Senior Manager, Trade Operations & Compliance

Moderna; Oxford; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading biotechnology company in Oxford is seeking a Senior Manager of Global Trade Compliance. This role involves being a regional expert in trade regulations, ensuring compliance in all trade operations, and leading the digital transformation within the compliance ecosystem. The ideal candidate will have over 10 years of experience in compliance roles, particularly in the life sciences industry. This position offers a challenging environment with the potential to significantly impact global trade operations.

Benefits

Quality healthcare and insurance benefits

Lifestyle Spending Accounts

Free premium access to fitness classes

Generous paid time off

Location-specific perks and extras

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years of work experience in compliance, legal, or auditing roles.
• 6+ years in life sciences, preferably in biotechnology or pharmaceuticals.
• Strong communication skills in English, written and oral.

Responsibilities

• Acting as a regional subject matter expert for customs and trade regulations.
• Ensuring compliance of day-to-day trade operations.
• Monitoring regulatory changes across EMEA for compliance readiness.

Skills

Customs and trade regulations expertise

Digital trade compliance tools expertise

Problem-solving and analytical skills

Strong interpersonal skills

Project management experience

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Economics, or a related field

Tools

SAP GTS

MIC

Descartes

Job description

The Role

Joining Moderna offers the unique opportunity to be part of a pioneering team that's revolutionizing medicine through mRNA technology, with a diverse pipeline of development programs across various diseases.

As an employee, you'll be part of a continually growing organization, working alongside exceptional colleagues and strategic partners worldwide, contributing to global health initiatives.

Moderna's commitment to advancing the technological frontier of mRNA medicines ensures a challenging and rewarding career experience, with the potential to make a significant impact on patients' lives worldwide.

As Senior Manager of Global Trade Compliance for the EMEA region, you will serve as a pivotal expert and leader within Moderna’s growing Global Trade & Operations function. Your mission will be to ensure that our import and export activities are conducted compliantly, efficiently, and in alignment with both business needs and evolving regulatory landscapes. Operating as a senior individual contributor, you’ll partner across functions and countries to harmonize trade operations with Moderna’s global standards while ensuring agility and scalability. This role represents a strategic opportunity to embed digital innovation into trade compliance, leveraging automation and standardization to future-proof the function. With close engagement across Legal, Finance, Supply Chain, and beyond, you’ll bring clarity, control, and competitiveness to every border Moderna crosses.

Here’s What You’ll Do

Key Responsibilities

• Acting as a regional subject matter expert for customs and trade regulations across EMEA, aligning local execution with Moderna’s global trade strategy.

• Ensuring that day-to-day trade operations (imports, exports, classification, documentation) across the EMEA region meet both compliance obligations and business timelines.

• Leading the design and implementation of core trade compliance programs covering classification, valuation, licensing, country of origin, and recordkeeping.

• Driving digital transformation within the trade compliance ecosystem, including the rollout and optimization of tools like SAP GTS, MIC, and Descartes.

Additional Responsibilities

• Monitoring and interpreting regulatory changes across EMEA to ensure proactive compliance readiness and execution.

• Collaborating cross-functionally with Legal, Supply Chain, Procurement, Finance, Tax, and Logistics to embed compliance into core business workflows.

• Identifying and leading cost optimization opportunities, including special customs regimes, bonded warehousing, and duty relief strategies.

• Managing and responding to external audits, customs investigations, and acting as Moderna’s interface with regional authorities.

• Leading training and capability-building initiatives across the regional compliance network.

• Defining, tracking, and reporting on compliance metrics, broker performance, and operational KPIs to ensure excellence and accountability.

• Performing other related duties as assigned to support the global trade program.

Moderna Mindsets

• “We digitize everywhere possible using the power of code to maximize our impact on patients.”
  In this role, your success will depend on your ability to lead and optimize digital compliance tools. You'll bring vision and executional strength to automate and modernize trade processes using cutting‑edge platforms and data systems.

