Intuitive Surgical, Inc

VP Trade Compliance

Intuitive Surgical, Inc$175K — $210K *
Pharmaceuticals & Biotech
11 - 15 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 15+ years in global trade compliance or customs, specifically in medical devices or life sciences.
  • Proven leadership experience at Vice President or Director levels in compliance teams.
  • BS in Law, International Trade, Business, Supply Chain, Logistics, or a related field.
  • Trade or Customs Certifications such as LCB, CCS, or CUSECI.
  • Demonstrated understanding of FDA regulated products and global health authority compliance.

Responsibilities

  • Build and lead a global trade compliance organization.
  • Establish tailored training programs for diverse teams involved in trade compliance.
  • Direct compliance efforts for inbound materials and cross-border manufacturing transactions.
  • Serve as the primary interface with customs and export control authorities.
  • Oversee trade compliance systems integrated with enterprise software platforms.
  • Drive automation initiatives to enhance clearance processes and readiness for audits.

Benefits

  • Market-competitive compensation packages including base pay and incentives.
  • Comprehensive benefits package to support work-life balance.
  • Potential for equity and additional performance-based rewards.
  • Opportunities for professional development and training in compliance and regulatory issues.
Full Job Description
Job Description

Primary Function of Position
The Vice President of Trade Compliance reports to the SVP Planning and Logistics and is
responsible for establishing, governing and enforcing Intuitive's global trade compliance
framework for medical devices, instruments, accessories, capital equipment, service parts,
software, and indirect materials. The role ensures full legal compliance with all applicable import,
export, customs, sanctions, and trade regulations while supporting uninterrupted patient care,
regulatory approvals and global commercial operations. The position balances regulatory rigor
with operational continuity in a highly regulated environment where delays and enforcement
actions may impact healthcare delivery.
Essential Job Duties

Continue to build and lead a global trade compliance
organization. Establish training programs tailored to
manufacturing, service, commercial teams, distributors,
logistics providers, and customs brokerage. Direct
responsibility for compliance with inbound materials,
manufacturing cross border transactions, and finished goods into markets. Ensure
escalation, issue management, and document controls.
• Serve as primary interface with customs and export control authorities, health authorities
and trade regulators. Represent the company in industry groups addressing medical
device trade issues. Manage relationships with brokers, consultants, outside counsel,
and regulatory advisors.
• Oversee trade compliance systems integrated with ERP, WMS, TMS, and Global Trade
Management platforms. UDI, lot, serial, and device history record data. Ensure accuracy
of HS codes, ECCNs, valuation, and origin and the sku and serialized device level. Drive
automation to reduce clearance delays and improve audit readiness

Qualifications

Required Skills and Experience

Strategic Leadership: define and own the trade compliance strategy across R&D,
manufacturing, service, and commercial distribution. Proactively advise executive
leadership on trade risks affecting business continuity, and service programs. Assess
geopolitical, sanctions, and regulatory developments impacting medical device supply
chains.
• Regulatory and Medical Device Compliance: ensure compliance with trade regulations as
they apply to finished goods, capital equipment, service parts, digital health components,
clinical trial materials, samples, etc. Partner with Regulatory Affairs and Quality to ensure
trade compliance does not compromise regulatory approvals, UDI requirements, or
product traceability. Understanding FDA regulated products and global equivalents (EU
MDR, UKCA, PMDA, NMPA, ANVISA, etc.)

Governance, Policy, and Risk Management: establish and
maintain global policies covering: HS classification,
Valuation, ECCN determinations, Country-Of-Origins and
substantial transformation analysis, Free Trade Agreements
and preferential duty programs, sanctioned and denied
party screenings for institutions and distributors. Lead government audits, inquiries, and
inspections related to customs and export controls. Oversee voluntary disclosures and
corrective actions in coordination with Legal, Outside Counsel, and Quality.
• Continuity of Care: embed compliance into workflows including global manufacturing,
field service and logistics, repair networks, consignment, loaner, and emergency
replacement programs. Ensure compliant execution of bonded movement, bonded
warehouses, Free Trade Zones, and duty deferral programs. Enable tariff-mitigation
strategies without risking regulatory violations or product holds.
• Track Record: history of zero material trade violations, on time clearance of critical device
and service parts, successful audits with customs, effective tariff and duty optimization,
and institution of systems and networks

Required Education and Training
• Proven leadership at Vice President and Director levels of global and regional
compliance teams. Demonstrated experience supporting regulated medical device or life
science supply chains.
• BS in Law, International Trade, Business, Supply Chain / Logistics, or related field
• 15+ years of experience in global trade compliance, customs, or export controls
• Trade or Custom Certifications (LCB, CCS, CUSECI, or equivalent)

Preferred Skills and Experience
• Advanced degree
• Experience with FDA regulated products and global health authorities
• Medical device regulatory fluency and risk management. Capital equipment, software
enabled devices, serialization, service intensive portfolios

Additional Information

Due to the nature of our business and the role, please note that Intuitive and/or your customer(s) may require that you show current proof of vaccination against certain diseases including COVID-19. Details can vary by role.

This position may be filled at a different job level than listed here depending on
business need and/or on the selected candidate's experience, knowledge and skills.
Compensation will be based primarily on the job level at which the role is filled and the
candidate's qualifications, consistent with applicable law.

We provide market-competitive compensation packages, inclusive of base pay, incentives, benefits, and equity. It would not be typical for someone to be hired at the top end of range for the role, as actual pay will be determined based on several factors, including experience, skills, and qualifications. The target compensation ranges are listed.

About Intuitive Surgical, Inc

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. is an American corporation that develops, manufactures, and markets robotic products designed to improve clinical outcomes of patients through minimally invasive surgery, most notably with the da Vinci Surgical System. The company is part of the NASDAQ-100 and S&P 500. Intuitive Surgical has installed more than 5,000 surgical systems worldwide, and has more than 4,000 employees.
Learn more about Intuitive Surgical, Inc
Size
9,793 employees
Market Cap
$93.6 billion
Industry
Net Income
$1 billion
Founded
1999
5 Year Trend
+16.1%
Revenue
$4.3 billion
NASDAQ

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