Associate Director Import Trade Compliance Customs

Gateway Recruiting; Camden (NJ); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Gateway Recruiting seeks a senior leader to direct the company’s import compliance program with CBP regulations and PGA interactions. You will craft the strategy, supervise procedures, and align with Legal, Tax, Finance, and Sales to ensure compliant entry of vehicles and parts.

You will drive duty optimization and oversee audit readiness while maintaining a low-risk importer profile. The role requires a U.S.

Qualifications

• Must stay current on the latest customs compliance laws and initiatives.
• Experience with C-TPAT and related program requirements.
• Knowledge of CBP regulations, classification, and entry processes.
• Ability to lead organizational changes and cross-functional teams.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• U.S. Customs Broker License required.
• Strong collaboration with Finance, Legal, and Operations.

Responsibilities

• Lead and direct administration of the company's customs and import compliance activities.
• Establish procedures and implement changes to meet business and compliance demands.
• Interpret regulatory direction and minimize risk based on CSMS updates.
• Provide updates and guidance to senior leadership across stakeholders.
• Develop strategies for duty optimization such as FSFE, duty drawback, FTZ.
• Oversee and support Customs Operations Manager on execution.
• Define KPI framework and performance standards for customs.
• Establish broker and software strategy with vendors.
• Represent the company with CBP to maintain a low-risk importer status.
• Support Forced Labor Act compliance and traceability initiatives.

Skills

Customs compliance knowledge

C-TPAT program requirements

CBP regulations understanding

Leadership / change management

Strong communication

Negotiation of external contracts

U.S. Customs Broker License

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

SUMMARY

Direct and control the company's overall import trade compliance strategy with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulations and interaction with participating government agencies (PGA) such as Department of Transportation (DOT), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), etc. Ensure that all imported vehicles and parts, etc. are properly classified, valued, and entered according to CBP regulations and that the appropriate duty and taxes are paid. Work with executive stakeholders throughout Legal, Aftersales, Tax, Finance, and Sales. Lead tariff mitigation strategies, while maintaining strict compliance. Additionally, manage the company's compliance within the Customs and Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) Cargo Security Program.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead and provide strategic direction of the administration of the company's customs and import compliance activities to support our commitment to comply with evolving U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulations and programs.
• Establish procedures and implement changes or enhancements to meet the current business and compliance demands.
• Interpret and implement strategic direction based on executive orders and Cargo Systems Messaging Service (CSMS) updates, assessing and minimizing risk to the company.
• Stay abreast of regulatory changes and provide updates and guidance to senior leadership, while working closely with Finance, Legal, and other internal stakeholders.
• Develop strategy and direct the implementation of duty optimization programs such as: First Sale for Export (FSFE), duty drawback, temporary import/export programs, and Foreign-Trade Zones (FTZ).
• Oversee and support Customs Operations Manager on execution.
• Define key performance indicator (KPI) framework and performance standards across customs operations and compliance.
• Establish broker and software strategy, selection, and contractual performance expectations.
• Serve as authority on customs planning, classification, country of origin, valuation, special programs, and partner government agency requirements.
• Optimize use of Free/Preferential Trade Agreements (FTA/PTA) and manages the impact of trade remedies (International Emergency Economic Powers Act [IEEPA], Sections 232 & 301, antidumping, countervailing duties).
• Design and direct the internal audit roadmap for entry data.
• Conduct root-cause analyses on any filing discrepancies, and authors draft prior disclosures or post-summary corrections when required.
• Establish and maintain robust recordkeeping and audit documentation controls, ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements and internal policies while supporting audit readiness.
• Drive cross-functional collaboration and alignment with key stakeholders across Tax, Finance, Product Design, and other business functions to ensure integration of trade compliance considerations into business operations.
• Establish and manage business operations to monitor cargo security procedures and establish new procedures and policies as needed.
• Represent the company's best interest in communicating with CBP and works to maintain company’s standing as a "low risk" importer with favored Customs and Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) membership status.
• Maintain ownership and leadership over this program.
• Support programs and control to comply with Forced Labor Act requirements to prevent products mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part with forced labor from entering the United States.
• Work with company on traceability initiatives for compliance purposes, such as Certificate of Origin (COO), Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), Anti-Dumping & Countervailing Duties (AD/CVD), etc.

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the Annual Notification Letter to CBP on annual basis as part of C-TPAT Program.
• Maintain and update the Import Compliance Manual on annual basis.
• Work with the Export Compliance team on joint initiatives; knowledge of Export Compliance is a plus.

REQUIRED SKILLS & PERSONAL QUALIFICATIONS

• Current on latest customs compliance laws and initiatives.
• Working knowledge of Customs and Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) program requirements.
• Knowledge of customs brokerage operations (entry filing) to manage self-filing function, including programming requirements needed to properly transmit import data to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
• Ability to effectively lead operational/personnel changes as needed.
• Ability to communicate with employees at all levels of the company, as well as with government officials.
• Ability to negotiate and manage external consulting contracts.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• U.S. Customs Broker License, Required

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor's degree required with 10-12 years of work experience.