring

Education and Knowledge:

• A Bachelor's degree (preferably in Logistics, Supply Chain Management, or a business-related field), or equivalent through relevant work experience.
• Advanced knowledge of customs and foreign trade procedures, including Incoterms.
• Basic to advanced knowledge of VAT regulations and logistics.
• Basic knowledge of the process industry, preferably in the plastics or chemical industry, and a thorough understanding of the order-to-cash cycle.
• Fluent in Dutch and English (both oral and written); knowledge of German and French is a plus.

General experience:

• Minimum of 3 years of professional experience in Customs and Foreign Trade Compliance.
• Experience in independently executing customs and logistics processes in an international environment.

Technical Skills:

• Advanced knowledge of SAP (ERP/SD/AEB) and port-related systems.
• Experience with data analysis and supporting Robotic Process Automation (RPA) solutions.
• Problem solving and solution-oriented: Strong hands‑on mentality, critical thinking skills, and ability to filter and filter operational risks.
• Stress resistance and organization: Proven stress resistance, excellent organizational skills, and the ability to set proper priorities in a complex environment.
• Communication and collaboration: Excellent interpersonal and intercultural skills, a customer‑centric attitude, and a proactive approach to conflict resolution.

The Location

This opportunity is located at our production site in Antwerp, Belgium.

We believe diversity is perceiving difference; inclusion is valuing it. Without inclusion, we cannot unlock the value that diversity has to offer. Everyone has a seat at our company table. Our employees bring their unique selves to work daily, have a sense of belonging, and contribute to our core values. We have an inclusive approach, which is open and transparent. We respect and value diversity and believe in equality of opportunity. We do this by valuing and respecting cultural differences and welcoming diversity of thought and perspectives from all our employees.

We are excited to hear from you and share more about our organization.