• “We behave like owners. The solutions we’re building go beyond any job description.”
  You will be the senior point of contact for trade compliance across the entire EMEA region, taking full ownership of Moderna’s regional regulatory posture and acting as the architect of scalable, compliant, and resilient trade solutions.

Basic Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years of work experience, including at least 6 years in a compliance, legal, auditing, or investigation role in life sciences, preferably in biotechnology, medical device, and/or pharmaceutical industries.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field (Business, Economics, Finance, Supply Chain Management, International Business) or equivalent experience.
• Strong expertise in both operational trade execution and project management within complex international environments.
• Solid knowledge of EU Union Customs Code and local customs laws across EMEA, including experience in import/export operations, dual‑use regulations, classification, valuation, origin, and free trade agreements.
• Proven experience managing customs brokers, freight forwarders, and 3PLs, as well as interactions with regulatory bodies across multiple jurisdictions.
• Demonstrated leadership in implementing digital trade compliance tools (e.g. SAP GTS, MIC, Descartes, or similar systems).
• Strong communication, problem‑solving, and analytical skills with the ability to influence across levels and geographies.
• Experience working in a fast‑paced environment.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively as part of a team.
• Strong critical thinking, sound judgment, and decision‑making skills.
• Passion for your work and a curious mindset that challenges the status‑quo.
• Self‑directed, proactive, motivated, and a fast learner.
• Ability to work independently.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Communicate effectively in English, spoken and written.
• A desire to make an impact as part of a high‑growth, transformational company that is Bold, Relentless, Curious, and Collaborative.

At Moderna, we believe that when you feel your best, you can do your best work. That’s why our global benefits and well‑being resources are designed to support you—at work, at home, and everywhere in between.

• Quality healthcare and insurance benefits
• Lifestyle Spending Accounts to create your own pathway to well‑being
• Free premium access to fitness, nutrition, and mindfulness classes
• Family planning and adoption benefits
• Generous paid time off, including vacation, bank holidays, volunteer days, sabbatical, global recharge days, and a discretionary year‑end shutdown
• Savings and investments
• Location‑specific perks and extras!

The benefits offered may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Moderna and the country where you work.

About Moderna

Since our founding in 2010, we have aspired to build the leading mRNA technology platform, the infrastructure to reimagine how medicines are created and delivered, and a world‑class team. We believe in giving our people a platform to change medicine and an opportunity to change the world.

By living our mission, values, and mindsets every day, our people are the driving force behind our scientific progress and our culture. Together, we are creating a culture of belonging and building an organization that cares deeply for our patients, our employees, the environment, and our communities.

We are proud to have been recognized as a Science Magazine Top Biopharma Employer, a Fast Company Best Workplace for Innovators, and a Great Place to Work in the U.S.

As we build our company, we have always believed an in‑person culture is critical to our success. Moderna champions the significant benefits of in‑office collaboration by embracing a 70/30 work model. This 70% in‑office structure helps to foster a culture rich in innovation, teamwork, and direct mentorship. Join us in shaping a world where every interaction is an opportunity to learn, contribute, and make a meaningful impact.

If you want to make a difference and join a team that is changing the future of medicine, we invite you to visit modernatx.com/careers to learn more about our current opportunities.

Moderna is a smoke‑free, alcohol‑free, and drug‑free work environment.

Moderna is a place where everyone can grow. If you meet the Basic Qualifications for the role and you would be excited to contribute to our mission every day, please apply!

Moderna is committed to equal opportunity in employment and non‑discrimination for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to a person's race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, ancestry or citizenship, ethnicity, disability, military or protected veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital or familial status, or any other personal characteristic protected under applicable law. We consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.

We’re focused on attracting, retaining, developing, and advancing our employees. By cultivating a workplace that values diverse experiences, backgrounds, and ideas, we create an environment where every employee can contribute their best.

Moderna is committed to offering reasonable accommodation or adjustments to qualified job applicants with disabilities. Any applicant requiring an accommodation or adjustment in connection with the hiring process and/or to perform the essential functions of the position for which the applicant has applied should contact the Accommodations and Adjustments team at [e-mail].