JOB Summary: Leads North America import, export, and bonded warehouse operations to ensure compliant, cost-effective movement and storage of goods. Owns customs and trade compliance processes, carrier/broker/supplier coordination, and end-to-end shipment execution from origin through delivery. Serves as the primary point of contact for CBP and internal stakeholders, driving visibility, issue resolution, and continuous improvement across trade programs and bonded inventory controls.
Duties and reponsiBILITIES EXPORT :- Compliance & Documentation: Prepare and validate export documentation (e.g., customs declarations, certificates of origin, shipping documents) to meet local and international requirements.
- Logistics Management: Coordinate transportation with carriers and logistics partners to ensure on-time export delivery.
- Negotiation: Negotiate ocean freight and logistics rates and support sales/shipping contract negotiations with foreign distributors.
- Operations & Finance: Monitor the cost impact of freight, duty fees, and taxes, and identify opportunities to reduce total landed cost.
- Manage Duty Drawback and other duty refund schemes
IMPORT - Classify products accurately using HS/HTS codes and confirm applicable duty rates to minimize cost and avoid penalties.
- Calculate, validate, and ensure payment of import duties in accordance with the applicable HTS classification and tariff policy at the time of import.
- Manage and coordinate suppliers, freight forwarders, customs brokers, and logistics providers to support service, cost, and compliance expectations.
- Partner with Finance on duty reconciliation, variance analysis, and related reporting.
- Collaborate with Customer Service and Planning to provide shipment visibility, status updates, and accurate delivery expectations.
- Ensure import activity complies with international trade laws, local customs requirements, and applicable trade policies.
- Resolve clearance issues with customs officials and EPA , and monitor changes in trade agreements and regulations to assess operational impact.
- Manage end-to-end import execution from supplier coordination through customs clearance to final warehouse delivery.
- Track import shipments and transit times, proactively managing delays, exceptions, and delivery performance.
Bonded Warehouse Management - Run and Oversees UPL operated Bonded facility, ensuring strict compliance with CBP regulations while managing bonded inventory, security, and staff.
- Key duties include managing bonded admissions/withdrawals, maintaining precise audit-ready records, and handling duty deferred goods.
- Oversee good stored in 3PL bonded facility
- Regulatory Compliance & Reporting: Act as the primary liaison with CBP, managing audits, inspections, and maintaining accurate, audit-ready records for all bonded inventory.
- Bonded Inventory Management: Oversee all bonded admissions, transfers, manipulations, and withdrawals (consumption or export), ensuring proper documentation such as CBP Form 214 or 7501.
- Operational Control: Direct day-to-day operations including receiving, segregation of bonded from non-bonded goods, and secure, orderly storage.
- Safety & Security: Ensure high-security standards for duty-suspended goods and maintain compliance with safety standards (e.g., OSHA).
- Documentation & Accuracy: Reconcile inventory discrepancies immediately and manage all necessary reports in SAP.
REQUIRED SKILLS/EXPERIENCE:- 5+ years of experience managing a bonded warehouse operation.
- 5+ years of experience managing import shipments into the U.S.
- Experience leading a team (e.g., import specialists, coordinators, assistants), including hiring, training, and performance management.
- Ability to interpret data improves lead times, reduces cost, and resolves exceptions.
- Experience with customs/trade compliance systems.
- Proficiency with Warehouse Management Systems and regulatory/compliance portals.
- Ability to maintain weekly status reporting to manage export/import holds and shipment status.
- Experience supporting duty drawback program administration.
- Working knowledge of air, ocean, and ground transportation modes and related documentation.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills; highly detail-oriented with a bias for action and strong analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and perform effectively under pressure.
- Flexibility to manage changing priorities and evolving customer requirements.
- Strong customer service mindset with effective stakeholder management.
- Experience with U.S. import/export regulations, including Export Administration Regulations (EAR), Foreign Trade Regulations (FTR), and U.S. Customs regulations.
- HTS/Schedule B knowledge preferred.
- Bachelor's degree in international Logistics, Supply Chain, or a related field (or equivalent experience), plus 3-5 years of international and domestic traffic/logistics experience.
Travel: 10% of the time
UPL Competencies- Adaptability & Resilience: Recognizes and is open to changing circumstances and alters behaviour and scales up as necessary; increases personal awareness and appreciation of individual and cultural differences to create an open, inclusive, and accepting workplace.
- EntrepreneurialMindset: Has a creative mindset and ability to think holistically, takes calculated risks and maximizes opportunities.
- ResultsOrientations: Takes action, pursues goals with persistence and achieves results; communicates goals and vision to the team to drive enthusiasm and ambition.
- ExecutionExcellence: Enhances the speed of execution and builds efficiency in processes, systems and people; has sharp focus on quality-orientation.
- StrategicOrientation: Demonstrates knowledge of the social, economic, and environmental factors and how they impact business. Identifies key issues that could impact the business and develops strategy through an analytical lens / design thinking.
- BuildingTeams and Talent: Empowers colleagues through knowledge sharing and delegation, quickly establishing rapport; provides recognition for achievements and accomplishments.
- CustomerCentricity: Understands the customer's needs and pain points, fulfills the needs and expectations by focusing on creating value for customers.
