Global Customs Compliance Manager

Sun Chemical; Parsippany-Troy Hills (NJ); Hybrid; USD 135,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) match

Medical, dental, vision insurance

Paid holidays

Job summary

Sun Chemical seeks a Global Customs Compliance Leader to oversee international trade compliance across regions and business units. The role focuses on harmonizing processes, reducing risk, and enabling growth through data-driven insights and collaboration with external providers.

The position requires a Bachelor’s degree and 10+ years of experience in customs compliance, with SAP proficiency and strong leadership capabilities. Hybrid work arrangement with travel 15–20% may apply.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Management or related field.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive customs compliance and international trade experience.
• Demonstrated experience managing global customs compliance programs across multiple regions and jurisdictions.
• Experience managing customs brokers, trade service providers, and third-party logistics partners, including SLAs and performance metrics.
• Experience supporting complex international trade operations, including import/export compliance, tariff classification, COO determinations, duty optimization, and trade agreement utilization.
• Strong analytical experience using data to identify risks, costs, and process improvements.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional projects and influence stakeholders across supply chain, procurement, manufacturing, logistics, IT, finance, and commercial functions.
• Experience with SAP and other customs, trade management, or transportation management systems; SAP experience preferred.
• Licensed Customs Broker preferred.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate with external customs providers to meet SLAs and drive continuous performance improvement.
• Enhance and standardize global customs compliance procedures across regions and business units.
• Lead transformation initiatives to simplify customs compliance activities and reduce risk.
• Oversee systems, processes, and data including trade management, automated customs, and COO tools.
• Manage the global customs compliance organization to support a harmonized framework.
• Maintain accurate classification records using technical data and drawings.
• Conduct periodic reviews of classifications and manuals for regulatory compliance.
• Create and deliver formal customs training programs across geographies.
• Publish internal customs practices to ensure global consistency and awareness.
• Partner with logistics, procurement, warehousing, manufacturing, IT, and commercial teams for complex operations.
• Support departments with COO determinations and FTAs; document training.
• Leverage data to identify duty savings opportunities and process optimization.
• Develop KPIs and translate insights into improvements; report to senior leadership.
• Lead global customs compliance and transformation projects to improve processes and tech utilization.

Skills

Analytical skills

Cross-functional leadership

Global trade compliance

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Management or related field

Tools

SAP

Job description

About The Organization

Sun Chemical, a member of the DIC Group, is a leading producer of packaging and graphic solutions, color and display technologies, functional products, electronic materials, and products for the automotive and healthcare industries. Together with DIC, Sun Chemical is continuously working to promote and develop sustainable solutions to exceed customer expectations and better the world around us. With combined annual sales of more than $8.5 billion and 22,000+ employees worldwide, the DIC Group companies support a diverse collection of global customers.

Pay Ranges :

$135,000 - $150,000

About The Organization

Sun Chemical, a member of the DIC Group, is a leading producer of packaging and graphic solutions, color and display technologies, functional products, electronic materials, and products for the automotive and healthcare industries. Together with DIC, Sun Chemical is continuously working to promote and develop sustainable solutions to exceed customer expectations and better the world around us. With combined annual sales of more than $8.5 billion and 22,000+ employees worldwide, the DIC Group companies support a diverse collection of global customers.

Sun Chemical Corporation is a subsidiary of Sun Chemical Group Coöperatief U.A., the Netherlands, and is headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, U.S.A. For more information, please visit our website at www.sunchemical.com or connect with us on LinkedIn or Twitter

Location: Hybrid role, for candidates based within commute to Parsippany, NJ, Northlake, IL or Cincinnati, Ohio

Position Summary:

The Global Customs Compliance Leader will oversee customs and trade compliance across all regions (Europe, North America, Latin America, and Asia Pacific) and business units, including Packaging & Graphics, Color Materials, and Advanced Materials. This role is responsible for managing and enhancing a harmonized global customs compliance program that ensures legal adherence, operational efficiency, and strategic alignment. The position will drive a fully optimized, efficient, and cost-effective global customs compliance function by leveraging internal talent, standardized processes, enabling technologies, data-driven insights, and strategic external customs partners and service providers.

