Customs Operations & Compliance Specialist - Mandarin Required

Job Description

Job Description

Benefits:

• Competitive salary
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

We are seeking a Customs Operations & Compliance Specialist to manage day-to-day customs activities for our company’s U.S. imports. You will serve as the primary contact for external customs brokers and work closely with Logistics, Purchasing, and Finance to coordinate clearance, review customs entries, reconcile duties and broker charges, and follow entry corrections and refund requests through completion.

This role requires practical U.S. import customs experience, sound judgment, and the ability to resolve issues independently while working with licensed customs brokers and other advisers.

In this role, you will:

• Coordinate import documentation, customs clearance, duty payments, and cargo release with customs brokers, freight forwarders, and internal teams. Identify missing information and resolve issues before they delay clearance.
• Review commercial invoices, packing lists, bills of lading, and draft and final customs entry summaries, including CBP Form 7501. Check HTSUS classifications, declared values, country of origin, and applicable duties and tariffs, and work with brokers to resolve discrepancies.
• Use the ACE Secure Data Portal and reports to review available entry records, duty information, liquidation status, and refund activity. Maintain accurate internal tracking records.
• Reconcile customs duties, taxes, fees, CBP statements, and broker invoices. Work with Finance and brokers to investigate discrepancies and confirm payments and refunds.
• Coordinate post-summary corrections, protests, and other applicable duty refund requests with customs brokers and advisers. Gather supporting documents, track deadlines and outstanding actions, and follow each case through resolution.
• Follow up on customs examinations, cargo holds, documentation requests, and clearance delays. Coordinate responses to CBP inquiries and notices with brokers, and escalate significant compliance or financial issues promptly.
• Maintain importer records and supporting documentation, including CBP Form 5106 information, customs bonds, and broker powers of attorney. Coordinate bond coverage reviews and renewals with Finance, brokers, and surety providers.
• Support reviews of customs broker qualifications and service performance, including applicable CTPAT validation requirements. Track recurring filing errors, delays, and unresolved issues.
• Monitor changes in U.S. customs requirements and tariffs, explain their operational impact, and recommend updates to internal procedures.
• Maintain organized customs and refund records, support internal compliance reviews, and provide clear updates on shipment status, outstanding cases, upcoming deadlines, and refund amounts.

The successful candidate will have:

• At least three years of hands-on experience in U.S. customs brokerage, import clearance, or in-house customs operations.
• Practical experience reviewing customs entries, resolving clearance issues, reconciling duties, and coordinating entry corrections or refund requests.
• Working knowledge of HTSUS classification, customs valuation, country-of-origin requirements, and applicable duties and additional tariffs.
• Hands-on experience using the ACE Secure Data Portal and reports to retrieve entry information and support customs reviews and reconciliation.
• Familiarity with post-summary corrections, protests, liquidation, and relevant filing deadlines, with the ability to identify when specialist advice is needed.
• The ability to manage daily customs workflows independently, investigate discrepancies, and coordinate timely resolution with brokers and internal teams.
• Proficiency in Excel for reviewing entry data, reconciling charges, and maintaining tracking reports.
• Proficiency in Mandarin Chinese and English for business communication and documentation.
• Strong attention to detail, clear communication, and the ability to manage multiple time-sensitive priorities.
• Authorization to work in the United States and availability to work on-site.

A U.S. Customs Broker License is not required. Licensed candidates are welcome.

Additional experience we value includes:

• Ocean imports, Importer Security Filing (ISF) coordination, or cross-border e-commerce logistics.
• Importer account maintenance, customs bond administration, or customs broker qualification reviews.
• Drawback claims, customs audits, or responses to CBP inquiries.
• Improving customs procedures, recordkeeping, or broker performance.