Vice President Operations

Altius Talent | Freight Forwarding Recruitment; New York (NY); On-site; USD 200,000 - 320,000; Full time

Job summary

Altius Talent | Freight Forwarding Recruitment seeks a Vice President of Operations to launch and lead a US customs brokerage operation in New York. You will be hands-on initially with entries, compliance, onboarding, SOP creation and problem solving, then recruit and lead the team as the function scales.

This rare role requires an active US Customs Broker License, strong regulatory expertise, and an entrepreneurial mindset to build scalable processes across the United States.

Qualifications

• Active US Customs Broker License required.
• Strong customs brokerage and regulatory compliance experience.
• Experience building or leading customs operations.
• Solid knowledge of CBP classifications, valuation and entry procedures.
• Hands-on approach with entrepreneurial mindset.

Responsibilities

• Launch and develop the US customs brokerage operation from ground up.
• Own customs compliance across the US business.
• Remain hands-on with customs entries during startup phase.
• Build processes, procedures and internal controls.
• Establish relationships with CBP and regulatory bodies.
• Support onboarding of new customers and major accounts.
• Recruit, train and manage a customs brokerage team.
• Collaborate with senior leadership to shape US operating strategy.

Skills

US Customs Broker License

Customs brokerage experience

Regulatory compliance

Startup/start-up environment

Leadership/team building

Commercial/customer-facing

Strategic operations

Job description

VP of Operations – Licensed Customs Broker

New York, NY | International Freight Forwarder | Start-Up Customs Operation

This is not a role for someone looking to inherit a finished department.

We are working with an established international freight forwarder that is launching its US customs brokerage operation in New York and is looking for a Vice President of Operations to build it properly from the ground up.

The successful person must hold an active US Customs Broker License and be comfortable operating at both a strategic and hands‑on level.

Initially, you will be directly involved in customs entries, compliance, customer onboarding, SOP creation and day‑to‑day problem solving. As the operation grows, you will recruit and lead the team, develop the brokerage function and take full ownership of customs operations across the United States.

The Role

You will be responsible for:

• Launching and developing the company’s US customs brokerage operation
• Taking ownership of customs compliance across the US business
• Remaining hands‑on with customs entries during the start‑up phase
• Building processes, procedures and internal controls
• Establishing relationships with CBP and relevant regulatory bodies
• Supporting the onboarding of new customers and major accounts
• Recruiting, training and managing a customs brokerage team
• Working closely with senior leadership to shape the US operating strategy
• Ensuring the operation is commercially successful, compliant and scalable

What We Are Looking For

• An active US Customs Broker License
• Strong customs brokerage and regulatory compliance experience
• Experience managing or building customs operations
• A detailed understanding of CBP regulations, classifications, valuation and entry procedures
• A genuinely hands‑on approach
• The ability to operate effectively in a start‑up environment
• Strong commercial awareness and customer‑facing skills
• An entrepreneurial mindset and the confidence to make decisions
• Based within the New York metropolitan area

This is a rare opportunity to take complete ownership of a new US customs operation while benefiting from the backing, network and customer base of an international freight forwarding business.

The long‑term opportunity is significant. The right person will have the autonomy to build the department, shape the team and become a major part of the company’s US leadership structure.