Essential Functions:

• Coordinate with external customs providers, customs brokers, and third-party logistics providers to meet service level agreements, conduct regular business reviews, and drive continuous performance improvement.
• Enhance and standardize global customs compliance procedures spanning all regions and business units.
• Drive continuous process improvement and transformation initiatives to simplify customs compliance activities, improve efficiency, reduce risk, and support business growth.
• Lead the optimization and governance of customs-related systems, processes, and data, including trade management systems, automated customs processes, Free Trade Agreement qualification tools, embargo and sanctions controls, and ACE-related functionality.
• Manage the global customs compliance organization to support a harmonized and scalable compliance framework.
• Oversee harmonized tariff classification (HTS), origin and preference determination, Country of Origin (COO) documentation, Free Trade Agreement eligibility, denied party screening, embargo and sanctions compliance, and manufacturing affidavits, including employee training and continuous improvement activities.
• Maintain accurate classification records using technical data, specifications, and engineering drawings.
• Conduct periodic reviews of customs classifications, compliance programs, and customs compliance manuals to ensure ongoing regulatory compliance.
• Create and deliver formal customs and trade compliance training programs across key geographies.
• Document and publish internal customs compliance practices, procedures, and guidance to ensure global consistency and stakeholder awareness.
• Partner with logistics, procurement, warehousing, manufacturing, IT, and commercial teams to support complex international trade operations and ensure efficient movement of goods across global markets.
• Support internal departments with Country-of-Origin determinations, Free Trade Agreement qualifications, and required trade documentation.
• Leverage customs, duty, freight, and transactional data to identify compliance risks, duty savings opportunities, cost reduction initiatives, and process optimization opportunities.
• Develop, monitor, and evaluate key performance indicators (KPIs), compliance metrics, and provider performance measures; translate insights into actionable improvement plans that enhance compliance, reduce costs, and improve operational effectiveness.
• Lead global customs compliance, systems optimization, and transformation projects to improve processes, technology utilization, and organizational effectiveness.
• Provide accurate and timely reporting on compliance performance, operational effectiveness, and strategic improvement opportunities to senior leadership.

Travel Requirement: 15-20%

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree required, in Supply Chain Management, Business Management or related field.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive customs compliance and international trade experience within a global manufacturing or chemical organization.
• Demonstrated experience managing global customs compliance programs across multiple regions and jurisdictions.
• Experience managing customs brokers, trade service providers, and third-party logistics partners, including development and oversight of service-level agreements and performance metrics.
• Experience supporting complex international trade operations, including import/export compliance, tariff classification, Country of Origin determination, duty optimization, and trade agreement utilization.
• Strong analytical experience using operational and compliance data to identify risks, interpret business and financial impacts, identify cost reduction opportunities, and translate findings into actionable process improvement and risk-mitigation plans.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional projects and influence stakeholders across supply chain, procurement, manufacturing, logistics, IT, finance, and commercial functions.
• Experience working with SAP and other customs, trade management, or transportation management systems; SAP experience preferred.
• Licensed Customs Broker preferred.

Benefits

We offer a range of market-competitive total rewards that include merit increases, paid holidays, Paid Time Off, medical, dental, vision, short and long term disability benefits, 401(k)+match and life insurance. Eligibility of benefit timing may vary.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

It is Sun’s policy that applicants for employment are recruited, selected, and hired on the basis of individual merit and ability with respect to the position being filled. Sun prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other status protected by applicable law.

Employment agencies are an important component of our talent acquisition strategy, and we value the partnerships we have built with our preferred vendors. We will not accept unsolicited resumes from employment agencies for any employment opportunity. All resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at Sun Chemical or directly to hiring managers in any form without a signed contract on file, and search engagement for that position, will be deemed unsolicited in nature, and no fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired as a result of the referral or through other means. Additionally, any resume submitted without a contract in place will be considered property of Sun Chemical and no fees will be paid to the agency if the candidate is hired.

Note:

The base pay range listed is a good-faith estimate of what Sun Chemical may offer to new hires for this position. Actual compensation may vary based on a variety of factors, including the candidate’s knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs), relevant experience, education, certifications, and alignment with the minimum job qualifications. Additional considerations may include prevailing wages in the work location and internal equity within Sun Chemical.