Director of Imports and Compliance

Long-term employment with opportunities for growth We offer excellent benefits including: 401(K) Retirement Saving Plan w/ Employer Match Medical, Dental & Vision insurance Tuition Reimbursement Life Insurance Supplemental Medical Coverage Paid Time Off Parental Leave Paid Holidays Employee Assistance Program Flexible Spending Accounts POSITION SUMMARY: Directs all functions related to import operations and trade compliance for the company’s customs brokerage, freight forwarding, and NVOCC activities. Ensures import and export transactions comply with applicable U.S. and foreign laws, regulations, agency requirements, and company policies. Maintains effective working relationships with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and other regulatory agencies, provides leadership on complex compliance matters, and represents the company’s interests during audits, inquiries, and enforcement-related activities. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. GEOGRAPHIC REGION: Please note applications out of the geographic region for position applied will not be considered. QUALIFICATIONS: Required Ten (10) years of Import and Trade compliance experience. Five (5) years within a Supervisory or Management capacity. Current Customs Brokers License. Experience with import of Apparel, Perishables and regulated products as well as the related requirements by governing agencies; CBP, FDA and USDA. Experience with Customs forms CF28 and CF29 Demonstrated experience managing import and export compliance for a customs brokerage, freight forwarder, and/or NVOCC. Working knowledge of CBP, USDA, FDA, CTPAT, IEEPA, tariff and regulatory interpretation, entry protests, and post-entry compliance matters. Experience leading or supporting government agency audits, internal compliance reviews, corrective actions, and regulatory responses. Intermediate to Advanced Computer skills (in MS Word, Excel & Outlook, ABI). Advanced communication skills in English and Spanish. Strong organization and time management skills. Ability to communicate effectively in a business environment (Verbal and written). Ability to travel domestically and overseas as deemed necessary by management. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with customers, vendors and fellow employees. Abi lity to work for extended hours, holidays, and/or weekends as needed. Preferred Bachelor’s degree. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Primary Serve as the Qualifying Individual for the company’s Customs Brokerage license. Oversee all customs activities of the company including maintaining the company’s permits from US Customs. Establish and supervise all operating and record keeping procedures required by US Customs and FDA ensuring compliance with all federal and foreign regulations governing transactions. Compile and manage all documentation and records required to clear goods through US Customs and utilize experience and knowledge of US Customs rules and regulations to classify goods and determine applicable duty and taxes. Oversee the system requirements imposed by US Customs to ensure the company complies accordingly and maintains a cohesive and efficient automated environment. Establish and supervise all operating and record keeping procedures required by US Customs and FDA ensuring compliance with all federal and foreign regulations governing transactions. Establish, monitor and revise policies, procedures and service standards for customs clearance operations and ensure that all policies and procedures are consistently administered. Monitor Divisional revenue and profit and maintain a consistent growth. Responsible for meeting key performance indicators (KPI) as defined with customers. Maintain up to date knowledge, including any continuing education of the regulations and procedures of the US Customs rules and regulations for the classification and entry of goods, as well as Trade laws. Manage all the staff within the Import Division by assigning work, setting completion dates, reviewing work and files for compliance, and manage performance and productivity in accordance with organizational standards, policies, procedures and performance management processes. Transfer knowledge to staff to ensure compliance with Federal regulations and continuously increase employee productivity through cross-training and innovative strategies. Provide advice to clients on import restrictions and all customs related matters, as well as assist with US Customs audits. Develop and maintain strategies to retain and increase business from clients. Assist in the growth and development of the Customs Brokerage business by identifying, pursuing, and securing new business opportunities through direct client engagement, including travel to customer locations both domestically and internationally. Maintain relationships with US Customs agents, in-house counsel, and any outside counsel retained by management as needed to carry out duties and responsibilities as stated herein. Maintain management informed of all matters related to Customs contact, audits, regulations that can impact the operations of the company. Provide strategic oversight of import and export compliance activities across the company’s customs brokerage, freight forwarding, and NVOCC operations. Develop, implement, and periodically review a comprehensive trade compliance program, including written policies, standard operating procedures, internal controls, recordkeeping requirements, training, monitoring, and corrective-action protocols. Lead and coordinate regulatory audits, inspections, inquiries, disclosures, and information requests involving U.S. Customs and Border Protection and other applicable government agencies; organize responses, support remediation, and keep executive management informed of material findings and risks. Oversee compliance with U.S. Department of Agriculture requirements for regulated agricultural products, including applicable admissibility, documentation, permit, inspection, treatment, and release requirements. Oversee Food and Drug Administration compliance for imported and exported regulated products, including applicable registration, prior notice, admissibility, documentation, detention, refusal, and release matters. Serve as the company’s lead for Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) requirements, including security profile maintenance, annual reviews, risk assessments, business-partner screening, training, validation preparation, corrective actions, and ongoing program compliance. Research, interpret, and communicate tariff classification, valuation, country-of-origin, marking, duty, trade-remedy, licensing, and other regulatory requirements; provide practical guidance to operations, management, and clients. Monitor and address compliance obligations arising under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), including applicable sanctions, tariffs, restrictions, executive actions, and related agency guidance, in coordination with legal counsel when appropriate. Oversee entry protests, post-entry amendments, post-summary corrections, prior disclosures, reconciliation matters, duty refund opportunities, liquidations, reliquidations, and other post-entry issues; ensure submissions are timely, accurate, complete and properly documented. Establish and execute risk-based internal audits of import and export transactions, customs entries, classifications, valuations, origin determinations, licenses, agency filings, supporting documentation, and record-retention practices; track findings through corrective action and closure. Maintain an effective import and export compliance training program for employees whose responsibilities affect customs brokerage, forwarding, NVOCC, documentation, customer onboarding, and cargo movement activities. Monitor changes in customs, trade, transportation, USDA, FDA, sanctions, and other applicable regulations; evaluate operational impact and promptly update policies, procedures, systems, controls, and training materials. Escalate significant compliance concerns, potential violations, penalties, seizures, liquidated damages, audit findings, or enforcement risks to executive management and legal counsel, as appropriate. Secondary Additional duties as assigned by the Sr. Vice President or Executive Management. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use his fingers. The employee frequently is required to talk and/or hear. The employee is continuously required to sit. The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. #J-18808-Ljbffr Seaboard Solutions