Trade Compliance Director

Larson Maddox; Amsterdam; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Larson Maddox in Amsterdam, Netherlands seeks an experienced Trade Compliance Director to lead and enhance its international trade compliance programme across multiple jurisdictions. The role ensures adherence to export controls, sanctions, and customs while supporting growth and efficiency.

You will partner with legal, supply chain, engineering, operations, sales and finance, advise senior leadership, oversee governance, and drive training, audits, and regulator interactions to maintain a

Qualifications

• Significant experience leading trade compliance programmes in multinational organisations.
• Deep knowledge of export controls, sanctions, and customs requirements.
• Experience advising senior stakeholders on cross-border regulatory matters.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee the global trade compliance programme across regions.
• Ensure compliance with export controls, sanctions, and customs regulations.
• Develop and improve policies, procedures, and governance for trade compliance.
• Provide strategic guidance on licensing, classification, origin, and anti-boycott rules.
• Partner with commercial and operations teams to manage regulatory risk.
• Oversee investigations, audits, and regulator interactions.
• Deliver training and awareness programs to staff globally.
• Monitor regulatory developments and report to senior leadership.

Skills

Trade compliance leadership

Stakeholder management

Regulatory expertise

Strategic advisory

Audits & investigations

Training delivery

Job description

A leading global technology and industrial organisation is seeking an experienced Trade Compliance Director to lead and enhance its international trade compliance programme across multiple jurisdictions. The business operates within highly regulated markets and supplies advanced products and technologies to customers worldwide.

This role will be responsible for ensuring compliance with export controls, sanctions regulations, customs requirements, and other international trade obligations while supporting commercial growth and operational efficiency across the business.

The successful candidate will act as a strategic advisor to senior leadership, partnering with legal, supply chain, engineering, operations, sales, and finance teams to manage risk and maintain a best-in-class compliance framework.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee the organisation's global trade compliance programme across EMEA and broader international operations.
• Ensure compliance with UK, US, EU, and other applicable export control, customs, sanctions, and trade regulations.
• Develop, implement, and continuously improve policies, procedures, controls, and governance frameworks relating to international trade compliance.
• Provide strategic guidance on export licensing, classification, customs valuation, country of origin, anti-boycott regulations, and economic sanctions.
• Partner with commercial and operational stakeholders to support business initiatives while managing regulatory risk.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for trade compliance matters, providing practical and commercially focused advice to senior management.
• Lead internal investigations, audits, risk assessments, and remediation activities relating to trade compliance issues.
• Manage interactions with government agencies, regulators, customs authorities, and external advisors.
• Oversee screening and due diligence processes relating to customers, suppliers, distributors, and third-party intermediaries.
• Support mergers, acquisitions, integrations, and strategic business initiatives from a trade compliance perspective.
• Deliver training and awareness programmes to employees and leadership teams globally.
• Monitor developments in international trade regulations and assess implications for the business.
• Produce compliance reporting, metrics, and key risk indicators for senior leadership.

Candidate Profile

• Significant experience leading trade compliance programmes within a multinational engineering, aerospace, defence, manufacturing, technology, or industrial organisation.
• Deep understanding of UK, US, and EU export controls, sanctions regulations, customs compliance, and broader international trade requirements.
• Experience advising senior stakeholders on complex cross-border regulatory matters.
• Strong knowledge of regulations such as EAR, ITAR, OFAC sanctions, UK export controls, and EU trade compliance frameworks.
• Proven experience designing and implementing compliance policies, systems, and internal controls.
• Demonstrated ability to manage audits, investigations, voluntary disclosures, and regulator interactions.
• Strong commercial judgement with the ability to balance business objectives and regulatory obligations.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Comfortable operating within a complex, matrixed, international environment.